You’re not stuck, you just forgot you can change your mind
― J.R. Rim
Dear Reader,
The final set of propagation grow lights went dark this week, signaling an end to the big spring push. That doesn’t mean there won’t be another round, but for the moment, nearly two thousand plant babies have graduated from the nursery into the wild, wonderful world.
The glow of the full-spectrum lighting illuminated our warm basement propagation area since early March. In that controlled setting, I know who and what might pay my seedlings a visit and exactly how much light and water will be received. Now that they have been rehomed into the vast array of 88 garden beds, I must depend on their innate resourcefulness. Tending to their early needs creates autonomy down the road which is important as my role shifts from caregiver to steward.
This brief but poignant pause is a welcome change from the daily races of April and May to get as much done as is humanly possible each and every day. The intermittent rains have added to this spaciousness by eliminating the nightly chore of watering. An ease has set in, and there is now precious bits of time to appreciate the first harvests. Filling my harvest basket with a magical mix of greens and blossoms for salad and gobbling up those first succulent strawberries bring joy to each day. Bouquets are being gathered, and the herbs that have spilled into the walkways beg for a first cutting. This week, Greek oregano filled the dehydrator racks, and the aroma was mouthwatering. The garlic scapes have already been blended into pesto and I'll be folding thick leaves of Black Magic Tuscan Kale into a pot of Hetty McKinnon’s outstanding baked risotto.
It’s not quite a bounty, but we are certainly reaping the benefits of our labor. Each meal cooked reminds me of why carting trays of seedlings down to the basement, up to the porch, and back inside each evening is so worth it. I am witnessing materializing of the carefully designed cook's garden of my deep winter dreams. Beds are carefully curated with meal planning in mind; there is an entire salad section, an eclectic mix of alliums that is always within easy reach, and every imagined culinary herb can be easily located as they perform the task of providing beneficial support to the garden ecosystem.
Even this early into the season, I have a few promising season’s favorites:
Opalescent basil, so uninspiring as a seedling, but wow, does it pop with some sunshine and rain into a frothy, frilly, eye-catching statement, not to mention its tantalizing hint of cinnamon.
Can we talk for a moment about fava beans? Since my first experience of fresh-from-the-garden favas in an off-the-beaten-path Florence trattoria, growing my own has been on my bucket list. It’s been a 25-year wait, but it may prove to be worth it as the blossoms fill the sturdy stalks.
And then the rows of French Grey Shallots have me so excited because ...
1) They are the real deal, not what are sold as shallots in the supermarket
2) There are going to be so many! Somehow, I missed the fine print that one planted bulb = 5 shallots, but then I do often miss the details. Nevermind the abundance as all good cooks know you can’t have too many French Grays around and all the surplus will find their way around the corner to my friend Mark’s store at Archway Farms.
Outside of the garden this week, I’ve had the pleasure of admiring the work of my meticulously determined Capricorn, Manifesting Generator son, as he finalize the foundation for our future shed. I am astounded at his attention to detail and what seems to my unskilled eye as painstakingly slow-moving progress. However, if the foundation is off, as he is quick to remind me, all subsequent efforts will be thwarted. It’s not so different from the germination process and early care for plants. The right beginning leads to strong, resilient plants just as a level, well-built foundation creates a reliable structure.
Simple examples like this of synchronicity are abundant, and yet it takes slowing down from the busy-ness to appreciate their richness. I'm so grateful for these past days. As I savor these slower moments its good to take note that we have arrived at the fourth and final week of Gemini season. Reviewing the recorded conversation with Astrolgoer Anastasia Koryttseva we can learn that this is as a time for digesting all of the ideas that have come forth this season. Boy will I have a lot of digesting! Our time to do that may be helped along with a rather forced period for introspection the 13th - 19th as the Sun Transits through Gate 12. ( Learn more about Gate 12 here.)
You will have to decide for yourself how you wish to perceive this period that is represented by the I Ching Hexagram, Standstill. The question to ask is whether you want to percieve this as a blessing or a curse? After all the mental activity of the early weeks of Gemini, perhaps a pause is welcome, or do you feel as if you finally gained the clarity to act and now are stymied? You might find this quote from Hiliary Barret's I Ching translation on Hexagram 12 useful as you navigate the days ahead:
The noble one has noticed that the harder you bang your head against a brick wall, the more bruised you get, and so he is economical with his energy and talents.
I’d love to hear about your 13-19 June experience or what you are loving in your garden, so do share.
Until next week
