In my article yesterday, I spoke about how we should all work towards doing the absolute best no matter what job we are performing. Absolute perfection will always be just out of our grasp, yet to work towards making something the best gives us a true sense of accomplishment.
For more years than I can remember, there was a gentleman who always had one of the most beautiful gardens not far from a church I attend. I would often stop and marvel at his vegetables. One of the most striking sections of his garden were his onions. I am familiar with growing onions, and I would say his skill in growing them was down to a science. Some years ago, before Krieger’s Greenhouse closed its doors due to the flood of 2008, I just happened to break into conversation with one of the owners of the greenhouse about their onion plants. She said one of the varieties she sold had to be special ordered for a man who was a fanatic about his onions. She in passing mentioned his name and as chance would have it, he was the man whose garden I admired on a yearly basis. More years passed, and suddenly one Summer I didn’t see his garden any longer. It was converted back to just a plain old rear lawn. I was concerned that something had happened to him so one day I ran into one of his daughters and she said he went to live with one of her siblings due to a health issue.
Just this year, I noticed yet another big gardener not having planted anything in her large garden plot. There was only a small area of corn and her perennial Rhubarb plants and nothing more. What I admired about her is that she grew so much of everything, she would give all she could to all the surrounding neighbors that would appreciate her fresh vegetables. I do hope her health is not failing as her garden is indeed a neighborhood landmark. What I indeed hope for, are young health conscious homeowners who will discover a love of gardening and appreciate the difference in taste. There should always be those within communities who are willing to have the baton of skill and knowhow passed on to them. I did finally find an acceptable looking onion patch in Mason City worthy of being the photo in tonight’s article.
