Summer has definitively arrived here in the Kootenays, after a particularly long cloudy winter.  It’s been really beautiful the last while, making it a pleasure to be out in the yard. 

Loving to garden and develop our understanding of growing food, this year we are expanding the existing raised bed garden that’s great for growing tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant and peppers, due to its protected south exposure.  We’ve also just created a new garden plot on the west side of the yard, which I’ve just about finished planting.  Bernard researched fencing options (there are deer, so we need to have a fence), phoned around for the best deals and organized to have a local fellow with a market garden come with his tractor to dig up the new area for us.  We seem to have lucked upon a good spot with pretty nice soil to start out with. 

When it comes to growing our own food we know a little and have much to learn.  Two years ago, in addition to the other vegetables,  we had a bit of a tomato project, growing about 30 different varieties, saving seed, seeing which grew well here.  Last year it was pole beans.  This year little plots of millet, amaranth, hulless barley and quinoa are milling with the carrots and cabbages in the new garden.  A bunch of fruit bushes have been planted this year too: black and red currants, hardy kiwi, saskatoons, and gooseberries so far.  We have big plans, but only one body that can do the physical work necessary, so it takes time.  Hiring someone to come dig out the garden was a big help, and keeping the deer fence light and simple for now was also the most practical thing to do. 

My mother gave us an outdoor lounger last year that’s made for two people and can lay down flat when needed. This allows Bernard, on his better days, to make his way carefully outside to get some sun and enjoy the beautiful yard and forest.  The lounger has a great view of the new garden too.  This is crucial to staying positive when he has so much pain and uncertainty about ever being healed. 

Summer reminds me that life goes on, even when you’re living with a terrible injury.  We try to do at least some of the things we love, because it certainly doesn’t help to get down and sit in the house on a beautiful day.  Even though, I must say, it’s weird to be doing ‘normal’ things when really we are in a crisis.  It’s like that with everything I do.  I know it’s good to do what we can and enjoy ourselves, but then I find it crazy that we aren’t just screaming and crying at the insanity of it all.