4/6/14 20:40 Home
Today, I read in front of the church, I do this about once a
month which gives me the opportunity to sharpen my public speaking. Today’s reading what a bit of a challenge Ezekiel
Chapter 37 verses 1 through 14 which is long and starts with the title, The
Valley of Dry Bones. The prophetic message was…well…sort of disturbing and sure
- it is also hopeful. From bones comes the flesh and with the flesh...breath. I started with a
brief introduction to the prophet, putting him in the company of Isiah and
Jerimiah. I’m not writing about the
reading, although I will have to share with you as I walked back to our pew I
saw Bella who gave me a thumb’s up. This is the same child who earlier - did not
want to scoot into the pew to give me room to sit. She defiantly said; she didn’t want to move - she
liked her seat - she had a better view of our handsome new music minister, a
young man from Stony Brook University.
I want to keep a record of the organic garden we have at our
church. All of the fruits of our labor
will be donated to a food pantry. Those
who are less fortunate can have organic and locally grown food. Yesterday, I met the insightful and warm Iman
Marghoob who is helping plan what the crops and will participate in the
management of the garden; which is named Sharing Garden. After leaving the house, as low grey clouds
churned in the spring winds just a few hundred feet above the earth, I met Iman
a little after 9:00. She asked where
the rest of the volunteers were. The
plan I had was to get together with her and discuss the layout of the garden as
well as have some direction since I was expecting close to 12 volunteers who arrived
at 10:00. We had eight from a girl-scout
troop and Jim Hennessey who was vital for repairing the wagon as well as Jeff
Klauder and family. Jeff’s wife, Mel is
very knowledgeable about the species of plants and I have to say, was the hardest
worker, pulling up weeds, tossing the dirt bombs with green tails into the
wheel barrel with such precision -barely missing anyone close to her. The girl scout troop jumped to work and were
directed by Iman and their leaders as I went around with a digging fork, which
is not the same as a pitch fork. Most of
us common folks refer to the fork looking instrument that we have in our
garages or sheds at a pitch fork and now you’re like me –we know these are
digging forks. The pitch fork has
thinner tines and used more often for lifting clumps hay. The digging fork is used for lifting clumps of
weeds or very good for pulling up potatoes, and as we discovered with a thrust
of dirt – some soft beets which were unearthed from last year’s garden. There is enough sun on one half of the garden
and the second half will have assorted vegetables which do not require too much
sun. It’s a project I felt compelled to do. The girl scouts plated pea seeds against a
fence. We marked sections, 5 x 5 with a
1.5 path. This will be organic so it
means removing any plastic walkways and instead using wood mulch. We are planting seeds and with attentive care
- the plants will sprout as the days increase in light. So, to some who may be reading this - no more
basketball; my Saturday mornings will be shared with other hands in the soil of
our garden. Like I said, this will be a
journal of what we can grow together; to share with our friends at the food
pantry. If you'd like to join us, please bring your own tools, clearly marked and most important - good thoughts of hope when walking
through the garden's gate.
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