We took a few minutes this morning to sit in our backyard and savour the beginning of the day. We took a stroll out to our garden to check on the progress of our vegetables. Because of the warmer weather we are already eating our own lettuce and everything else is thriving. We also have a plot in the community garden near Bowmanville high school and it too is doing well. There is such a sense of well-being in growing food, and it shouldn't surprise us since our faith story begins in a garden.
Did you notice last week that farmers in France turned the Champs Elysees, one of the most famous and magnificent urban vistas in the world, into a massive garden? At considerable cost they trucked in soil and brought vegetable plants, fruit trees, and of course grape vines to create a veritable Garden of Eden in the heart of chic Paris. People came in the tens of thousands and the point was made about the importance and the plight of agriculture. Instead of folks going to the farm, the farm came to the people. What a clever idea. We all need reminders that food comes from somewhere other than the grocery store.
How are your gardens growing? Do you feel a little closer to God when you are getting dirt under your fingernails? What do you think of the Paris initiative?
I've turned into a real green thumb, which apparently comes to me honestly via both my parents and my paternal grandmother, especially.
ReplyDeleteBut backing up ... there's a community garden near BHS? Since when?!
Hi Ian. June 21st will be the 15th anniversary. As you drive in, look to your right, before you make the turn toward the pool. It's worth a gander.
ReplyDeleteI have planted tomatoes and peppers and they are all doing really well, especially with the much needed rain. My small backyard is my oasis and my little area to "get away from it all", so I have shrubs, flowers and of course my crops. It's a good thing my rabbit only likes to chew on a couple of them!
ReplyDeleteI love the Paris initiative! It would be nice if that could catch on in other major urban centres.
I support anything that takes cars off the road, thereby reducing pollution, and promoting environmental causes.
On a completely separate issue, I am absolutely delighted to see the CEO of BP getting lambasted in the media for his latest inane comments about how he wishes this nightmare would end for HIM. The reply I got from BP unfortunately was carefully worded so as to avoid having the blame pointed at themselves. I also heard this morning that 17 countries initially offered to help BP clean this mess up...and they refused all of them!
Sorry to hijack your blog with this last stuff, David.
I also think that those people in Paris are geniuses. What a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteAs for me, up north here in Saskatchewan. We are just beginning to put the seeds in the ground. We have been getting a lot of rain, which is preventing some farmers from doing their work.
On May 20, The Toronto Underground Cinema, hosted a show called "The Gleaning", it won some awards this past year. It is a group of people who glean Toronto. It was very interesting to see how much food can come from the city. Our garden is in, along with lots of weeds growing!
ReplyDeleteMy tomatoes are in and the strawberries (in a hanging bag on the fence) have bloom. Looking forward to what will be produced.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to have been on the Champs Elysees to see the farmers, what a brilliant idea!
It's fun reading what you are all up to. I may do a weed check with you during the summer!
ReplyDeleteJohnny, I have a different "take" on the BP CEO. Finally we get less spin, and some honesty. These people are fallible and human, and it is better for all of us when they realize. Is what happened terrible? Without question. Is his life hell? I think so.