Allow me to plant a seed

Welcome, Friends!

Out of the silence from blogging wordlessly, an idea sprouted in my mind for a new project for 2008. Posts will go up each Saturday morning of this year. Honestly, I'm working very instinctively here. I have a rough plan and I'm running with it. It feels good to just get going on something!

If you have visited here over the past three years, you'll know I love gardening. I have a smallish yard here that I try to make better each year. I started with a very English country garden in mind and now I'm more interested in growing more of our own food. Gardening on your own can be frustrating sometimes because there is so much I don't know. It's a lot of trial and error to find what works. It is amazingly rewarding when things grow after you've planted them.

I adore the idea of a community garden. Whenever I come across one, I pause. If the gate is open, I walk in and take a look around at what's being planted and hopefully talk to some of the gardeners. I spent an amazing afternoon once in a community garden in the International District in Seattle. Set up on a hill, mostly older Asian gardeners were growing vegetables and a few flowers. When my friend and I arrived and shyly looked around we were first greeted warily by the gardeners. But when they saw how we were truly admiring their achievements and curious about learning more they flooded us with as much information as they could. Even if we were experiencing a bit of a communication problem. At the end of our visit,We left with lots of bows and handshakes and seeds for plants we'd never seen before wrapped up in bits of paper nestled safely in our pockets. Of all the places I've been on vacation over the years that unexpected garden stop is one of my favorite memories.

I've decided to call this yearlong project Saturday Seeds. My aim is to create a sort of virtual community garden if you will. Not so much for plants but for ideas. Each week, I intend to offer a seed here. Each month will have a theme. You can take the weekly seed and plant it in the garden of your life if you'd like to try growing it. One thing that amazes me about plants is the vast variety available. One doesn't just grow a watermelon. You could decide on a moon and stars variety, a sugar baby, a honeypot. A variety that is golden yellow or deep red. One that fruits early in the season or late. There are so many choices when you grow something for yourself instead of just settling for what's being offered to you on a shelf.

This project will allow us to make choices and interpret an idea each week. Only you can know which way it will best fit into your our own specific circumstances and conditions.

I'm hoping that each week's seed will be an inspiration for us all to try something new, be better to ourselves, our friends and partners, members of our communities and to be better stewards of our earth.

Please come back to visit tomorrow morning for the first seed. I can't wait to begin sharing them with you.

xoxo,
Rachel

What are Magpies?

Magpies are talkative birds that have an eye for shiny things. I consider myself to be a magpie. This is a collection of all the shiny, wonderful things I would normally carry around in my pockets. Scraps of paper, bits of string, shooter marbles and diamond rings.
www.flickr.com

This is a Flickr badge showing public photos from roxydynamite. Make your own badge here.

Comments

Ohhhh, this sounds so luscious!!!

I cannot wait to find out what tomorrows seed will be, and where it will be planted... I reread this post three times, and am so curious and so inspired already.

It promises to be a beautiful garden I am sure :)

So, tomorrow then?

I am so excited to be part of a garden party!

xoxoxo
joan

Posted by: joan | Friday, January 04, 2008 at 01:00 PM

ohhhhhh .. this sounds so exciting!! i started gardening for the first time this past summer and fell instantly in love and everyone who knows me, knows that community is the thing for me ... must read on :)

Posted by: daisies | Monday, January 07, 2008 at 05:01 PM

That is such a good idea for the new year..I can not wait.

Posted by: DENISE | Tuesday, January 08, 2008 at 03:27 PM

i am so excited about this
fantastic idea...
i found you via daisies
and her enthusiasm about this...
it's contagious!
:0)

Posted by: gkgirl | Tuesday, January 08, 2008 at 08:26 PM

Posted by: gkgirl | Tuesday, January 08, 2008 at 08:27 PM