Garden Oops!

Accidental leaf lettuce

Hubby says I like to grub in the dirt. He is right.

I enjoy puttering around with vegetable gardening. 

Although the first year in our new home was busy with settling in and traveling, I did manage to start a compost pile.

Our home in the woods has few sunny spots. It is also on sloping terrain that is not friendly for navigating with my rollator. 

But going on our fourth year in residence, and with the days of cool weather slipping away, I was determined to get at least some leaf lettuce seeds planted. 

No space prepared? No problem. Just drop a few seeds in the compost pile. 

I was sure I could do that with my rollator within reach if I needed help maintaining balance.

I found a packet of leaf lettuce seeds at Walmart.

Back home I cut the top off the seed packet. With my rollator locked and within reach, I bent over to sprinkle a few seeds in the shallow furrow I had made. 

A gentle shake and Arghhhhh! 

All the seeds dumped out, every one of them. They were so black I couldn't differenciate seeds from compost. I scratched around a bit hoping to spread them out.

I missed.

Even after my awkward mishap the lettuce finally appeared--a 3x6-inch patch of bright green leaves. Although those leaves did grow bigger, they still fell short of providing the quantity we consume in salads.

But their contribution was beyond nutritional. I had actually planted and harvested something. And even better was  laughter that erupted every time I glanced toward the little clump that was my "garden." 

I will soon be ordering Red Sails lettuce seeds. No more mystery seeds!

September or October at the latest I hope to be planting lettuce again. And Hubby has been busy preparing a larger space for veggies. 

I hope "grubbing in the dirt," even as I face challenges, will continue to be part of my life!

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