Lost Garden Post.

Text of an unfinished post from July 28th of this year:

 "Red Russian Kale, Collards, Rainbow Chard, Lacinto Kale, Totsoi, Leeks, Shallots, Zucchini, Habanero, Jalapeño, & Cubanelle Peppers, Red Russian Garlic, Purple Hardneck Garlic, Assorted Heirloom Tomato Varieties, including Paul Robeson, Pink Brandywine, Green Zebra, Sungold, Black Cherry, Cherokee Purple, in the vegetable garden now. Planting basil & Napa Cabbage & Romanesco Broccoli today.
Rosemary, Lavender, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Tarragon, in the herb garden.
Narstirscums, Zinnias, Purple Coneflower, Snapdragons in the flower garden.
I like to recite that list in my head, it's a poem."

Iris was just over a month old. I was still thinking that I might go back to work at the end of August. 

That all seems like a very long time ago. 

The garden was totally half assed this year. Back in May & early June when I was very pregnant (Iris was born June 14th), we bought some veggie starts at the Greenfield Farmers coop & somehow got them in the ground. So what that we usually grow our own veggie starts inside in the winter & buying them felt like cheating? So what that although I was on maternity leave for three weeks during prime gardening season before Iris was actually born, I managed to accomplish nothing more than planting small flower & herb gardens near the house, since the weed jungle in the field were the vegetable garden is was too overwhelming. 

One thing I wish I could tell my pregnant self is that getting stuff done when pregnant is way easier than getting stuff done with an infant. 

The morning I woke up in early labor I woke up very early, & was very inspired to garden. Of course it poured rain all that day. 

But I lay in bed in the early dawn that Thursday morning & planned out all the plants I was going to buy on that Saturday's farmers market & how I was going to garden all weekend, so what if I was 41 weeks pregnant. 

Of course I woke up that Saturday in the hospital next to a one day old baby girl. 

I guess that garden inspiration was my form of nesting. 

The garden on November 14, 2013, Iris' five month birthday, around 10:30am. 

The garden on November 21, 2013, one week later, around 4:15pm, as the sun was starting to set. 

We still have Red Russian Kale, Lacinato Kale, Rainbow Chard, Collards, Leeks, & Totsoi going strong here on November 22nd.

I am proud to say that even at almost Thanksgiving in Western Massachusetts, 

I could go outside & gather the elements to make a meal from the chickens & the garden. 

It's a quite dreary damp day here today, it's around 11am & I am lying in bed next to Iris who is enjoying her late morning nap. This nap sometimes either never happens or lasts five minutes, so I am savoring the fact that it has already lasted  fifteen. 

As I typed that I glanced over & her eyes were open. 

Ah babies.