At Hand

Last night, a friend stopped by unexpectedly while we were cooking dinner. He was able to stay and eat with us, and I was reminded how much I enjoy my backyard vegetable garden.

 
While we were showing our friend around the yard, the spinach looked so perfect, I decided we needed to add a salad to the menu. The ingredients were simple, just what I had on hand: feta cheese, 5 cherry tomatoes, 4 fancy olives and onion. It was delicious.


Growing up, my dad had vegetable gardens at every house we lived at, but picking produce was a little bit of a chore, a dedicated activity.

Unlike our current garden, which is seven steps from the back door, my childhood gardens were 100 or more feet away. That doesn't sound far, and it wasn't. But when produce is right at your hands, when you see it every time you walk outside, it's so much easier to incorporate it into your everyday meals. There's no need to get a pail and flashlight when you're cooking at dusk. The porch light shines enough light to see what you're doing, and if you can't hold all the veggies in your hands, it's only a few steps from the kitchen back to the beds for more.

As I grow as a gardener, I'm starting to wish I had a little bit more space, but honestly, what I have now is just right.