a blog by john m. jackson
The last few weeks in the garden at chez johnxlibris have been magical. The blossoms on all my fruit trees and bushes are blooming, the late-winter flowers are in full color, and my raised vegetable beds are still producing a regular supply of carrots, kale, broccoli, and turnips.
A conversation my son and I had while cleaning out the dead foliage from these magnificent bearded irises this weekend.
Amiens: I know how to stop ghosts from haunting.
Me: Huh?
Amiens: Ghost school.
Me: How is that?
Amiens: Well, they would be in school and they wouldn’t have time to haunt houses.
Me: But what about on the weekend?
Amiens: They would be so excited to be in school that they would never want to leave.
You have to admire the adoration of being in school at this age. It comes so naturally and can slip away so fast.
“Human life is a very simple matter. Breath, bread, health, a hearthstone, a fountain, fruits, a few garden seeds and room to plant them in, a wife and children, a friend or two of either sex, conversation, neighbours, and a task life-long given from within — these are contentment and a great estate. On these gifts follow all others, all graces dance attendance, all beauties, beatitudes, mortals can desire and know.”
via “The Secret of Happiness: Bronson Alcott on Gardening and Genius“
Not all of these elements of “a great estate” may be for everyone, but for me, this reflection rings especially true. Moreover, the more time and attention I give to these things, the less need I seem to have for doom scrolling and social media.
A day full of wind and rain caused a number of my sunflowers to topple over. Their downfall brightened our table earlier than usual this year.
The tomato plants are falling over under the weight of their own fruit.
Pickled some red cabbage from our garden in red wine vinegar, bay leaf, and mustard seed… and lots of sugar.
