Gardening is new to me.
Last July, with 3 days before my in-laws came to visit, I plunged into gardening as I had head first into Free Heel skiing 19 years ago. Looking around, seeing what others were doing and going for it.
My process is very different from my honey s. He researches, absorbs and quickly moves into action. I am process oriented, requiring a framework to go deeper. As with backcountry skiing and avalanche education, the more I explored the backcountry, my frame of reference widened and my understanding expanded. With my learning style, innocent is bliss. In gardening this can be time consuming and expensive. In the backcountry it possibly could be deadly.
Baba Hari Dass writes in his book Everyday Peace, Letters for Life …” Why is a teacher necessary? The answer is that they reduce the aspirants time researching and experimenting with different paths. You can learn to drive a car with out a teacher. But it will take a long time to figure out how to start the car, how to accelerate it, how to steer it and how to stop it. With a teacher you will learn these in ten to fifteen minutes. Also you will be saved from accidents if the teacher is guiding you. ”
This spring, after my first summer of experimenting, the fruits of my labors are already blooming. Sadly we are missing a couple plants confiscated by our squirrel population for their winter shelters. The top soil purchased full of weeds, has left me with several more projects and investigation to rid our backyard of these devilish predators, although beautiful spreading like wildflowers. Now with a framework, ?I am looking forward to further educating myself on low care, low water, high altitude gardening and weed control. Since gardening is one of many summer activities, I have a vested interest in streamlining my efforts. Now seeing the value in challenging myself to become a more focused learner, I also have a framework for this motivation.
Gardening has opening up a new way to reconnect with the earth giving me time to tune in, focus and enjoy my surrounding. Working with the land offers a deeper connection to both one’s immediate environment and the planet. Although as with backcounty skiing, I still enjoy the process. With my new endeavour, I have found a connection with the elements. As a new skier, gardening is opening up many doors and allowing me to incorporate life lessons into this cycle of birth and death. Playing in the dirt, working with the soil and listening to my environment as I enjoying the journey through the earth cycles. Like the bliss of a powder run, so is the experience of watching the plants and flowers bloom. Its a whoosh.
A virgins thoughts on Gardening.
- Use you Black Diamond Tele Knesis knee pad for comfy kneeling.
- Incorporate yoga into your gardening posture. Concentrate on your core to avoid lower back pain.
- Keen shoes work great as gardening shoes as they can be hosed of or put in the wash.
Thanks for any advice
Digging in and Digging it.
Leslie @ 9600 ft Breckenridge, CO
