In My (Grandpa's) Garden

Wednesday I finally put in my garden. I have had seedlings growing steadily (or not so steadily depending on the type of vegetable it is/was) for a couple of months now, and was about to have a bunch of them grow out of their containers very soon. We ordered a truck of garden soil (because the dirt around here is terrible) and had it delivered this morning. Bob put the finishing touches on the 4 8x4 raised beds that he made for me and viola! I had a garden.

My first green bean of the season - not quite ready to pick, but the first plant to have them!

As I was leveling out the dirt and placing the first of my vegetables carefully in their designated spots I immediately thought of my grandfather. Upon placing my first tomato plant into its location for the growing season I smelled a smell so sweet and wonderful  - a smell that reminded me of all of the good things about being a child. If you have never had the privilege of smelling a vegetable plant, I highly recommend doing so. There is nothing like the fragrance of a plant doing its best to grow and supply you with nutritious food.

Tomato plants

Smelling my first tomato plant in many years immediately brought me back to my childhood. I could see my grandfather bent over his garden in his work clothes, sweat gently dripping off of his face. I could see myself coming to meet him, and hear his voice call out to me, "Hey, Lee", as he wiped the sweat from his brow with the handkerchief that he carried in his pocket religiously. A twinkle in his eye and gentle, warm, and welcoming smile on his face. I am reminded of him showing me all of the wonders of that garden. All of the successes and failures of the year he would point out to me. I imagine this time was his quiet time. A place to help him transition from his work day to being home, but as a child I had no reason to understand that a person could need this time to go from one part of a day to another.  If I was a bother to him, he never let on. I always have (and still do)  felt adored by him. I have always felt that my company was something he cherished. I love him for that. He always had the time to stop his life to show me something or to just be with me. I loved his garden for that reason. It was a place where I could meet him, and could just be with him without anyone else.  His garden was amazing, and absolutely huge.

My grandfather's garden was my first experience with the smell of what real food should be like. There was no large scale production, no pesticides, no chemicals, no CAFO manure being spread over the plants. Just a hardworking man bent over his garden most summer days weeding, watering, and picking the ripe fruits of his labors. It was an experience like none other, and it speaks volumes of its importance to me that of all of the things from my childhood that I could have chosen to remember my grandpa's gardens are some of my most vivid and special memories.

Pepper plants

My garden now is a connection to my grandfather. All of these years that I have not gardened I did not realize how much I have been missing.  I needed this garden as much for its food that it will (hopefully) produce, but also for the emotional ties that I feel toward it. I know that can walk to my garden, and just have a moment with my grandfather. His calming, serene influence, I have no doubt, will make me feel so much better. With all that is going on in my life I need that so much right now.

Summer squash and zucchini and a pumpkin plant.

Every time I go out to water my plants or weed my beds I will think of him. Every time I smell any of the vegetables growing in my garden I will think of him. I am grateful that I still have him in my life - even though I don't get to see him nearly as often as I would like, but I am even more grateful that I have a sacred spot where I can go to just be with him in thought.