Slowing down

I almost pulled out the garden hose today, to reconnect it to the outside spigot. I would have had to wrestle it over a mountain of cardboard, plastic and glass waiting to go to the local recycling center. After a long day at work, I didn't have the energy. So I just grabbed my biggest watering can and filled it from the spigot over and over again. It was slow work, but pleasant. Rather than drenching my beds in one overzealous hose soak, I gently sprinkled each individual plant and seedling. It turned my quick chore into a much longer exercise, but it also allowed me time to focus on each plant, to appreciate the seedlings, to notice small growth that would have otherwise gone undetected.

I discovered, for example, that my asparagus is coming up. The spears are dark purple, and I wouldn't have noticed them shooting up from the earth had I used the hose. As I was bending over the spinach seedlings, gently raining water on each one, a I noticed a small asparagus head poking out nearby. There are at least a dozen spears coming up, and likely more tomorrow. Along with the chives, tarragon and baby greens, the asparagus will be a welcome addition to a (somewhat) homegrown Spring dinner this weekend. So here's to slowing down, even as Nature is speeding up.