Straw Bale Entertainments

Thus far, my  2013 has been mostly not too good. I've had one health issue  on top of another. Today at four I am having an emergency tooth extraction for  a tooth which split the long way from root to crown..  Which means it cannot be saved. It also is extremely unpleasant to deal with. Sounds simple enough but with me, things are never simple. I've had very state of the art, high tech  laser surgeries to regenerate bone growth in my face, lost to osteoporosis. This facial bone loss is usually limited to those in their ninth or tenth decade . Lucky me. Because of the investment in trying to keep my face I cannot just walk into any dentist's office and have a tooth pulled. No. It takes a team of specialists, an anesthesiologist, an OR and a wonderfully smart, talented team of very  kind specialists.  You see, that tooth  resides in hope to be preserved new bone growth.  I also had to be on antibiotics for a minimum of three days before this surgery. Today is just the extraction. Once the current emergency of an exposed root nerve is resolved, next will come bone grafts , laser wizardry, implants and the transfer of many thousands of dollars from my coffers to theirs. This team is worth every penny.

 

In an effort to keep myself in a positive mindset while waiting I have been researching straw bale gardening. There are all kinds of reasons for choosing this form of container/raised bed gardening. I have read enough to be totally confused. When I reach a standstill I switch to reading about hobby farm gardens or peruse the catalogs for Heirloom seeds, seed starting paraphernalia of every description and about every one's favorite natural form of de-bugging an organic veggie patch. 

 I have gotten out gridded sketch pads and thought about layouts, cast shadows, which plants should be on which axis and if tucking in a few marigolds along the bases will add to both the aesthetics and  the de-bugging objectives. Once or twice I have strolled out onto the deck to try to envision the  fullsome beauty I am expecting by June. Okay maybe not this June, but some June.

I've considered using blueberry bushes as part of the dividers  and have thought long in hard on natural grass or mulching between aisles. I have spent entirely too much time wondering if it is possible to keep the  wandering vines of various squashes in some  sort of order . Maybe the beauty is in the abandonment of order? Both concepts are well defended online and in numerous publications.

Last year I visited Monet's garden in Giverny.  I remember reading he envisioned his garden as a painting before buying a property and planning a garden. Once he did all of that, traveling Europe, speaking of his gardens, collecting seeds and knowledge to bring home to this great ambition it was 16 years before the garden had sufficient interest to be painted.   In just 3 days of researching I am now positive  I owe Monet an apology for insufficient respect for his amazing accomplishment.

Then too, while in France, I visited  or stayed in Chateau with the most wonderful gardens. Often they combined hedges, flowers and veggies in a most artistic arrangement.  Quite the inspiration.  The French,  have a knack for making it look easy.  Like staying slim and dressing like Chanel.

The result of all this sketching, researching and drooling is this:  I have made it through the miseries with a fine distraction. Maybe, by June, I will have nurtured along a healthy garden and a healthy Fishy.