Looking at The Overall Picture

This spring was the first time in many years that we had an opportunity to plant a garden at our home.  Both my wife and I were very excited as we remembered the large vegetable gardens that we always had when our kids were growing up.  This year was different in that we now live in a cluster type home with two patios.  This meant that we were limited in what we could grow and where we could plant.  After analyzing the sun’s patterns in the two yards we decided that the larger patio off the dining room was the right place to plant the garden.  With that decision behind us we then went to work preparing the area for the planting.  It was kind of a long and difficult task as we first had to do some major trimming on a large tree that was blocking most of the sun from the proposed garden area.  But we didn’t mind the effort as we kept the end goal of delicious home grown tomatoes and zucchini’s in our minds throughout the workout.  Finally the tree was trimmed, the ground was turned and amended with soil additives (ie; manure – the dog loved this part!) and the tiny green plants were tenderly placed in their assigned areas. From this point on the excitement began to build as we worked through the daily routine of tending the garden and watching the plants grow from small sprouts into large, green leafed specimens that reached toward the sky! 

Well, due to a cooler than normal summer and a little too much shade in the patio area,  this year’s garden fell short of the quantity and quality of vegetables that we had hoped for.  Would we do it again next year?  You bet!  For each part of the process involved in preparing, planting, tending and then enjoying the harvest, no matter how small, was well worth the effort.  My wife and I were able to work together on a project throughout the spring and summer months.  We experienced the joys of watching the garden grow and then relished the satisfaction of eating the fruits of our labors.  We expected for good things to come from the activity and we were not disappointed with the results of the overall project.

Sometimes when we examine the results of a project, or the events of a day, we may be too quick to judge its success or failure when we look strictly at the end results.  As with our garden project this year, you have to look at the entire package in order to qualify the final rating.  Don’t let a less than perfect finish take away the joys that you experienced throughout the event.  By enjoying the various stages of your day you can still come out on a positive note and end the day with a winning attitude!  Stayed tuned and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting, today!”