The Rewards of Gardening

 It rained last night but now the sky is clear and the sun is shinning. The garden beckons me so I took my breakfast at the shaded area under the mango tree.  I felt the breeze and breathed in fresh air. 

The plots are newly planted. The left is planted with racket while the other has lettuce.  Up close on the big pot is a lemon tree with two fruits. 

 

There is a small table for my tray of oatmeal and green tea frap and my husband's coffee.  There are always two chairs on the shaded area, convenient for two people to converse; though now I'm alone, a good chance for deep contemplation.

But my train of thought was distracted by two birds hovering over the garden until finally one alighted on the tomato plot and the other on the aratilis tree.  I tried to take a shot but I missed them by two seconds. 

I am really amazed at the appeal  gardens have over people:  Whenever I post a picture of our garden or just a plant on Facebook, I get plenty of likes.  I think that appreciating a garden, a plant or a flower slow down people in this fast-paced digital world.  Maybe they get to realize for a minute that they must also take time "to smell the flowers" as it is often said. 

 My daughter's sister-in-law who is a nun came by just to see our garden, she got curious after she saw the picture of my granddaughter helping papa transplant beets seedlings.  A niece and a nephew who often see my posts on Facebook also want to visit.  My friends in America want to have a BBQ party in our garden when they come for a visit early next year. 

Bell pepper plot combined with sugar beets.  This picture was taken more than a month ago.  Now the pepper are bearing flowers. 

Gardening may not sound so much fun unless you are willing to take on the hard work and bear the backaches arising from constant squatting to tend to the plants.  Nevertheless, my husband and I are relentless, we enjoy gardening and welcome what it gives back; the fresh air, a lifestyle based on the rhythm of nature;  besides, harvesting is heaven. 

The appeal of the garden to me is not only for relaxation alone or just admiring the view; the better value I learned is the interaction with nature.  You have to get your hands dirty, touch the earth to really get the feel of it. This exercise makes me stay grounded, so to speak and keeps me "down to earth", literally and figuratively speaking. 

Somebody said that when people are in their golden years, they like to do and see familiar things especially those from childhood; a recall of the good old days.  Maybe that's why  I planted a sour sap tree in our garden. 

The aratilis tree will go down to give way to the sour sap once it will bear fruits and our granddaughter can see and taste what aratilis fruit is. 

 As a child, I used to climb our sour sap tree in our family home where my papa planted fruit trees in the backyard and ornamentals on the front lawn. I used to pick the ripe fruits and ate them up on the tree.  It was so much fun, it was my secret to-go place to be alone.  I don't recall what were my thoughts then but I felt good after I had my fill of the sweet and juicy, (sometimes crunchy if they're not so ripe) fruits. 

I wish that I could leave this legacy to my grandchildren, that of loving the earth and appreciating what it can give back just like my papa did; he didn't even say a word but in his gardening he was able to envived in me this way of life.  I also hope that one day my grandchildren can climb this sour sap tree that I planted. 

From further reading, I learned that one of the greatest and cheapest past time is gardening.   It is said that it enhances mental-health leading to a better perspective in almost everything and will possibly lead to a longer life.  Didn't I mentioned earlier that a lady in Singapore who was in depression found solace in gardening after she learned that she can grow plants? 

Try any form of gardening if you're not at it yet.  I promise it will give back full reward. 

 

 

Singapore in November

Last month's latest trip to Singapore was a welcome treat just like all our other visits; a great bonding time with our son as well as our younger daughter and their families. 

Infrastructures rise fast In Singapore, there's always a new place to see or to dine.  On our  first dinner, my son brought us downtown at Orchard Road to Jamie Oliver's restaurant.  

                                   Appetizers

Our children always ask us where we want to go whenever we're there. This time however we focused on gardens since our son knows that our current pre-occupation is our edible backyard garden.   He is one who always make  time to do what interest us, he nurtures our dreams and encourages us to do what makes us happy.  Our two daughters too, always introduce us to new things, new places to eat or to  visit.  They keep us updated thus making us stay "young" (at least at heart, if not physically). 

The very next day, he took a leave from work and brought us to HORTFARM.  

Here's s good view at the entrance. 

It was a big establishment of both edibles and ornamentals alike. Im happy that I was able to get ideas on garden sitting, something I could use to enhance  our small backyard garden.  Below are my favorites from the exhibit.  Again, this shows that nowadays many decorate the outdoors like they do the indoors. 

Later in the day and even the next morning my son was keen in bringing us yet to another farm, but my husband who knew me better than I know myself replied: 

"You know Mom wants to get ideas on how to make our backyard edible garden more interesting and she had seen some already". 

Instead we spent time with our grandson at the botanical garden where he ran around the wide open space of grass and later watched him play at the American club kids playroom. 

Our grandson with papa at the Botanical garden

At American club kiddie play area

We spent the last two days with our daughter and son-in-law.  Our daughter also took a day off from work to accompany us to get stuff to bring home.  They brought us to Pasarbella for lunch; it's a market, actually.  My daughter said that the set up is pretty much like the markets in Australia with food stalls and  fresh produce of fruits, veggies and home-made delicacies. That's where I saw the biggest paella pan ever. 

Afterwards, we hang out in their new condo where they recently moved to after two years from their first one.  My daughter is now into bread and pasta making and dinner that night was home-made pasta.

Drying home-made pasta for dinner. 

I woke up the next morning in their guest room, looked out and saw the tall trees reaching up to the 4th floor.  I turned off the air conditioner, opened the window, breathed in the fresh air while the breeze came in from the trees outside.  It felt great!

This picture was taken from my window. 

Finally on our last day before leaving for the airport, our grandson who only took to guys (except his Mom and his nanny) let me carry him.  Apparently, he wants to come along; knowing we're going on a plane ride when he saw our luggage near the front door. 

You made me the happiest, big guy!  Looking forward till  I'll see you again this Christmas.