Modern Day Muses: The Garden

"I have never had so many good ideas day after day as when I worked in the garden." --John Erskine

The above quote is referring to the poet Erskine and not the hockey player…Anyway; the garden has always been a magical place to anyone who has had the privilege to cultivate one.  Somehow, tilling the soil, clipping some weeds, and trimming the bushes makes you feel as if you are bonding with nature.  The flippant nature of society with all its noises and distractions never quite offers the spectacle and luxury that a nice backyard can groom.

The second installment in our series of inspiration takes us to the garden and back again with a look at my own fancy and pleasure.  I grew up with a family of green thumbs and had the chance pretty much every summer to see living beings grow from mere seeds to the majestic tomatoes and zucchini they would soon become.  It was always amazing to see the many produce we could garner from our plot of land. 

One question that always boggled my mind was what makes garden so appealing?  Was it the chance to see something you have so delicately taken care of grow into a large and bountiful plant?  Is it the feeling that you are somehow improving the world through your efforts?  Or, in the case of vegetable or flower gardens, is it the fruitful harvest that demonstrates a tangible profit to your liking? 

For me, the pleasure from a hard day’s labor in the garden comes from the idea that I’m being self sufficient.  Even in my tiny bit of land, I can produce food that will benefit my family.  As a little checkup to my own efforts, I’ll list my current harvestings.  It’s currently early in the season; however here is my tally of crops harvested thus far:

Raishes: None; Pole Beans: 11; Baby Carrots: 2; Cilantro: 2 bundles; Basil: 1 bundle; Sage: 2 bundles; Marjoram: 1 bundle; Oregano: 1 bundle.

I guess that’s not too bad considering most people just planted their garden only a month ago where I live. 

Taking a financial perspective from my garden, my hope is to recoup all the expenses I incurred while constructing the raised beds.  Total expenses including plants, some soil, and lumber came to about $250.  That said, I built the bed to last, and with my additional homemade compost bin, I’m hoping to never have to buy fertilizer again. 

But enough of this side talk, and back to the topic at hand.  When you boil it down, your garden is a great place to find inspiration and discover some things about yourself.  The motion of using your hands to tend a life can really have an impact on you…no wonder why so many people have an attachment to their plants.  The most important part of the whole gardening experience is that it offers an excuse for your brain to go on autopilot and contemplate the other things you want to do with your life.  This is what I like to call the tolling bell of introspection.  By taking the time to examine where you are in life, or maybe just think about some cool new invention or idea, you will find that your life will be greatly enriched. 

That said, a garden can be as simple as a couple potted plants on a window sill.  The important thing to acknowledge is that you are bonding with both these plants and yourself.  If you don’t have some sort of garden already, then I highly recommend you doing something about it!  You will see how much your life changes by having them in your life.  Use them as food, as something that looks pretty, and most importantly a muse in your own life.

Wonderful Moment of the Day: Watching the sun set……at 9:20pm!!!