day 13 gardening

Ive been spending time in the garden on the past few miraculous days when it hasnt been raining. On Saturday it was sunny for most of the day and it felt like a whole new life to be outside and not wet and freezing. Our garden is very big and very overgrown. My 'gardening' consisted of me wielding a chainsaw.

I chopped logs, sawed a huge amount of branches with the circular saw to burn on the fire, filled two trailers with cuttings and the brown bin with weeds, leaves and other garden detritus.  It wasnt what you'd call 'genteel gardening'.  It was rather more brutal than that

I quite enjoyed it (apart from the vicious brambles which have grown like triffids through every bush and shrub and fence) But the reason i needed a chainsaw rather than secateurs is because nobody has tended to the garden at all in the past 20 years.

The good thing about that is that everything has grown and flourished wonderfully. The bad thing is that the weeds have grown as fast as the plants. And the shrubs and trees have got so big they are blocking the view , the light, and would damage the house if they blew over.

Jesus talked about gardens. Sowing seeds, planting vineyards, grafting branches, throwing weeds into the fire , storing up produce into barns. He had quite alot to say about getting our hands dirty in nature. Nature is given to us to teach, employ and feed us. Theres something very primitive about taming a wild patch of earth. It takes us back to Adam and the first job humankind was ever given. Tend the earth. Subdue it. Work with your hands to stay on top of the weeds. I think it was no accident that Adam and Eve were placed in a garden. We were designed to thrive in nature. God built us to be gardeners.  He looked like a gardener when He rose from the grave

When I was out in my garden on Saturday I was exercising in fresh air. I was achieving something tangible and lasting. I wasnt wasting hours doom scrolling or watching rubbish telly. I planted some bulbs, moved some plants from place to place. Keith built a bird house.  I also stored up chopped wood for the fire. At the end of the day I looked at what Id done and I declared that it was good. 🙂

Ive barely scratched the surface in our large garden but im looking forward to doing more next time theres a fine day. There are a few more large trees to lop. Theres a very invasive something or other growing like topsy at the bottom of the lawn. It has an unbelievable root system and sends shoots up through stones and between paving slabs. Its going to be a challenge and i may have to resort to chemicals.

But at some point in a few months ill buy some new garden chairs and you can all come round for afternoon tea.