Planting Seeds

We planted the seeds.  They came from the Kindergarten round-up. That's where all children gather that are coming of age to enter school.  It's to determine their academic levels, do health assessment, and be introduced to teachers and the school building. 

The teacher said, "Plant the seeds and when you have a beautiful flower it's time for school to start."

We planted the seeds.  We planted them under the Kindergartener's window.  We have terrible clay soil and lots of wind, so I had no expectations. 

Time for school!  Dressed the kid, got the camera, turned the corner, and, "Well, HELLO!"

"When did you get so big and strong?"  

This tall as me, big faced yellow thing, greeted me with a little sway!  Standing there, bright and sunny was a brown-eyed sunflower!  What a surprise happy photo.

What started this was a notice from Farmers Almanac to which I subscribe -- 10 Gardening Tips.  In its context it mentioned raised gardening, but my mind zipped to container gardening. 

One year a friend of mind suggested we container garden.  I liked it.  A little bit of that has carried over through the years since. 

I grow herbs in different containers outside.  There's a boiler pot under the bay window where I like to grow basil.   The chipmunks like them, too.  They uproot, suck out the goodness, leave plant exposed, rile the gardener, run and hide!  

Two Greek urns beside the shed is where I grow cilantro.  As far as critters go, it's very private in an urn.  But wild plants aren't so bashful.  What a tangled mess -- spurge, crabgrass, nutsedge, and dandelions crowded in to make it home!  

And the wood trough-like box on the deck grows parsley.  Now, there was a surprise.  It grows profusely, readily, and with little care.  I cut.  It grows.  I cut some more.  It grows some more.  I cut, take in to rinse at the sink, and "Oh, my lands!  There's a black worm under that leaf!"  No more picking and mouth-popping for me.  From now on, I inspect, I turn over the new leaf.

It was fun to grow grass in a long container on the kitchen table, too.  By the time the grass was tall enough to hide Easter eggs in it, I got seasonal sneezing.  Keep out the grass!

According to the Farmer's Almanac, it's time to start thinking.

Ha, ha, ha.  Did they think I had a blank look on my face?  

Actually, Farmer's Almanac said it's time to start thinking about gardening.

Well, I am.  They planted the seeds.  Now, my mind is thinking.

Thinking big, strong, tall, and handsome -- sunflowers!