How my garden grows

 

Okay, ignore the picture. Me in my work-day outfit, which means pajamas, no make-up, hair barely combed. But a happy smile on my face. I’m digging into the dirt and planting herbs in my new portable garden. It’s exactly what I wanted, because I can sit on my rollator and work in it. It’s taken us a while to get to this point—Christian wanted to varnish the outside, but with the rainy weather we’ve had that didn’t go as quickly as he wanted.

Then I had to buy some gravel to put in the bottom. As usual, I overthought the whole thing. At first, I thought there was a gravel company really close to us, but then I discovered it had closed. Then I tried to call gravel companies to ask what kind I needed and could they deliver. It was obvious they weren’t interested in a tiny job like mine, and most had no phone contact. Finally, I did what I should have done all along: I called the nice young man whose crews maintain our yard. He said to get it from the local hardware. Duh! Always glad to patronize a local small business.

So we got the gravel and dirt, and today Jordan put in the liner, pea gravel, dirt, and potting soil. I sat in my rollator and helped spread gravel and dirt evenly. This may sound insignificant, but so much is done for me that I can’t help with that it was a delight to be able to be part of this. And doing it with Jordan—and some laughter and giggles—made it special.

We planted the herbs we had. Tomorrow’s errand list includes a trip to the nursery where fall herbs are on sale—we have thyme, oregano, basil, and chives. Those are my basics, but I’d like to add cilantro, parsley, and dill (I’ve never had luck with dill because caterpillars eat it). Jordan pointed out some trailing plants would look good on the bottom shelf, so I want to look at trailing rosemary. Though I suspect that shelf should be reserved for tools, etc. Anyway, I’m delighted to have plants in the soil.

A good day in other ways. I wrote 600 words on an article—or what I hope will be an article. The first words are always the hardest, and this struck me as a longish introduction and perhaps too personal for the market I’m targeting. But I’m a believer in writing it the way you hear it in your head.

Tonight we planned salmon for dinner, but when dinnertime came Jordan and I found ourselves staring at each other. Jacob had a high school football game, and Christian had an event. I thought a pound and a half of salmon was extravagant for the two of us. But then, just before we were to eat, Christian came home. I made a vinegar/oil herb sauce for the fish—really good. But then we had very lemony salads with avocado and blue cheese, and hearts of palm angel hair pasta with lemon butter. Jordan loved it, but it was too much acid in one meal for me.

The pasta is interesting. It felt soft in the package (not cellophane so we couldn’t see it) and the directions said nothing about cooking it. Just pour on sauce and heat. So she did—and it was pretty al dente. Next time, Jordan says she’ll cook it. But it is carb free, gluten free, etc. That always makes me nervous, because I want to know what they added to compensate for what they took out. (I would never make a good vegan.) I did not taste hearts of palm in it at all, which was to me a disappointment and to Christian a benefit.

Tomorrow Megan comes from Austin for the weekend. So excited to have her here. The girls will go to the football game, but then tomorrow night Christian will grill and we’ll have a big family dinner. Sunday, brunch at Pacific Table and take-out dinner from Joe T.’s. I’m so looking forward to all of this, but mostly to having my Megan here.