Weeds and All

Up until just a week ago, my kitchen was cluttered with piles…canning jars, jar lids, pressure canner, blancher, hot water canner. I figured why should I put it all away, just to get it out again tomorrow? Boxes of ripening tomatoes sat under the window, ripening pears (from my neighbor’s tree) sat in a corner, peaches that were bartered for ear corn in yet another. The light at the end of the tunnel seemed distant. ..


In late spring, when the garden was planted, I had so much energy!  My hopes were high for a weed-free garden (wishful thinking!) So I planted yet one more thing, because oh, how I love to watch things grow!


Then summer came. I watched my Amish neighbors keep their gardens immaculate (but who’s comparing?!) Mine became overrun with pig weed, so I hauled out the rototiller and beautified it once more. I watched the tomatoes struggle again this year, (Did you ever hear of someone who couldn’t grow nice tomatoes?) so I bought some. There were interruptions, such as: “Could you and the kids feed the heifers while I rake hay?”, and “Can I please have a friend over today?” The heat and humidity seemed some days to be unbearable, but somehow it all got done...one day at a time.


The garden is again overrun with grass and weeds, but my mindset is different now. I feel a sense of accomplishment with the bounty that was harvested. Just today I looked at my canning shelves in the basement…I counted over 150 jars of green beans, tomatoes, salsa, pickles, hot peppers, pear butter, pizza sauce…and there are fresh frozen lima beans in the freezer!  God knows what He's doing when He makes things grow!


We will be eating well this winter. As I open each jar of beans, tomatoes, peaches and pickles, I hope I remember how blessed I am to have had gardening modeled to me, and to have the space for a garden, weeds and all!