About Me

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I am a mother, a teacher, and a nature lover. I grew up on a mountain we called Owls' Knob in the Ozarks of Arkansas. The first seven years of my life were spent living in a log cabin, far from a store or streetlight, without electricity or running water and after twenty years of travel, I returned to the abondoned homestead. Now I live on a hill by a small lake and work at a public garden. These are stories about nature written from a women deeply influenced by place.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Breaking Ground


           Zane and I worked in the garden yesterday. The soil was softened by February's freezes and not too wet. The moist dirt is still dark with manure and compost added months ago. Last year I learned that manure will "burn" new plants if it is added too soon before planting. So this spring I have let the soil rest and will plant in it without adding anything to the already enriched soil.


          Once the garden bed had been turned by my large shovel and then Zane's smaller shovel, I planted a few early spring vegetables: Kale, Collards, Spinach, and (my favorite) Snap Peas. These plants can endure the frozen nights of March. In fact, my Kale almost made it through the winter but was getting stringy.


           After digging in the dirt, Zane found a mud puddle. I let him stomp in it, since earth is earth to him. He pointed to the ground and asked, "Dat?" I told him, "Mud!" He smiled joyfully and proclaimed, "Mud!" These are important moments. If anything can connect his heart to the earth, it is pure earth.

1 comment:

  1. Zane's looking so big and healthy!! Glad you're playing in the garden this year.

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