It is amazing what can happen in the garden in just a few short weeks. There must be fairies visiting my beds every night sprinkling their magic dust over the plants. In exactly two weeks the garden went from this:

To this:

It is the time of year when the pole beans wind themselves to the tops of their supports as if in a race, like that game at the fair where you aim your water gun at a target to race your scary looking clown head to the finish line, when the winter squash creeps and crawls and spreads out into every available space, and the first signs of fruit appear as each plant puts out its firsts blossoms.

The garden is still lush, not having yet endured the blistering heat of the summer. It is a glorious time.

Coincidentally, my life outside of the garden has begun to burst forth as well, and big changes are ahead. This week I was able to announce my return to teaching this coming fall. The school where I taught before becoming a stay at home mom has welcomed me back with open arms. I am excited, overjoyed, and overwhelmed all at the same time.

As life gets busy with all that needs to go into managing a classroom of 25 students, having a family life, and a social one, I hope to some how squeeze enough time out of the day/week/month to tend to the home garden. I need to because it means as much to me as teaching. I have just a few short months left of the not-so-rushed-mornings. The luxury of ample time to putter and do the heavy lifting that is growing a substantial amount of food is now finite. We will see what fall brings. I am optimistic.

On the other hand, while I was away from the classroom, a massive school garden and orchard was born on the campus where I teach. There is so much promise and prospect in that. I have ideas just swirling around in my head. I am giddy. In the moments I bring the two together – classroom and garden – in a meaningful way, I am sure to find gloriousness in unexpected places.