For the most part, this post is going to be about a garden project I did for my granddaughter; but first I, like everyone else on the planet, need to address this pandemic situation.

At first, as concerning as it all was, I tried to look at the time as an opportunity (you know, every cloud has a silver lining; that sort of thing). I was going to write more blog posts, work on neglected projects, organize the workshop and a bunch of other things that would have been great to accomplish. What I did not anticipate was how distracting a pandemic could be and that it could be accompanied by months of isolation, anxiety and the grief. I did not do any of the things I thought I would do; at least not for the first month or so. And now, some of the things that I’ve chosen to do weren’t originally on the list. It’s been an interesting journey and also an important opportunity to learn and grow. Speaking of growing…

Let’s talk about my garden project (this is one of those things that wasn’t on the original to do list). I planted a garden. I have not done this in years and, going into 2020, I had no intention of doing it this year either. But, coming into spring time during all of this weirdness and hearing about supply chain issues and farmer’s struggles, I decided it was probably a prudent thing to do. If nothing else, it’s given me something new spend some time on. Many things are still closed here and we are still under a stay home stay safe order…*sigh*, so I’ve got some extra time on my hands.

In addition to planting a typical garden, I decided to do something special for my 4 year old granddaughter. There is a spot in my yard that once had a small tree in it, but that tree was eaten by deer and died. It’s a circle made out of bricks and I thought it was the perfect spot for a reading nook for a little girl.

At first I was going to do something with outdoor fabric, but then I decided doing something with vines would be more fun. To start, I dug up the sod around the outside of the circle and shook all the extra dirt (and worms) off the roots and back into the hole. once that was done I stuck six foot long bamboo poles in the ground, angling them so the tops pointed toward the center of the circle. Once that was done, I pulled all the tops together at the center of the circle and secured them with twine. I then took the same twine and weaved it through all the poles, starting at the bottom and working my way to the top, making sure to leave one section open for the entrance into the structure. Once that was done, I had my granddaughter help me plant and water the seeds. We went with peas because I thought it would be fun for her to pick them when they are ready.

Obviously, the success of this project is TBD, but I’m hopeful.  My granddaughter is super excited and can’t wait for her little seedlings to poke out of the ground. I will write another post later this summer and let you know if everything went according to plan.

I hope this finds you all well and that you are staying healthy during these trying times. Even in the midst of turmoil, I hope you are finding joy and peace.

And remember it’s good for our mental and emotional health to…Keep. It. Creative.