The Hope of a Garden

I know I'm not unique in thinking about a garden at this time of year. The seed catalogs have been rolling in for weeks, and here in central KY spring seems to be a definite probability for the near future.

Back when we had 1 and 2 and 3 children we did a garden every summer. I did a lot of canning and mostly we ended up with big, ugly weed jungles full of buzzing beetles by July or August.

Then we had three more babies in three years, and canning, gardening, and other homey arts have fallen by the wayside with a scornful 'BAH!' from my lips. Survival mode doesn't leave room for tomato plants.

But this year......we're thinking of putting in a garden. The hubby and I made a list, and went walking through the yard discussing where to put things, whether or not to do a big traditional row garden, or to try our hand at Square Foot Gardening this time around. I've even been so optimistic as to suggest that we put some garden beds into the yard in a way that actually beautifies the place, rather than being purely functional.

Tomorrow we're supposed to spend a few hours getting some areas ready for planting. I'm excited. Not really because I want a garden so badly. It's just that knowing that I can even entertain the mere thought of a garden this year reminds me that we're making progress, that things aren't so hard as they were a couple years ago, and that there's hope for the future.

Even if we don't end up doing a garden, or doing the size we're thinking of. Even if it ends up weedy and beetled. The hope of a garden feels like a good thing to me.