By Jannie Vaught

Vernal Equinox has finally arrived and with it “The Days of Uncertainty.”

As the world is placed on hold from a sweeping illness from day to day we never really know or understand the full effect. It has emptied our grocery stores, closed us in our homes and had us elbow bump instead of a handshake or hug. And now the elbow bump is a no! We wash our hands while singing and sanitize our everything touched. As a gardener one thing is for sure, I can dig deep into my garden soils with relish. And applaud the seedlings of tomatoes and peppers. while making rows and tilling the awakening ground to a season of open arms. This is a spectacular spring of flowers and tall native grass with Blue Bonnets standing tall welcoming the rain and sun. Many of us have set about gardening this year with a flourish of planting. Potatoes and onions, rows of bush beans and carrots are ready along with radish. And the year of kale and collards has been abundant for our family and many bunches going to neighbors and our hens get a lot of freshly mown grass and all the'”not so worthy for the table” greens and our egg production has doubled overnight.

This is where I decided to stay. I do not venture out often due to my daily chores. I need to get the water hooked up. The seedings put in bigger pots. Planning the garden and writing it up in my yearly journal. This last week was more onions and potatoes. Many rows of bush beans and a new variety of popcorn. Weed the raised beds and plant snap peas on the trellises. Watch the family of Cardinals come for a sunflower seed snack all the while attempting to keep abreast of the fierce changes our Country and world are going through.We are small-town America. With all that means. And as Gardening is the #1 Hobie next to reading a book we are finding comfort in living with knowing what we have is “Way Better” than those in larger cities. With this Spring I am in Gratitude for living small. And as for the #1 Hobie of gardening it is now as important as the “Victory Gardens”. We have good soils and are in the Prime growing zone.

Instead of worry I say Garden, keep a distance and again Grow some food. There is peace in knowing that in a short amount of time and some healthy physical work we will have our plates and kitchens full. And as soon as this next storm moves through the Tomatoes, peppers and Okra are going in, I am Blooming Where I’m Planted and even if you just fill some flower pots with tomatoes and jalapeno peppers we are making a move for the positive. All the while growing the best food ever.

Still tilling and growing green with Jannie