January 23, 2019
It appears we exist on a spinning rock, orbiting a burning ball of hydrogen, in a galaxy that is full of spinning rocks moving away from each other. We are merely one of many galaxies that are all moving away from each other. We don't know how big the universe is, but the condensation of water molecules on any of the rocks can become the primordial soup of the possibility of life forms. This sounds like a very "off topic" garden post, yet contemplation of the vast expanse of our known universe, so devoid of life as we know it, can not help but lead to an appreciation for the incredible amount of diverse life forms we share this spinning rock with. The brotherhood of life connects us all, large and small..
Our sounds intermix as a melody, our respiration is a concoction of shared molecules. All of life on this planet touches the rest of life in subtleties beyond our comprehension. Our gardens communicate with us because life is a language..
January 24, 2019
Every time I get a wheelbarrow full of trampled hay mulch I think to myself "I can do a line". The white powder in a zip lock bag in my greenhouse is baking soda. Us elders can develop digestive issues, and a walk up to the house is burdensome. I have always loved onions but now they don't love me. Our bodies change, and it took me years to discover my onion evolution. When something you have always eaten, and love to eat, becomes a problem, you can have a hard time identifying it..
The renewed abundance of hay though has made gardening so much easier. The decision to weed eat the pathways, instead of weeding them and mulching them, allows more mulch to go where it does the most good. I line the pathways, circle the mounds and enclose the planting beds. The decomposing nutrients sink into the plants root zones instead of enriching the pathways. The designs I've created look like a geometry message to overflying aliens..
January 25, 2019
If I continue to let my pathways grow weeds, I'll need to keep them cut close to the ground. Plant respiration increases with size so I'll be losing more water from the ground the larger they get. Heavily mulching the pathways retains water and makes it available to plant roots growing next to it. I'll probably have to water more this summer because the weeds will cause water in the soil to flow away from my veggies and out of the ground through them. Sprinkler watering in the summer is my favorite pastime so I'm down with doing it more..
It's especially enjoyable when I have time to sit and enjoy it. Water droplets cascading off leaves is very entertaining. The rainbow of refracted colors constantly changes your focus, and the sound is very soothing. When the birds start splashing around in the puddles you forget the reasons you should get up..
