In spite of erratic temperatures with one day of 80°F, the next dropping to 45°, strong winds, and torrential downpours followed by cloudy days, the Community Garden is thriving. It is gratifying to see the plots, including our own, slowly emerge and it has been fun to see how the different gardeners treat their spaces. The picture above was taken one month ago.
A month later . . .
. . . and the next day.
Isn’t this door to the garden plot clever? It brightens up the space and brings a bit of whimsy into the garden.
My favorite garden is the grandmother’s garden, which she shares with her adult granddaughter. They have already harvested strawberries and have used every inch of available land to sow with seeds and plants and flowers. It is amazing how much produce can be packed into a 10×10 plot.
Gus and Tom are friends. I’m guessing they are retired. Their easy, teasing banter reminds me of my father and the gang that spent many hours at our house. Tom’s wife had this sign made up and put it in the plot that Gus and Tom share. Since I took the picture, Gus has added more plants.
I’m heading over in just a bit to see how our crops fared through the storms and to check on the cabbage, whose slow, steady growth fascinates me, and whose flavors will tantalize come fall.
Now, if only I could figure out how to attach my photos without getting the words all out of kilter. Must be these fingers of mine, sans fingerprints, which really, it seems, don’t matter all that much since my every word is being tracked by some nameless (or named?) government “spy”. Wonder if he or she likes cabbage.
Penny, what a thrill to see these gardens growing. It must be such fun seeing the other gardens as well as working on your own. And the gate is just stunning! What a satisfying project this must be.
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I is, indeed, fun, Juliet, and satisfying as well. This colorful gate was such a surprise to see. Now, if the weather will cooperate . . .
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What a delightful space! The touch of whimsy here and there makes it fun. It looks like everyone is taking good care of their plot. Love the gate.
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It is delightful, Janet. My pictures don’t do the plots justice, but, you get an idea. They are all well tended and their personalities are coming out – the personalities of the gardeners. I’m surprised at all the potatoes that are growing. I need to try that next year. Potatoes cooked right out of the garden are sooooo good.
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Hahaha! Yes, Penny. You’re surely being tracked–who knows what lists you are on now that it’s out you have no fingerprints! Very suspicious! The gardens are so delightful. It’s so nice that you are learning more about the “names” assigned to the different plots. It must be very interesting to see the personalities that come out with the way they decorate, or the vegetables they choose to plant. I hope you continue with the updates. And it looks like everything survived the storms without too much stress. Those were amazing temperature swings! Wow! And your cabbage looked beautiful! 🙂
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I must be public enemy #1, Debra. I’m afraid I’ll see my picture in the post office next time I go for stamps. It has been fun watching this project grow, now with real vegetables. There is a saying around here that if you wait 15 minutes, the weather will change; part of the midwest and, here, part of being near Lake Michigan. Weather reports always say 70 degrees, lower near the lake – and it is lower, or higher, or lake affect snow.
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Ooooh, I have been dying to see the garden, Penny! And what a lovely plote it is. Lovely to hear about the people there. I think gardening brings together some wonderful people, those who know the importants of things done slowly, and of waiting a long time for results, and of the delight of watching something green pushing through the soil.
Hope the storm was kind.
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Apologies, plot!
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Haha! No apologies necessary, Kate. I have a long trail of typos.
So right you are about gardening bringing together wonderful people. I always say that gardening reminds me that I’m not the one in charge.
The storm was kinder than expected. We are now in for a very rainy weekend. So it goes . . I’m not in charge.
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Oooh! Yes, great progress and good to see – despite having everything thrown at you by the weather. Keep up the good work!
Axxx
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Thanks, Annie. The weather gives us all, as we tend our plots, a true appreciation for what farmers content with. Nice to hear from you today. Have a good weekend.
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What fantastic progress in just a month, Penny. I await future developments with bated breath. 🙂
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The plants are hanging on, Perpetua, in spite of all the stormy weather. I’m sure I’ll do another post.
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Love the gate and the gardens and the tales of the people — you could write a book — all these different people coming together as they work on their plots. Hope no storm damage.
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Tales of a Community Garden. Could be a best seller, Sallie. This has been a fun endeavor. We all survived the storm with no sustainable damage. Thank you, Sallie, for asking.
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Dear Penny, thanks for pointing out the gate and Gus’s sign. I clicked on both photographs and the enlargement really makes a difference as to what I can see. In Stillwater, Minnesota, I had two raised vegetable gardens. They were 4 feet by 4 feet and I was doing square-foot gardening, following the book I got about that. I, too, grew cabbage and watched the leaves furl. Enjoy! Peace.
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I often click onto the photos and often find what I might have missed. Square foot gardening. One plant in each square I suspect? Great way to fit a lot into a 4×4 space. Since I took the photo, that cabbage has more than doubled in size. I’m having fun plotting their progress, which you can just imagine.
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[…] little community garden our small committee of determined women started last spring has yielded a bounty of harvests, and […]
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