How Does Your Garden Grow

This year we planted our largest garden and have enjoyed an abudance of fresh produce. Each evening our table has enjoyed the fruits of our labor or fresh jams from the berries we have picked. Our children have enjoyed watching the plants grow from seedlings, taking on responsiblity for caring and watering the garden area, and picking the produce each day.

Beyond just the produce we have seen God's blessings at work. We have been able to give away produce each week to families in need of food. We have been blessed abundantly, and it has been a pure joy to watch our boys bless others with God's loving work.

We are truly blessed each day by the Lord. We thank him for his provisions in our life.

Berry Picking

One of my favorite stories as a child was "Blueberries for Sal". I loved that Sal went berry picking with her mother, ate more than she picked, had an adventure, met a mother bear, and got to help her mother in the kitchen canning the fruits of their labor.

This year has been a time for me to witness some of the pure joy of childhood through the boys. We purchased 7 blueberry plants a 4-5 years ago, and have anxiously waited for production. This year our blueberry plants have blueberries.

Last night we got to pick our first blueberry production. We picked over 2 cups of blueberries. We only had 1 cup that made it inside. For every 5 berries that were picked, I watched the boys consume 2 berries each. Here is a recap:

"Seth, can you please pick the blueberries on that bush." (15 blueberries are seen)

"Okay, Mom."

"Here Mom, I picked some, but I ate some also."(a small handful is added to the bowl, 7 berries added)

"Okay. Please don't eat too many berries, you might get a tummy ache."

"Mom, here are some more berries. I ate some." "Oh, look at that berry. I bet it tastes good. Can I have another berry Mom?" (four more berries disappear)

"Okay. Please don't eat too many berries, you might get a tummy ache."

"Mom, can I have another berry they look so good."

"Okay, Seth this is the last berry." (another 5 berries are eaten)


My evening was complete as I thought about Sal picking blueberries with her mother.

Little Sal picked three berries and dropped them in her little tin pail... kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk!

She picked three more berries and ate them. Then she picked more berries and dropped one in the pail - kuplunk! And the rest she ate. Then Little Sal at all four blueberries out of her pail!

Makes me smile.

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