Today we received and planted two Home Harvest Farms, elegant stainless steel structures created by a friend and entrepreneur Philip Be’er.  The visiting grandchildren and I then chocked them full of strawberry plants, lettuces, tomatoes, leeks, kale, marigolds, petunias, chard, cukes, peppers, and we’re even going to see if we can manage a zuchini!

Here we are filling the containers with soil, and adding some marigolds, and below you see us putting the containers in the structure.  It was really satisfying and fun to do with the grandkids, and to think we might be have our own ‘window farm’ through the summer.

One chapter in BECOMING is called Gardens and Gifts.  The reflection questions helped me to mine the Life as Garden metaphor, and let me see my life with new eyes.  What do we learn if we consider our life to be a garden? Here are a couple of questions to invite the exploration.

What kinds of seeds do you believe you have planted so far in your life?  If the fruit they bear is not exactly what you intended, what seeds would you like to plant, and how would you nurture them?  What are some ‘weeds’ in your garden and how do you relate to them?  What are some aspects of your ‘garden’ you particularly appreciate, and why?

I am just enrolled in a course called What’s Your Tree begun by Julia Butterfly Hill, who gained international acclaim by climbing and staying in an ancient redwood that was slated to be felled. In the group we are exploring the question of service, and what our lives are in service of… and discovering how small groups working together, helping people find their passion, can heal the world.

I’m finding that ‘planting seeds’ is a rich metaphor for meaningful service for me at this point.  More anon!  Happy growing season!

Jill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity. Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume.