Collateral beauty

I'd never planned on growing flowers.

Oh, I think flower gardens are a lovely way to spend one's time. They add a little beauty to our world, and make for a wonderful visiting place for our beleaguered pollinators. I can see the delight in that.

But that's not my goal, as I plant. My garden, insofar as I put time into it, is all about the delight of producing even a fractional amount of our household food. My enjoyment comes from the taste and flavor of those things that rise from the earth, from the beans and strawberries and blueberries, from the tomatoes and potatoes and squash. That I am in some small way nourishing my body with those simple labors has a nourishing effect on my soul.