Seed Creeper

Being married and living in my own house has brought out a controllable amount of domesticity in me. On top of making our house a home by putting things in it that I love I have decided to try my hand at gardening. Any member of my family would recognize this as a large step in my young life as the last time I set foot in a garden was when I was 5, running behind the rototiller as my dad churned up fresh, cool to the feet and sticky to the toes dirt. Yes. I am not much of a 'work outside' kind of person because in Oregon there is never enough sun to get a tan (nature's way of paying for the work done to make something beautiful) and it's usually below a comfortable working temperature. Consequently, I always opted to clean the kitchen, living room, family room, and bathroom - floors and dusting. The whole deal rather than go outside and plant a few seeds and get dirt under my fingernails.

But this year, looking outside at the snow in April, brought on a little giddiness for something green and I started a garden inside. Now, let me tell you. This is the way to garden. Little pots purchased with dirt already in them. All that is needed is water and seeds. Done at the kitchen table. Sitting down comfortably. No mess, no bent back, perfect temperature. It could not get much more appeasing.

However, I am not one with a lot of patience for things that are showing no progress. Especially when I don't exactly know what I am doing. My driving is a great example of this. If I really don't know where I am going I drive safely fast so that I can sooner find out if I am lost and therefore more quickly turn around and find another way. This quick pace does not accompany starting seeds. So I became a seed creeper. I lifted up the dirt on my little sleepies, peering down into their chambers of peace. Nothing was happening. I mean, they looked a little more swollen than when I first dropped them into the dark abyss, but really. Nothing. So I watered some more, kept them warm, and kept checking.

I thought I had molded them when I started seeing little white strings cover them and figured that for a first time, I may as well let them go and see what happens to a moldy seed rather than throw them out. Well, those moldy seeds put out a good starter root and weren't so moldy after all. They just had to grow some feelers so that me picking up their dirt all of the time wouldn't disturb their growth. Thank goodness I didn't throw them out. My seed creeping has satisfied my curiosity and my patience has been regained.