I have so many interests and passions that fill my time when I'm not singing or acting. Gardening is one.
I'm a rather lazy gardener. My parents spent hours in their gardens, and often demanded that we join them. Not fun when you're an adolescent. I've tried many different ways to have a garden in my life without feeling overwhelmed. There are always moments when a garden, by its very nature, will overwhelm. That's one of the lessons of the garden. Planting has to happen within a specific time. Harvesting has to happen within a specific time. That is, if you want good plants and a good harvest. I've come to appreciate Nature speaking to me in this way. "Hey, you need to put those plants in the garden now or they will die." Or, as I am currently hearing from Nature, "Get out here and pick the grapes. You will appreciate the abundance in the winter."
Lately, I am pondering the gift of this grape arbor. It's actually the reason we bought this house 31 years ago. It did not look like it does today. The vines were beat up, the structure was caved in, but we saw the potential for a beautiful place. And lately, I've been feeling honored that we were somehow chosen to be the caretakers of these vines and this place. Even with my lazy tendencies, we have kept these grapes alive.
This summer has been hot and extremely dry here, and guess what? These particular grapes love hot and dry. Consequently, the grape arbor is giving an absolutely amazing crop. Watch this video to see what I mean: