Musings

The Joy of Gardening

My daughters’ school started a little garden club a couple years back.  They built several raised boxes last year and this afternoon we spent some time planting tomato and pumpkin plants that students grew from seed in their classrooms.  We will “sponsor” a box or two to care for over the summer and watch the plants grow.  While we’d still like to have a garden at home, our garden box at the school will be a fun project for our family over the summer.

Young girl's hands planting a tomato plant.

The Joy of Gardening

I was a little sad to see how few kiddos actually showed up to participate this afternoon.  Perhaps starting the garden should be part of the school day itself?  A school garden can be used in many parts of the curriculum. There are so many benefits for kids who spend time gardening.  Growing your own food encourages healthier eating; it’s so much more exciting to eat a vegetable grown from a tiny seed into part of your dinner!  Gardening has been proven to reduce stress and improve mood.  The learning experiences in a garden are endless!

I’d love to see everyone consider doing a little gardening with their family this summer.  If you can’t swing a full-blown garden plot, consider planting a little container garden or even a few plants on a sunny windowsill. Or, consider joining a community garden — there’s several around the Denver metro area. While you’re at it, enjoy a few garden-related learning activities as part of your summer fun!

 

A Lucky Little Ladybug

It is said that a ladybug brings good luck.  This lucky little ladybug came to visit with my friend and me, and our daughters, as they waited to try out for a school talent show.  They all did well so perhaps that luck was granted.

A Lucky Ladybug

A Lucky Ladybug

Collaboration of Man & Nature = Art?

Does the “collaboration” of man and nature equal art?  I’ve got to wonder when I notice things like this little oddity.  I’m not sure what happened here, but growths from this tree stump appear to have wound their way through the chain link fence in a spiral fashion.  Bits and pieces have obviously been cut away and the tree itself has died, but it left behind this intriguing little sculpture of wood and metal. It sure looks like a piece of art to me!

Tree stump growth wound into chain link fence

Collaboration of Man & Nature = Art?