New Year, New Garden

“Year’s end is neither THE END nor a BEGINNING but a going on.” ~ Hal Borland

Last week I started the process of rehabbing my garden. This fall has been pretty crazy and stressful and crazy stressful at work for various reasons and as a result my garden (and this blog) was kinda left to its own devices. I felt so guilty that I didn’t take the time to work in the garden that I started avoiding it and honestly didn’t even go back there for a few months (which is kinda crazy to think about since I can see the garden from my kitchen).

When I first went out to the backyard to “assess the damage” I was pretty mad at myself. The garden was totally overgrown and looked like a jungle. As I got closer to the garden I noticed that some of the plants I had assumed were dead were actually still alive and producing vegetables including the peppers and the tomato jungle. (Yes – my tomato plants had turned into a jungle). Have I mentioned the garden never fails to surprise me?

After Christmas was over and all the guests were gone, it was finally time to roll up my sleeves and get to work. So while, small child was playing on his new playground Santa got him – I started pulling weeds. I thought I would just pull a few to start so it would be easier to work on the next day but as I started pulling weeds, I started to actually feel better. The stress of the crazy semester, drama of the holidays and sadness I was feeling about missing my mom started to fade away. As sweat and dirt started dripping down my face, the garden slowly started to reemerge and I discovered even more hidden gems that had hidden amongst the weeds including two rogue sunflower plants. Another reminder that amazing things can still grow amongst the weeds

The next day I woke up SORE. (Like ridiculously sore from the little bit of gardening that I had done. I really have to start working out more…) But I felt relieved, happy and with a new sense of purpose. Small child and I searched through our gardening books and planned our winter garden. Husband helped us go to Lowes to buy our supplies. Of course we went rogue from our list and bought some plants we didn’t originally plan on. We came home, had husband wheelbarrow over all of our dirt (it is so important to have a good garden assistant!) and planted our winter/spring garden

As I reflect on the past year at first I thought – 2018 sucked and it needs to go. But then I started thinking a bit more. Despite losing mom, good things happened in 2018 too. My brother graduated with his doctorate in music and started a successful career, my husband and I have both hit some major goals at work we have been working towards, small child is literally thriving and our family has really refocused on the important things in life and have become closer than ever. The more I think, the more I realize that just like the sunflowers, tomato bush and peppers, we have grown despite the weeds. Cheers to a new year!

Happy planting and eating!

~ The Gardening Dietitian