Into the Garden

It's funny how time can play tricks on you. The days feel long and full but you when you look at the calendar and realize that over two months have already passed, you are left feeling confused. Where did the time go? I can safely say that these past two months have been filled with more self reflection, hard realizations, new obstacles and meaningful conversations that I have ever had - let alone in such a short period of time. Many of the assumptions I had about myself and where I want my life to go have been completely shattered. I feel as though I have shed who I thought I was to reveal who I truly am.

This morning I helped out my roommate Jess in the garden she has been working hard to get up and running while involving the surrounding community. It's a decent size garden, with 56 plots growing anything from cosmic purple carrots to watermelon to figs. I helped out by painting numbers on the cement blocks that surround the plots, so they are more easily identifiable. As I was painting, I hear Jess shout from across the garden "Mama!" An older black woman in a bright red sweater comes over and greets Jess enthusiastically. Jess gives her a quick tour of the garden and Mama is off to weeding one of the plots she plans to call her own. People in the neighborhood pass by and it seems that Mama knows every single one of them. Witnessing that sense of community is exactly what I think New Orleans is all about.

In addition to being contemplative in the garden this morning, I also felt a little artsy. I took some photos that show what the garden looks like and what I worked on. I also discovered possibly the coolest bug this morning known as the Assassin Bug. It's a beautiful red bug that is great for gardens because it eats other bugs and doesn't destroy the plants. Upon research, I learned that this awesome bug wears the bodies of it's victims "like armor" after it is done eating them. How terrifying! Overall, a great start to the day.

Artsy shot of a pretty flower

One of the numbers I painted on the garden beds

A view of the garden...Jess in the blue shirt and Mama in the red sweater

Assassin bugs! How cool do they look?

Nothing like fresh figs

Lesson from the Journey: Fig trees do not flower, the 'fruit' that we eat is actually the blossom that is pollinated by a special type of wasp. Thank you wasps for making figs so delicious.