If you’re a frequent reader of my column, you know that there are just some topics that creep up annually like clockwork.
Everything from hurricane season to fair season and summer exploits with plenty of nostalgic walks down memory lane.
And, honestly, most of the time I can’t help it and just go with the flow of thought.
Especially if some sort of event or moment reminds me of something in the past.
Early last Saturday certainly did that.
It brought back memories of my late grandmother and reminded me of lessons learned as a young teenager.
See, most springtime childhood memories at my grandparent’s house included a square plot in the backyard overflowing with tomatoes, okra, squash, and a handful of peppers.
But, getting to that point of the bountiful collection was a lot of hard work for everyone involved.
I’m sure it wasn’t easy watching me make mud castles and spend more time playing with the sprinklers than actually weeding or lending much of a hand.
That all changed after my grandfather died in 2001.
See, it had been his job to till up the dirt, get the rows and fencing settled then grandma came and planted her seeds or starter plants and I got to help at that point.
Well, I’d just turned 13 then and decided to lend a hand using the tiller myself and after a few awkward zig-zags, I worked the dirt up enough to help make rows and so forth.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure that was the last time I got a tan before summer had even arrived!
Still, this memory surfaced last Saturday when I went to help mom do some of the very same work.
Though she was trying to skip a step and make rows before tilling properly.
Luckily, I recalled those old memories and got my hands on the tiller to help work the soil for more efficient rows.
I can’t tell if my memories depicted it as much work as it felt like Saturday, but, it certainly made me wonder why my grandma’s tiller seemed to work easier.
Mom and I discussed it later and decided it might’ve been a difference in machines brands and the soil contents.
Either way, it totally felt like more effort was needed now than back then and I’m definitely rooting for a new tiller before the next planting season.
Mom’s garden has the usual salsa-making fare; tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapenos along with this year’s compromise squash variety – Butternut.
I think there are a few more produce items to be decided upon, but I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that zucchini and its cousin yellow squash don’t make a return this year.
After all, Butternut squash roasts better in the oven and tastes a bit more like a sweet potato rather than the slimy messes zucchini makes.
It’s still hard to see how much more planting can be done before the weather window closes and we’re left with sun-baked and cracked soil, but, I think we’ll manage.
Maybe I’ll actually get some watermelon out of the garden patch this year if everything goes well.
Or, at least if I can convince mom to let me plant melons instead of more squash.
