September 4, 2010

Tending My Yard and My Heart

For many years, I lived in different high-rise apartments and I only had potted plants to enjoy in my balcony. But even with limited space, I managed to have grown vegetables indoor even during winter. In those years I wished to have real grounds to till.

Now, I am blessed to have a yard large enough for me to enjoy daily gardening. It such a blessing to do a bit of farming activities while living in a big city.

I was pruning our mango tree to let more sunshine on the corner where we wanted our butterfly garden to be.
In my previous posts, I mentioned about our latest project which is the butterfly garden in one corner of our front yard.  It's been a month since we started it and I'm excited to share the progress. But that will be in another post. You can have a peek in my front yard here.

For some time, I've busied myself tending the front yard more than the back where I used to have my vegetable garden. Recently, I'm reminded that I should care for both. It also spoke  of my heart's journey where I put more effort on taking care of what is seen than the inner self. So, as I'm back tending my backyard, I am also looking into my heart. How is the plight of my heart?

My backyard is prone to flooding during heavy rain so I decided to do pot-gardening. My heart is prone to despair when heavily pressured and stressed so I'm taking things bit by bit, one day at a time.  As I said in my garden blog, when I work in my garden, I'm also gardening in my heart. I plant seeds of faith. Uproot weeds of doubts.


This time I planted more herbs and spices. I have different kinds of basil and chilies, pandan, lemon grass, rosemary, lime, malunggay, bell pepper, turmeric, and spring onions. The banana tree is also  bearing fruit and so is the rose apple.

Gardening is a hard work. Although I enjoy doing it but I admit that sometimes I wish I live back in those high rise apartments so I only have potted plants to care for.

For sure, the spaghetti for our lunch today tasted better with fresh basil from our garden.

But then,every time I put on the table food fresh from my garden, my being a farm girl at heart is again revived.



  

8 comments:

Illinois Lori said...

Dear Ruth,
Thank you so much for joining FFG today! I loved your post, and I agree that gardening (weeding and tending) does mirror the "garden" of our heart. There is a reason that God made us need to grow our food in order to eat it! That's what is missing in the suburban world with it's giant supermarkets. No connection to our food and thus the land God created, less connection to our own hearts because we don't spend that working time reflecting.

Have a blessed weekend!
{{{HUGS}}},
Lori

SisterTipster said...

Thanks for visiting Telln' It! and seeing that tree so loaded for us! I'm excited as the time is ticks down to picking time! Buckets are washed and kitchen cleaned up so we are finishing up some schoolwork before we head out to pick them! Oh yes, apple pie sounds yummy! It'd be even better to enjoy in a gorgeous yard like yours~it's really nice! Sending you a hug!

Joanne Olivieri said...

What a lovely garden. It can be a chore but such a gift to enjoy the fruits of your labor. It also can be therapeutic. Enjoy your weekend.

Anonymous said...

Ruth,

You have a lovely garden, and to be sure, you have a lovely heart to match (smiles).

Blessings to you Friend.

-Lady Rose

lauraelizabeth4@outlook.com said...

Can I just come over and sit for a while? We probably wouldn't need to talk much because I think you would understand me and I would understand you...I am so thankful to know you. Too bad we are on the opposite ends of the world. When we get to heaven I'll find you and we will hug and kiss and I'll say "Finally! I meet my dear friend, RUTH."

Thank you for your post.

Katia said...

Hi Ruth, sorry for taking awhile to make here. It's been busy, we have a holiday weekend here in the US, so I needed to get some urgent stuff done.
O how sweet your garden truly is. Mango is the only fruit tree we didn't have when growing up; now mom has it in her country house.
Truly gardening is my time with the Lord.
I wish we live near each other, so we could swap plant starters.
Looking at your Mosaic, reminded me to say in my post that we a lime tree too. O, how I loved to suck on those refreshing laves as a child. I forgot to mention we had limes.
Have a wonderful weekend my friend.
(((hugs)))

Unknown said...

you're lucky to have possessed green thumbs.
also, your photos were beyond amazing! all great shots!

LLJ said...

Ruth,
I don't think I have a farm girl heart, but I sure loved seeing your pictures of your gardens and getting a glance into your farm girl heart! I love your analogy of tending the back yard that others don't see. : )
Our friends will be heading to Thailand soon for a conference and I wish I could tag along and get to meet you! : )

Leanne

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