12 Blessings – Gifts From the Garden
As the Holiday season is upon us, I find myself reflecting on the joys, and gifts that gardening has allowed me to experience. So for the next 12 days, I am going to share these gifts, my memories, and truly appreciate the blessing I have received.
1) The Gift of Community
Gardening allows us to reach out to the community. Neighborhood gardens and allotments are becoming more common - A place where folks gather, chat, and grow food. The experienced gardeners share knowledge with the inexperienced. The food is gathered, and excesses are shared, not thrown away. Community centers and local churches are opening their kitchens so the neighborhood can have access to canning or freezing the food they grew, and a community is truly blessed.
Community is also experienced in my own front yard. Neighbors wave, or walk over to talk. It doesn't matter if I get out there for some weed pulling at dawn or at sunset, I will most likely spend a few minutes catching up on the neighbors’ child’s soccer game, hearing about a planned vacation, or sharing a glass of ice tea. The garden is a good excuse to spend time with busy folks who find a little time to share. Such a Blessing.
A backyard garden is difficult for sharing, because not too many neighbors will just open the garden gate and stroll around the garden. So I've had ‘Open Garden’ events to invite friends and neighbors over for an afternoon. I serve finger foods, and have cold drinks available, and this casual gathering is fun. Community groups like area garden clubs, or Plant Societies, organize tours each summer. I love to go other gardens and glean ideas and meet other gardeners in the process. Gardeners are really great people, and are willing to share what they know, and perhaps, get a treasured cutting from ‘Aunt Sue’s garden’, along with it’s history. These garden gems are a Blessing.
Blessing No. 1 – the gift of community. So simple, and such a Blessing!
Share with us your ‘community’ and the Blessing you have received.
1 comment:
I definitely agree with this one. I've gotten to know a lot of neighbors working in the front yard, especially the ones with dogs or little kids.
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