No, this isn’t a blog about political mudslinging or digging up dirt about politicians, although those are the topics normally tackled here. The reason entries have been sparse lately is that I’ve been distracted by actual soil.
My mother jokes that of all her children, I was the one least likely to take up gardening. But I did. Why I took up gardening has to do with the stress of climbing the corporate ladder.
Once upon a time at a bank in Denver, I managed a department for the Chief Credit Officer. This man believed that he possessed the only living brain cell on the planet, so discussions with him were painful. Usually they ended up with the two of us yelling at each other and his secretary making comments like “My God, you were LOUD.” Eventually I started fantasizing about running him over in the parking garage, which clearly is the symptom of a deranged mind.
I quickly decided that I had to find a way to work out my feelings of anger and revenge that would not end with me wearing orange jumpsuits for the rest of my natural life. So, I took up gardening. I found that I could look at a weed, grab it around its worthless neck, and think “Die, Sucker, Die” as I pulled its worthless roots from the ground that nurtured it. For the record, eventually I also transferred to another department and buried the hatchet with my previous boss. But I discovered that there are many benefits to gardening, not the least of which is mental health.
My adventures in gardening started with flower gardens. Being a city girl, growing things to eat hadn’t yet registered. Having a well groomed yard was not all that different from wearing suits, pumps, and silk shirts. It was about projecting the right image. It wasn’t until I left banking and moved to Grand Junction that I began experimenting with growing edibles. At first it was a few herbs interspersed with flowers. Then a few vegetables sneaked into the soil, followed by some fruits. Then the lawn started disappearing as a hodge-podge of edibles started taking over. The disappearance of the lawn was hastened by my run for office, as campaigning took precedence over gardening, and plants have trouble staying alive when there is no water.
Today there is a small patch of lawn in the front of my house. The rest is dedicated to flowers, herbs, veggies, and fruit. Yesterday was spent adding nutrients to the soil along the north side of the house, in anticipation of planting onions, radish, spinach, and lettuce there today. I already have spinach and lettuce coming up in pots. I can see some wonderful salads in my future!
One little yard has been conquered, so it is time to expand the horizon. Involvement with getting the Cottage Food Act passed this year has put community gardens on my radar screen. You, dear reader, are along for the ride as we occasionally explore literal digging in the dirt instead of political mudslinging.
Homework
American Community Garden Association
My mother jokes that of all her children, I was the one least likely to take up gardening. But I did. Why I took up gardening has to do with the stress of climbing the corporate ladder.
Once upon a time at a bank in Denver, I managed a department for the Chief Credit Officer. This man believed that he possessed the only living brain cell on the planet, so discussions with him were painful. Usually they ended up with the two of us yelling at each other and his secretary making comments like “My God, you were LOUD.” Eventually I started fantasizing about running him over in the parking garage, which clearly is the symptom of a deranged mind.
I quickly decided that I had to find a way to work out my feelings of anger and revenge that would not end with me wearing orange jumpsuits for the rest of my natural life. So, I took up gardening. I found that I could look at a weed, grab it around its worthless neck, and think “Die, Sucker, Die” as I pulled its worthless roots from the ground that nurtured it. For the record, eventually I also transferred to another department and buried the hatchet with my previous boss. But I discovered that there are many benefits to gardening, not the least of which is mental health.
My adventures in gardening started with flower gardens. Being a city girl, growing things to eat hadn’t yet registered. Having a well groomed yard was not all that different from wearing suits, pumps, and silk shirts. It was about projecting the right image. It wasn’t until I left banking and moved to Grand Junction that I began experimenting with growing edibles. At first it was a few herbs interspersed with flowers. Then a few vegetables sneaked into the soil, followed by some fruits. Then the lawn started disappearing as a hodge-podge of edibles started taking over. The disappearance of the lawn was hastened by my run for office, as campaigning took precedence over gardening, and plants have trouble staying alive when there is no water.
Today there is a small patch of lawn in the front of my house. The rest is dedicated to flowers, herbs, veggies, and fruit. Yesterday was spent adding nutrients to the soil along the north side of the house, in anticipation of planting onions, radish, spinach, and lettuce there today. I already have spinach and lettuce coming up in pots. I can see some wonderful salads in my future!
One little yard has been conquered, so it is time to expand the horizon. Involvement with getting the Cottage Food Act passed this year has put community gardens on my radar screen. You, dear reader, are along for the ride as we occasionally explore literal digging in the dirt instead of political mudslinging.
Homework
American Community Garden Association
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