Reading about sweat and actually sweating are two different things
One of the types of stories I've always loved, especially as a child, are transformation stories, especially when the transformation is of a place. You know, a person finds or inherits a completely run-down piece of property, and with vision and a lot of hard work, transforms it into a beautiful place. I love them, and as a child couldn't get enough of them. (Mandy by Julie Edwards nee Andrews is one that sticks in my mind.)
In some ways, living here is this new house on this piece of land, is a lot like living out my childhood fantasies of transforming a place. The bones were good, but everything was just a little bit falling down and extremely overgrown. In my mind, I can see what I want it to look like, and it is actually feasible for us to be able to do it, but it's going to take a lot of time and effort. (This is in direct contrast to the Big Ugly House. There were plenty of opportunities for transformation, and we did some, but transforming a very large but dilapidated 1886 Victorian involves a significant amount of cash. This was something we were very short of. Sweat equity can only go so far.)
This is what I was thinking about as I was hoeing the second of the two new vegetable gardens we have put in this spring. Hoeing is hot and sweaty work, and when the garden is fairly large, takes a long time. It gives you time to think. And you can think about all those stories you read as a child. I'm not sure very many of them mentioned sweat and how it feels when it runs down your face and off the end of your nose. No, it's very different reading about someone sweating (if that was mentioned) from your chair with your cup of tea, and actually being the one who is sweating. The latter is certainly better for ones waistline than the former, that's for sure!
The other thing the books don't fully convey is the length of time such a transformation takes. In the books, a couple of years can go by merely by turning the page. Talk about instant gratification! In real life, it takes time. Real time. I'm not good at being patient, but evidently this is (yet another) opportunity for me to practice that skill. Clearly, I haven't quite conquered the patience-thing, though I routinely tell God that I really think I've got this one down now.
So, all this to say, we have the second (new) vegetable garden tilled, hoed, and planted. It contains all the vine-y things... lots of squash and melons. I've never had room to grow these things before, so we'll see how it goes. Here's what it looks like.
Now, in my mind, that's a picket fence surrounding it, maybe with some flowers growing over the gate. In the meantime, it is surrounded by an entirely serviceable fence, which should keep the marauders (and chickens) out quite nicely.
__________
Remember, P.'s deadline for her down payment for Class Afloat is early this coming week. Thank you to everyone who has donated. We are extremely grateful! Please, keep sharing. I so want her to do be able to do this.
The story behind the Go Fund Me page.
Phoebe Curry Go Fund Me
In some ways, living here is this new house on this piece of land, is a lot like living out my childhood fantasies of transforming a place. The bones were good, but everything was just a little bit falling down and extremely overgrown. In my mind, I can see what I want it to look like, and it is actually feasible for us to be able to do it, but it's going to take a lot of time and effort. (This is in direct contrast to the Big Ugly House. There were plenty of opportunities for transformation, and we did some, but transforming a very large but dilapidated 1886 Victorian involves a significant amount of cash. This was something we were very short of. Sweat equity can only go so far.)
This is what I was thinking about as I was hoeing the second of the two new vegetable gardens we have put in this spring. Hoeing is hot and sweaty work, and when the garden is fairly large, takes a long time. It gives you time to think. And you can think about all those stories you read as a child. I'm not sure very many of them mentioned sweat and how it feels when it runs down your face and off the end of your nose. No, it's very different reading about someone sweating (if that was mentioned) from your chair with your cup of tea, and actually being the one who is sweating. The latter is certainly better for ones waistline than the former, that's for sure!
The other thing the books don't fully convey is the length of time such a transformation takes. In the books, a couple of years can go by merely by turning the page. Talk about instant gratification! In real life, it takes time. Real time. I'm not good at being patient, but evidently this is (yet another) opportunity for me to practice that skill. Clearly, I haven't quite conquered the patience-thing, though I routinely tell God that I really think I've got this one down now.
So, all this to say, we have the second (new) vegetable garden tilled, hoed, and planted. It contains all the vine-y things... lots of squash and melons. I've never had room to grow these things before, so we'll see how it goes. Here's what it looks like.
Now, in my mind, that's a picket fence surrounding it, maybe with some flowers growing over the gate. In the meantime, it is surrounded by an entirely serviceable fence, which should keep the marauders (and chickens) out quite nicely.
__________
Remember, P.'s deadline for her down payment for Class Afloat is early this coming week. Thank you to everyone who has donated. We are extremely grateful! Please, keep sharing. I so want her to do be able to do this.
The story behind the Go Fund Me page.
Phoebe Curry Go Fund Me
Comments
But... I love it here anyway.