The Gardener
June 13, 2012 * * * * * Posted by: Maery 
Writing is like planting a garden and waiting for the emergence of something green.
The one who plants is bent over the dirt. She takes off her gloves as they are stifling hot and place too much between her and the earth -- rich, damp, and deep.
She brushes a mosquito from her arm, leaving a smudge of blackness mixed with blood.
The cultivator, or as she referrs to it -- "the claw", is held firmly in her hand and is drawing lines in the dirt, breaking up clumps and pulling up roots that had long gone dead.
The odor of turkey poo drifts up to her nose, which crinkls in recognition that what feeds growth is not always pleasant.
She punches a hole through resistance and drops in a seed, then another, then another. She pushes the dirt back into place, blending old and new, with a smile of satisfaction.
She knows she can't simply wait for the magic to happen. There will be watering, weeding, and vigilance to watch for pests biting away at her produce. She must protect and feed tender shoots.
But she also knows there is only so much she can do. The rest is up to Mother Nature and a bit of luck.
Reader Comments (13)
Such a wonderful analogy and metaphor. So true - that no matter what it is we're creating - the process is always the same.
Beautiful post!
Oh, what gorgeous flower beds, Maery! What rich, black dirt for growing things! (Be thankful you don't live in Georgia with all their red clay!!) And with the turkey poo, I can just imagine what will come of all your hard work. It IS a good metaphor. Thank you.
Love this post. Beautiful garden as well.
Wonderful post, Love the analogy. Your garden looks great.
What a beautiful site ~ all that wet, dark, rich soil and your tender little plants! I can just feel you there in the sunshine.
For the very first time, I started a few plants from seed in my garden. I'm so excited to have the little flowers blossoming. Our yard is too hilly, the layer of soil too poor and thin, to plant vegetables, but I so wish I could have raised vegetable beds like yours, Maery, with your little marigolds to help keep the bugs away.
Oh yes, that is for sure. Although gardening has taught me patience more than anything else in life.
I love your pretty beds!
loved the post and am tomato dreaming! looks like you will have a nice crop! delightful.
And don't forget an important part of the metaphor - good writing can feed us as surely as good food! Sometimes, the harvest is even more bountiful than we can imagine!
Maery, your introductory sentence just pulled me right in. Your writing is wonderful and such a great analogy between the gardening and writing. I would've never put those together, but you did it beautifully!!! Linda's comment just nailed the ending!
Thanks for all the wonderful comments! I'm hoping both the writing and garden will be bountiful this year.
Writing is the planting of seeds, some will take and some will fall to fallow ground.
Lovely post :-)
The birth and growth of a garden is such a joyous thing. I hope yours blooms and grows well this year. A great metaphor for other aspects of life too.