soil-icious

well, the hole in the ground is now a flat smear of dirt.

And up until today I couldn't have told you why it smeared so nicely. but after spending an hour chiseling away at this clay soil, i understand its appearance. armed only with a hand spade i tackled an area of lawn by the shed which is now home to 7 iris (irises? iri? 7 iris plants.)



This has been the year of the earth. no, not the summer of george, but the year of the earth.

i've always wanted to get into gardening. now that i have the space for a garden of my own i long for the days when mom would want me to help in the garden and i would shrug and try to help without stepping on anything. and now i face the task of creating my own. creating, there's an interesting way to think about it. creation, that's what i thought about as my hands worked through the soil, breaking up lumps, almost massaging it to become a workable substance, a substance that would support and cultivate plant life.

Over the past weeks I have fallen in love (again) with the sweetness of a garden fresh cuke, the juiciness of a ripe tomato and the crunchy sweetness of fresh corn. I've decided that all my lunches from here on out will be salads. cucumber salad, tebuleh salad, bean salad...all things fresh and wonderful.

I yearn to work and cultivate a space that will bring some veggies in the house from the backyard. What is this strange connection to nature? to earth? to the humus/earth/soil from where our existance began? It's a break from over produced easy microwavable/drive-thru meals and a pause to see life around us. to live in the freshness that surrounds us... to breathe, to eat and to be in God's amazing creation.

+paz