Seed Ordering Time

The black and white illustrated and well documented catalog came back in December, but for the last week it has been weighing on my mind. Last year by the time I got around to ordering seeds, they had run out of some of my top tomato choices, and I had to settle for unknown varieties and old seed. This year, I wanted to be on top of it, but the days have been ticking away with this and that necessary-thing-to-do taking up time that crowded seeds to the edges. But today was the day.

I made it all the way through the catalog, reading descriptions and pondering ounces and pounds, as light snow swirled around outside my window. David got home, and after we shared supper and the news of the day, there was time to sit on the couch and go over the list together. We imagined perhaps a plot of squash and pumpkins planted in a sunny field at camp. We discussed the possibility of a tall fence for some pole beans and Green Arrow peas. Would fencing the edge of the garden with them, just provide head high snacks for the neighborhood deer, or would it deter them? When the talking was done, he had added one more variety of beans and upped the amounts on a couple of items. Not too bad. The ordering was done simply online and then I received notification that my order had been received and would be filled. A sweet smile of satisfaction came on me. Forty six items - seeds, some so small they can barely be seen, some larger, but all with that mysterious promise of a green plant going somewhere or doing something - moving toward plumpness, sweetness, greenness, ripeness, nourishing goodness.

We all are but seeds- interesting, but useless if we do not let ourselves be taken into the dark soil of God's bosom to be sprouted. But oh, when we do, there is all sorts of sunshine and showers and surging growth that awaits us. Plumpness, sweetness, and nourishing goodness are sure to come at the end of the long summer.