Story of the Day
"Gardening
in Our Blood"
When
autumn time arrived last year,
I said, "I've
really had it, dear!
I've raked and hoed
and picked and canned;
Just see that
callus on my hand!
You know what I've
been thinking, dear?
Let's let our
garden go next year.
We'll buy all those
things in the store –
They wouldn't cost
us too much more.
When summer comes
I'll sleep till ten,
Get up and clean
the house, and then
I'll make a glass
of lemonade
and go and sit
beneath the shade.
When you come home
at night from work,
I'll put the coffee
on to perk,
Then we'll sit down
and talk or read
And never think of
garden seed."
Remember how you
smiled and said,
"I think
you've really used your head
To save us all this
work next year.
I'm sick of
gardening, too, my dear."
But
then one day, the sky was blue,
The sun was warm,
the tulips grew.
The April days grew
long and free,
The ground lay
waiting patiently.
The sleeping grass
awoke to green,
And then in every
magazine
Were ads for bulbs
and plants and seeds –
In fact, for all
your gardening needs.
One day you picked
me up downtown.
With bundles I was
loaded down.
No need to try and
hide the facts
With "Burpee
Seeds" stamped on the sacks.
Remember how your
face got red
And how you turned
away and said,
"When we've
unloaded all that junk,
I have a few things
in the trunk.
I'll need some
help, for it is hot
And seed potatoes
weigh a lot."
So
now we stand here, hand in hand
And gaze at our
productive land.
The berry beds are
weeded clean,
The vegetables are
tall and green.
We love our land in
drought or mud,
For we have
gardening in our blood.