GARDENING (SPRING 2020) – Rayne Drops On Roses

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. – Alfred Austin

I can’t tell you how many hours Hubby and I have spent talking and dreaming about trying our hand at homesteading in Alaska. Ever since I was young, Alaska has captivated me—the wilderness, the snow, the mountains, the wildlife, the isolation, and, of course, having my own dog sled team!

There is something so appealing to me about working with my hands, sweat running down my face and sore muscles from laboring outside for hours upon hours, creating practical yet beautiful things, and working the soil to grow food for our table. Just thinking about it fills me with excitement!

Our life here in South Carolina feels about as close to homesteading as we’ve been, thus far. Maybe it’ll be a nice little stepping-stone in that direction? Our home itself is not very homesteady, but the land sure is. Acre upon acre of land that needs to be worked, cleaned up, replanted, you name it.

I can’t help but wonder if our garden journey has been similar to those of early settlers. We picked out a spot where we wanted to plant, we had to clear the trees, remove dozens of stumps and large root systems, till the ground until it was beautiful and fluffy, build a fence to protect our precious plants, and learn the struggles of gardening on a hill.

I am definitely an amateur gardener—I don’t really know what I’m doing most of the time; just learning as I go.

Today, I want to invite you all into my garden to enjoy the beautiful greenery, budding and blooming flowers, tomatoes peaking their cute little heads through the branches, cute pumpkins popping up here and their, watermelon vines stretching out across the ground.

*Newly sprouted Rhubarb Plant. I cannot WAIT until next year when I can collect my first harvest!*

Many of you have been cooped up in your homes for the past few months, and I hope that these images warm your heart and give you hope of the new and beautiful things that the Creator of this world has to offer.

*Newly sprouted row of Radishes–don’t mind my very crooked row (eye roll)*

*Extremely delicate asparagus sprouts! It will take these wispy beauties about 3 years before we can harvest them!*

*This baby Cauliflower plant is on the struggle bus…*

*Broccoli! I’ve never successfully grown it before. In Reno, it was too hot, so the plants got huge, but they never produced. It’ll be interesting to see what they do here.*

*Sweet Corn! Already well over knee-high! Hooray!*

This is the stuff dreams are made of!