Saturday, October 1, 2011

Dearest God,

In the drizzling rain I carried two heaping bowls of tomato ends, cucumber shavings, onion greens, garlic peels, wilted cilantro, and marjoram stems to the composte pile in the corner of the neighbor's garden. There I met fruit flies enjoying a feast. As I looked out over the field of decaying plants, I remembered how fruitful the garden had been. It used to be a huge garden feeding a single family of ten. Now it provides food for four families. It needs a lot of work but it has given so much to us.

Since the growing season is nearly over, we are giving back to the fertile soil. As we return the summer leavings back to the giving land, it will be spread and tilled back into the ground along with all the nutrients needed for next year's crop. Again it will give to us a yield of colorful, healthy fruits and vegetables all from your loving hands.

Thank you,
dear God,
for the gifts
of the earth.
Thank you
for the opportunity
to clear,
clean, plant
and harvest
the land.
Thank you
for the joy
of first buds
and plentiful crops.
Thank you
for gracious love
that appears
each year.

Love always, Andrea