Forgiveness

When I got to the garden to water this morning I was greeted with the scent from the petunias. As I looked out over the garden, and how it's come along the thought that came to me was that these plants have been pretty forgiving. 

     They've survived the sustained heat, and periods when they didn't get water as regularly as they needed. They've wilted and struggled, but here they are, growing like crazy! The tomato plants have left the confines of the cages, the watermelon, pumpkins and cucumbers are wandering all over each other's space, the little grasses in the planters are taking off....pretty forgiving plants.

How important is forgiveness when it comes to growing and maintaining healthy relationships?

In our relationships - with friends, families, teachers, coaches - when was the last time I forgave someone? When was I forgiven? Is there forgiveness that needs to take place?



It's been a very hot, very dry summer.

So hot, as one newspaper article said, that the trees are whistling for dogs.

Our garden has struggled and is not what any of us envisioned at this point.

BUT!

Look where it was last March...

 And think of all the tire painting, hauling soil and compost, planting, weeding, watering - all with having fun together!

The idea for a section with "animal" plants - way to go! The research and hunt for plants, and all the work to keep them going through the heat and drought. And the plans to finish that area next year.

Remember the work to get the rest of the new area planted? It had it's struggles, too, but there are plants there now! And hope for next year!

Now that school has started we are coming to the end of getting together. We'll meet tonight and then, who knows? The garden will keep producing until frost, so even if we don't get together as a group, you can check on it and enjoy the good food that grows there.

The garden and our young gardeners have reminded me, that in relationships, even when things are tough there can be laughter.

Their energy and enthusiasm continued even when things didn't go exactly as planned. That's what kept the garden going.That can be what keeps a relationship going when things don't go exactly as planned.

Thanks to our young gardeners, to their parents, to Sybil and Kim from DOVES, and to the folks in our community who supported our Hands for Growing project!

The heat and drought continue. It's taken a toll on some of the plants we've been working to establish. But, most of them are getting settled in!

We had a little tiny bit of rain and that seemed to be enough to magically transform much of our bare space into "goathead city." One of our young gardeners looked at the bountiful crop of sticker weeks with some dismay yesterday and asked, "Where did they all come from?"

The fun stuff is that we started making identification markers for our "animal plants." We have access to a large pile of broken concrete so are re-purposing pieces as markers. As a young gardener remarked, they won't blow away and hail won't hurt them...and if they DID blow away we'd have bigger worries than a garden!!

 The summer is quickly coming to a close and we still have some fun, creative stuff we'd like to get done. There are tires that didn't get painted, we want to finish identifying plants in our animal section and it would be great to get the pavers for our path in place.                                                                                       It's been a year of slow progress and hard work. But, of course, any good relationship takes hard work through the tough times. Our young gardeners know that and have said it's been worth it, and they said they can see the potential for good things to come. What more can you ask? What a great group to work with!                                                                                                                 Sybil and Kim from DOVES, since this is all new to you, many thanks to you, too, for staying with what must look like a crazy project this year!