a new year, a new garden

it's already evident from my first transplanting day, that i am far less concerned (and therefore stressed out) about exactly how many plants i will plant, and how much i can cram into our little urban plot.

last year and the year before, gardening, although thoroughly enjoyable, was also a point of stress. taking on the project of "feeding the family from the backyard" was daunting. trying to map out a garden that grows in the midst of grassy areas proved insanely frustrating - picking weeds from my tiny mounds of dirt on a daily basis. having very few right angles made it very hard to plan rows. with all the joy, there was a lot of nail biting and frustration, back pain and "wishing things were different".

not to go on and on about it, but this winter my family and i went through some harrowing health experiences. and it gave me new perspective. i emerged with a bright light that now sits behind my eyes, thanks to some healers, some vitamins, a light box, and forced exercises!

so as i planted bok choi and other asian greens for the fourth year in a row, i took greater care in those 10 plants, and really tried to win this time against the slugs, but with a bit of humor and a feeling of calm. if they eat them, they eat them. but this time i am not trying to plant 70 other things WITH these plants, so maybe my care and attention to them will cause them to flourish this year.

a garden with purpose is how i am seeing this year. the previous two years were a garden with quantity in mind. i really wanted to be on a large tract of land, with rows and rows of soil. and i still do. but that is not what we have here, and it will not be perfect. it will not be ideal. but it will be beautiful and it will be calm and it will be bountiful enough!

i am loosely following the calendar until may. sadly, i am working alot until mid april and then we will be away for two weeks. all during prime planting time. but i have to remind myself that what i get in the ground before may will be alright, whatever it is. in may i can really focus. it's hard to want to travel and also have a garden year-round. i've found that without balance, comes imbalance, and i've had a lot of imbalance lately. balance is the focus this year in my life and that includes the garden.