Pantheist

Nature has a way of curing many of our ills if we tune in and listen. For myself there is no better way of clearing the mind and refreshing the soul then getting your hands dirty in the soil. As I view my favourite plants in our backyard I see that there are a number of things I have to care for to keep the appearance of a loved and acceptable garden. We grow nearly everything that we need in our patches of good soil and I take the challenge of the no weeds policy. Weeds have a way of sneaking in beside your vegetables and you have to do battle with them on a daily basis.

As I work away in the soil I have a time of reflection without distractions other than the joy of seeing the first tomato blossom and the beans pushing themselves upward towards the sun. I believe in the story of Jack and the Beanstalk because pole beans grow so fast . We begin to observe the growing patterns of both the good and bad vegetation and marvel at how adaptable they really can be. Weeds are only plants that grow where they are not wanted.

Because I compost and then use the product - I have all kinds of rogue plants in places they are not wanted. Some of my best and strongest tomatoes grow in amongst the carrots and sunflowers pop up all over the place, although I never planted them. I am not the only gardener in our yard.

Squirrels and chipmunks share the patches and crops of oak trees and numerous other plants show up in the plots. After a few hours I realize that my time in the garden must end as supper is waiting, and I feel refreshed.

Nature does that to me. And a minister once told me vehemently that I was nothing better than a damn pantheist. I guess he was right - I do love nature.