Celebrating Earth Day in My Own Backyard

by Kelly

I cultivate my garden, and my garden cultivates me. ~Robert Brault

I come by my love of gardening naturally.  I remember being a young girl and spending summers with my great-grandmother, picking the zinnias she planted between her rows of green beans.  And I can't remember a summer when my mom didn't have at least a couple of tomato bushes growing out in the back yard.  

But don't get started on that summer she grew okra.  I still have the emotional scars from being sent out into the miserable Oklahoma, late-August heat to pick those sticky, fuzzy pods which she would then cook with stewed tomatoes.  {{shudder}}

Anyway, the love of gardening is deeply rooted in me (pun intended).  And even where I live in the city, I still manage to plant a small garden in my backyard each year.  In northeastern Oklahoma we have a pretty long growing season, so I like to plant early season vegetables like lettuce, peas, broccoli, and cauliflower first. 

Then by the time they are finished producing, my tomato and pepper plants are really taking off.  

I know...this is going to sound really cheesy...but having a garden is almost like witnessing a miracle.  I get such a thrill watching seeds sprout and push up through the soil.

And then seeing those first couple of leaves reach out and stretch towards the light.

I can hardly wait until harvest!  Because everyone knows that fruits and vegetables taste better when they come out of your own garden. 

But it's more than that.  Having a garden encourages a connection to food that you don't get from buying it at the grocery store. 

And having a garden makes me appreciate my food more....not just in the work and care associated with maintaining it.  But more especially, in the good earth which provides this bounty for us.

The great thing about having a garden is that you don't have to have acres and acres of land in which to plant. You can experience the wonder and joy of gardening wherever you live...whether it's in a small, urban garden like mine or pot of tomato plants on an apartment balcony.

I'm so honored to be posting today, Earth Day...gardening and nature are both so dear to my heart.  And as we celebrate Earth Day as a community today, I would like to invite you to share with us your photos of what you love about this wonder-full planet that we share.  You can add your shots to our Flickr pool or tag your Instagram shots with our hashtag #focusingonlife. 

Until next time, 

Kelly