The Significance of Rocks

"Geologists have a saying - rocks remember." - Neil Armstrong

Geologists have a saying - rocks remember. Neil Armstrong
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/neil_armstrong_363161?src=t_rocks

I've always liked landscaping with rocks. As a young gardener, I used rocks because they were plentiful, and they were free. Over the years, however, I've come to appreciate the unique aesthetic of rock barriers, cliffs, rock walls, and rock outcrops. I also have an assortment of rocks and stones in my office that I've collected during visits to various places.   
  

From a historical perspective, I'm fascinated with the antiquity of rocks. Durable in character, yet subject to the modifications of man, the elements, and time, they serve as a connection between our ancestors, ourselves, and subsequent generations. Thus, to grip a rock in your hand and place it in your garden, or to position it on your corner of the earth, is to preserve the past while embracing the future, allowing for anything that occurs in between.

Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/neil_armstrong_363161?src=t_rocks

Geologists have a saying - rocks remember.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/neil_armstrong_363161?src=t_rocks

Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/neil_armstrong_363161?src=t_rocks

  

A Face of Hope

Today, I woke up to a cold and wet April morning. With a murmur and a slight scowl, I got dressed and started my day. I must admit, as of late, these changing weather patterns have left me feeling a little crotchety. Indeed, just last week, I was working outside in short sleeves- mowing the grass, raking leaves from around my trees, picking up fallen limbs, prepping the soil in several of my existing flower gardens, and even starting a new one. As I worked under the beaming sun and inhaled the warm air that swirled around my face, I thought to myself, "This is it. Spring is here, and I'm ready to go!"

Well, although Spring has me as psyched up as a wrestler with a spandex wedgie, it is clear that Nature is not ready to leap forward just yet. Thus, I resolve to quit my murmuring, bide my time, and replace my scowl with a face that is worthy of a gardener - a face of hope.

The Tiny House

My grandparents lived in a tiny house, without plumbing, decades before the tiny house craze emerged and composting toilets became a thing. If you subscribe to the notion that less is more, they had everything they needed: a living room, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and an outhouse. In this small, noisy space, they loved, bickered back and forth, laughed, cried, and raised four children - three boys and one girl. As time progressed, they became proud grandparents who marveled at how big me and my cousins grew from one summer to the next.

Years later, when my grandfather became ill and was permanently placed in the local Veterans hospital, my grandmother packed their belongings and moved closer to town. Thus, the tiny house became a quiet, uninhabited place, allocated to memories of a time when love made four small rooms a home.

Purpose

Vapor rub is a wonderful, multipurpose product. It can be spread on the chest to quiet a cough, massaged into muscles to relieve soreness, and is frequently used in conjunction with a vaporizer to clear a congested nose. I have friends who swear they apply it to their feet when they are sick for quicker healing, and I read it can be used to fade stretchmarks, repel bugs, and cure nail fungus. I've also been told my grandfather often rubbed it around his eyes to help him sleep better. And on a personal but somewhat gross note, I used to beg my mother to let me taste it because it smelled so good. One jar~ one product~ many uses.

My garden is a wonderful, multipurpose place. It quiets my nerves, clears my head when I'm confused, and cheers me up when I am sad. Spending time there produces sore muscles, makes me sneeze, and the dirt that I walk on frequently sticks to my shoes. Digging in this dirt, however, helps me sleep better at night, and most of what I grow smells and tastes good. I used to watch my grandmother work in her garden, and on a personal note, I aspire to be just like her. Moreover, my mother gets a kick out of hearing me talk about the vegetables and flowers I grow. One garden~ one spot~ many benefits.