Happy Independence Day

On 3rd Street here in Bismarck, just north of The Walrus restaurant, there is an adorable house in an adorable neighborhood. However, it's the yard that makes me slow down every time in admiration.

It's a vegetable garden. One big beautiful vegetable garden.

Instead of Kentucky bluegrass, they are raising peas, eggplants, herbs, squash, lettuce, chard, onions, tomatoes...it's a wonder to behold.

Aside from my garden space, every year I try to rip out a little more lawn and replace it with something else - flowers, shrubs, even rocks or brick. I've sometimes thought a rhubarb plant, pumpkin vine, or some swiss chard would look nice planted aside my black-eyed susans, but I can't help but admire how refreshing it is to see a full garden no longer relegated to the backyard.

One afternoon I was passing by and stopped to chat. Very friendly people, they simply said this was a sunny spot where grass didn't grow well, so what the heck, let's grow veggies. I think there is more to it than that, but it's inspiring.


Imagine if we all did this. Got some dirt under our fingernails. Taught our kids that food doesn't just come from the grocery store. Ate the freshest of fresh vegetables instead of the stuff shipped in from New Zealand. Instead of the hum of lawn mowers and weed whackers on Saturday morning, we'd lean over our garden plots, chatting with our neighbors about mulch and tomatoes and rabbits.

Well, a girl can dream, can't she?

However you choose to express your independence, I hope you have a very happy 4th of July.

Be the change you want to see in the world. - Gandhi