La Belle's Hobby Farm: Giddy Over Gardens (and Dragons)

The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops,
but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.
~ Masanobu Fukuoka, The One-Straw Revolution

I

am garden-giddy. 

Spying firm, light green tomatoes peeking from beneath large, healthy leaves does that to me. 

So does seeing how humongous my basil has grown and the lovely dark green of my rosemary.  The mint I planted in pots died a slow, agonizing death, but the health of my ground-rooted plants heals the ache of that flora-cide ~ still searching for the cause of death and a motive. 


photo copyright 2012 Mikaela D'Eigh

When I make it home before dark shrouds my little beauties from my loving gaze, I spend a couple of hours gently pulling weeds, snipping blooms off the basil, lightly watering, and talking to my plants and the beneficial bugs that protect them.  

This time in the garden is akin to time spent in prayer and meditation.  My bare feet connect to the ground and its energy,* I take a deep, cleansing breath of the twilight air, and give thanks to God as I understand Him for the gift of Himself, this land, clean water, and loveable creatures.

Playing Favorites

When I first cultivated the ground and began planting my tommy toes, there was one dragon-fly that would flit shyly around.  I always talked to him in a quiet voice.  Each week, he ventured closer, until now he brushes close to my hair and sits on nearby plants and watches me putter around the garden.


photo courtesy of Jose Angel Astor, 123rf.com

I adore dragon-flies.  They remind me of fairies and their colours are quite stunning.  So imagine my delight when this past weekend I counted four additional gossamer-winged guests!  The first one must have communicated that I’m an okay sort, because the new ones don’t seem frightened at all and fly and dip around me when I call and coo at them.  I have noticed a couple of their brothers or sisters in the train station parking lot, but I confess I’m too embarrassed to talk to them with my fellow commuters walking nearby.  Go ahead and say it.

Chicken. 

That is what is so great about living in the boons.  No matter how I feel or what kind of day I’ve had, I can go outside and talk to my plants, insects, and animals and there is no one to raise a judgmental eyebrow and tap their head.  And without fail, my tension fades with the sun.  As I tuck my tomatoes in for the night, I feel a little punch drunk.  And why not?

After all, “as an apple tree…is my beloved…”

Oremus pro invicem,

~ Mikaela

*There is some science to back up this revitalizing feeling, called earthing.  I have found some information online about it, but need to do more research before I recommend any sites to you, dear readers.  If you  have thoughts, share them in the comments.  More to come in future Hobby Farm posts!