Saturday, May 5, 2012

Harvesting Memories.

So, how does your garden grow? …or do you even have one? If you do, you will appreciate this post. If you don’t, then I must encourage you to start a garden. …floral or vegetable, doesn't matter.  They are both so rewarding.   Digging in the dirt is the most spiritually satisfying activity I've found that I can do on my own time and in my own way.

My dad had a garden when we were growing up. I remember very vividly sitting out under one of the big oaks in our back yard and having to shell purple hull peas.  My fingers were purple all summer long.  I couldn’t seem to get that purple stain off of my fingers.  It wasn’t anything that I loved doing but it was one of those chores that my Mom had us do if we wanted to go fishing or swimming.  She was always good about canning all the veggies my dad could produce in his garden.  We had canned tomatoes in the winter for our soups and she would make the best creamed corn. 

The best part of summer when I was growing up was the fresh meals that came out of the garden.  I can remember watching the tomatoes ripen on the vine and when they started to turn, I would watch for the special one and when it looked like it was ready to pick, I would take the salt shaker out to the garden and sit down between the rows and eat it right off the vine. It was soooooo good! I can almost taste it now.  Kids these days have no idea what a real tomato tastes like. 

Today I went to the opening of the Farmers Market at the Farm. It was kind of early for any veggies but they managed to get hooked up with some area growers who are serious about growing for the public…thank goodness.  Bob Evans of Cotton Valley is one of our growers and he managed to have the biggest and prettiest heads of cabbage today.  Freshly dug red potatoes and freshly picked broccoli were for sale today at the market and I was so proud to get there early enough to get some. I got home with my bounty, put on some music, turned our old oscillating fan on and began to dance while cleaning my veggies. It brought back such great memories.

I also brought home some new plants that I bought from Molly. She’s a local horticulturalist who has managed to get her children excited about the earth and gardening and their family was out at the market selling plants, eggs and handmade flowers out of recycled tin cans.  I had to buy one of almost everything, of course.

So, today was a great day and I can’t wait to plant my new plants, eat my new potatoes while patiently waiting for the tomatoes to start making.  Fresh vegetables are a rare treat these days especially those that are grown by the hands of backyard gardeners who learned the art of gardening from their parents and grandparents.   We need more gardeners and more farmers.   Consider being one or at least supporting the ones that live in your community.  Go gardening! Go green! …or Go buy!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The Perfect Day!

It was the laughter that caught my attention.  While working in the "Painting for a Cause" tent, I could see the colorful quilts blowing in the breeze by the side of Zenobia’s old home place.  And on the front lawn, Janell and members of the Pleasant Valley Church were frying chicken for festival goers.  And on the front porch, a couple of teachers from Bossier were enjoying their chicken while watching the traffic go by.  It was the smell of fried chicken, the sound of the laughter and the buzzing of the cooks that made my heart swell and I could feel the grin on my face take over.

It was our 18th arts festival and the 12th one to be held on our four acre Farm.  The crowd size was perfect. …any more and the experience would have been different for everyone.  People were busy painting on the outdoor mural, kids were under the tents making faces out of clay and the music coming from the big talent tent reminded you that it was all about the kids.  

Having chaired the festival every year since its inception, there was something different about this year.  Every little detail had been addressed. From the thoughtful placement of the colorful quilts to the whimsical tin flowers scattered around the yard…the entire place was a piece of art.  It was my dream festival.  Everything that had played out in my head was played out in real life…for the first time.  There were no regrets, no complaints, no last minute worries, no forgotten tasks.  The board members and the volunteers who had dedicated their time and talent were now seeing the fruits of their labor, too.  My only hope was that they were experiencing what I was experiencing….pure satisfaction. Pure joy.  The perfect day! 

We created a beautiful scene with real elements and real people on April 28th and it was truly a masterpiece!