Springtime In Calgary

While I was sitting here today looking out the window at the sunshine, and wishing I could plant a garden, it was snowing in Calgary. My daughter, Becca, lives in Calgary now. She has her seedlings all snug in their planter boxes in her sunroom, waiting for the last freeze to be able to plant them outside. She learned to love gardening when she was growing up. I still remember looking out my kitchen window when she was about three years old, and seeing her sitting in a tree, a bunch of green onions in one hand, and a handful of broccoli in the other, both fresh from the garden. The onions still had dirt on them,  but I was just glad that she was eating her veggies and loving them.

I think that when children are involved with growing their own food, they have a better appreciation of them, and will eat whatever they have helped you grow. They enjoy helping you poke the seeds in the ground, and are always amazed when the little plants pop up through the dirt. The once hated green beans are now their delicious veggies that they grew themselves, and they eat up every bite. All three of my children ate vegetables with no fuss, and I think that they all love to grow flowers and vegetables as much as I do.

I know Becca is ready to get out in the yard, getting her hands dirty in the Canadian soil. She has plans to grow stock, basil, cosmos, asters, and ganzania. She may be planting some easy veggies too, like onions, radishes and lettuce. But until the sun comes out and melts away snow, she is going to have to wear her ladies ski jacket to keep warm. I hope she doesn’t have to wait too long.