Garden journal: why grow your own?

Remember those dresser drawer garden beds I built in early spring and left at Rose’s house (when we lived with my future mother-in-law)?

Since our departure Rose has claimed her garden plot with vigor. She calls me to talk about her cukes’ progress, her morning and evening watering rituals. I can’t think of a better reward for salvaging those dresser drawers from their imminent bulk trash pick-up demise.

Here are some thoughts on why I garden. I’d love to hear your reasons in the comments section.

I don’t garden for the potential economy of doing so.

I don’t garden for the yield, though when everything works as it should, it’s mighty exciting.

Kathie in Washington D.C. with her first harvest of homegrown snow peas!

I don’t garden because I like solving problems. (I admit, I do enjoy a bit of sleuthing.)

I garden because it’s nice to focus on something besides myself for a few moments in the morning and evening. I garden because fledgling plants bring my scale down to the tip of my fingers. I garden because every so-so growing experience is a lesson learned, an opportunity to try again.

Rose and her empire of cucumber blossoms.

So long as we keep receiving spring’s charms and summer’s heat, I will continue to garden.

Why do you garden?