The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round #6

In this part of the world, the heat, humidity and lack of rain have been a constant for the past month. If you’re experiencing the same thing, you might read “preservation season” and think about hours inside a comfortably air-conditioned house that keep your energy and health preserved and protected from the elements.

The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round #5

“Everything I launch into the world doesn’t produce immediate payoff. Some things take time.”
That’s so true for everything in the gardening life, and in life in general. I wrote that in February in regard to my new bird feeder. I wasn’t sure if the birds would ever come. For a while, they didn’t. I checked the package of the food I bought and decided I should trade it out for another that is specifically for smaller birds.
Now I have chickadee and purple finch visitors every day!

The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round #4

Spring is a season of creation at our house. The soft sun invites me outside where I cannot resist digging up weeds here, removing dead leaves there, hoeing the soil to prepare for vegetable seeds and flowering plants.

I spent most of the first two weekends in May in my yard taking care of the little patch of earth we nurture. The piles of wood chips that the tree trimmers left slowly shortened as I filled up the wheel barrow and buckets to haul the mulch to one of the gardens where I’ve weeded and planted.

The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round #3

One thing that gets me through the transition from late winter to early spring is visions of shiny, plump, red tomatoes. I get those beauties started with planting the seeds.

It’s rejuvenating to put hope into a tiny seed and watch for it to break through the surface of the damp soil to show off its little bit of green. No matter how the cold soil on my fingers, the work promises to pay off in delicious sauces, sandwiches and soups.

The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round #2

The Joy of Fresh Ricotta. I abhor waste, especially when it comes to food. One of the joys of winter is that when we have a little of this and a little of that left in the refrigerator, I can usually find a way to combine it with a few fresh ingredients to make a soup or casserole to warm us.

The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round

Some Things Take Time
I’ve been working at my desk for nearly seven hours today and I’m still waiting for my first, bird visitor outside of my window.
My husband, Jim, bought me what looks like an ingenious bird feeder that is supposed to keep the squirrels out of the food that’s not intended for them. However, it’s a cold day in January in Kentucky, not the kind of day when I typically see many birds or squirrels.
This morning, a cardinal hopped around on the ground below, picked at the few seeds that fell out of the feeder when Jim hung it yesterday. Mr. Cardinal gazed up as if anticipating the feeder, but didn’t make his move.
I haven’t seen another bird since then.
That’s okay. Everything I launch into the world doesn’t produce immediate payoff. Some things take time. That’s what I learned when I launched The Goodness of the Garden . . . All the Year Round in 2009. Today, I’m relaunching the blog on a new home and with a broader outlook.
Initially, I challenged myself to create a weekly menu that used as much local, in-season produce as possible. At that point, I was recovering from breast cancer and rebuilding my health. A nutritious diet was an important part of my plan.
To keep myself accountable, I launched a blog. I used the blog to share recipes, gardening tips and food preservation ideas. The more I practiced, the stronger my local-eating habit became. Now it’s such a regular facet of my life that I sometimes forget that my approach to meal-planning and cooking aren’t typical for all families in the United States.
As I relaunch my blog I will be writing about food and gardening. I continue to learn about both. However, I’ll also be exploring the Goodness of the Garden from other perspectives. Thus, I was hoping for an avian visitor to write about today.

At least I got some winter sunshine to brighten the feeder, which apparently doesn’t yet make it attractive enough.
What I expect at the beginning of a new year rarely shows up right away. Does the same happen for you? I invite you to share something that you’re launching this year in the comments.
I’ll practice patience and keep watching for what I can learn along the way. I hope you’ll join me for the journey.