Wednesday, July 14, 2010

SOUL GROWING GARDEN

Yearly, my husband undergoes a unique transformation - he becomes Elmer Fudd, the infamous cartoon character who continuously hunted Buggs Bunny.

Wabbit Season Pictures, Images and Photos


Luckily, he doesn't own a weapon and merely fantasizes about the many ways he could murder those treacherous wabbits who love munching on the veggie plants, which took so much love, toil and trouble to grow. Exasperation gives way to resignation as, not only the rabbits torment him, but I myself join in the torture as I defend the cute little cotton tails, who are merely trying to survive.
My husband has a type A personality, which he continuously tries to tame by meditating, reading, and sheer will power. Sometimes he succeeds. And although the many rabbits, quail and infinite variety of birds that come to snack on his garden irritate him to no end, gardening is his truest form of calming himself, of getting in touch with his own essence and relaxing as he accepts the ever generous gifts of Mother Earth (which the animals assume are there for sharing).

I consider gardening to be a wonderful form of resting in that quiet, still, meditative state. This is where the reasoning mind is perhaps occupied with detail but the other mind - the one that is expansive, limitless, eternal and free - takes over as it dwells in one of the most natural, soothing, affirming and spiritually grounding activities one can engage in to purify and center the soul.

"The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for Him there."

George Bernard Shaw

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This year hubby made a great discovery, which had actually been in existence for many years but was new to him. He delved full force into a form of gardening that is both beautiful and efficient. He began Square Food Gardening; originated by Mel Bartholomew, who authored a book by the same title. "One can grow more in less space," the book entices gardeners. It's true and this is just one of its many benefits for individual gardeners as well as communities in all parts of the world. I don't feel fully qualified in recommending this type of gardening, since I'm not the one doing it, but based on my observations and comments from my husband, this provided a great solution to gardening in the desert, as it apparently does for gardening in the city, or in places with limited resources.


It seemed to me, the hardest part was building the boxes that use very little soil, compared to traditional gardening methods. My husband, though, didn't think that was actually very hard at all, and he's the one who made them.

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Before I proceed to display, what I consider to be a work of art, co-sculpted by my husband and Mother Nature, I must remind you of where I live.


This is my neighborhood - a dry, rocky, barren earth, beautiful in its own way but providing the gardener with immense challenges. Nevertheless, for many years my husband has persevered in planting and cherishing the fruits of his labor, small though they sometimes were. It seems this only magnified the value of the tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and squash that somehow succeeded in coming to life. It's amazing what Love can do.


~

My husband's Eden.


This is hubby's garden today. It's small but we anticipate it will produce much. An added feature of this year's garden is that it is organic. What more can vegetarians ask for? It is truly our mini garden of Eden.


As I write this all sorts of metaphors and analogies come to my mind - Mother Earth, birth, growth, life, death, beauty, decay, hope, rebirth...


But, I'll let you make those connections. For now, I'm grateful to enjoy this garden, to let it bless me with its peace and to know that my husband finds his soul within it and his Spirit is nourished by the food of Divine soil.


"One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth."
Dorothy Frances Gurney

1 comment:

  1. I used to live in Albuquerque years ago on the other side of the Rio Grande off Isleta Blvd. - it was wild in those days and I loved watching the rabbits come out at night. Then I moved over on Tijeras - but it's all changed now I suspect - but it was a nice time in my life. Anyone who plants and watches it grow, knows there is a God. Smiles.

    Haupi

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