I don’t know about you, but I feel like celebrating. This spring thing has put something new in my step, and I may have needed that boost more than most people.
Monday I was honored to be on the invite list for a spring tree-planting at Sherwood Montessori School. My new friend Richard Hirschen gave me a tour of the school’s new garden and food center, which is just half a block from the group’s classrooms on the Chapman School campus.
You can check out an adorable “monster smoothie” video about food grown and consumed by the kids: http://tinyurl.com/k4xfjot.
“In a lot of cultures spring is the new year,” Chef Richie said. “There’s so much to be thankful for.”
On this first day of spring, the gardening group created a home for a Fay Alberta peach tree, which was donated by garden helper Luisa Garza.
We gathered in a horseshoe shape, 150 pairs of little hands linked in a chain. With Chef Richie’s instruction, the children said kind words to the tree. Next, they scooped soil and poured water, giving the new tree most of what it needs. Sunshine had already been provided.
These kids may not realize the full potential of this simple act. Right now, the tree has only one flower, and looks more like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree than something that will produce buckets of fruit. Yet, soon those kids will be taller and so will the tree. Lessons for the future include how useful it is to have fruit within arm’s reach, and what a warm peach tastes like on a summer day.
I like the idea of these same kids driving by their “old school,” with their own children.
“I planted that tree when I was in kindergarten,” the mom or the dad may say.
I’ll drive by as well, maybe to check if there are warm peaches hanging over the fence.
Spring planting, spring vacation, spring celebrations … I can understand them all, except for spring cleaning. On these days when the bees are buzzing, sweeping the back of my closet is the last thing on my mind.
SPRING BULBS
This week my friend Chrissy has been sending me photos of the daffodils in her yard.
Chrissy doesn’t particularly love to garden, so last fall I brought over a bag of bulbs. Her friend Patrick also stopped by and helped pop bulbs in the ground. This was before the big winter rains, and digging holes in her back yard felt like working in a coal mine. In fact, I didn’t have much hope for those bulbs, as they certainly weren’t buried anywhere near six inches deep.
However, nature had its way. Each day for the past several weeks, blooms arrived. I get to peek into her backyard because Chrissy has been sending me text photos.
She sent photos of freesia blooms as well. I’m not certain if I actually planted those, but I took credit just in case.
The good thing about a good gift is that it’s a gift for the giver as well. I’m certain my joy from receiving these photos at least matches the joy Chrissy receives looking out her sliding glass door.
I’m thinking this should be my new go-to gift — planting bulbs in other people’s yards. Sure, it’s a nice thing to do for others, but it’s also a really nice thing to do for myself.
GET DIGGING
Because we are on the subject, I couldn’t help but notice that spring-planted bulbs are on sale in nurseries.
The Master Gardeners of Sacramento website, http://tinyurl.com/nxljwvh, has an easy-to navigate chart for bulb planting. (Chrissy, if you are reading this, we need to go on a bulb-buying adventure).
The “plant-it-now” list includes begonia, tuberose, lily, dahlia, canna, calla and gladiolus.
If you invest a little money for some beautiful pots, you could give living bouquets to all the folks on your summer birthday list. Planting bulbs in pots also keeps the good stuff from the grasp of gophers and moles.
