Garden Teacher

[Demaras Family]

Every time we are outside by the garden my two-year old daughter excitedly looks for "surprise"....ripe and ready grape tomatoes. Then she runs over to the peas and picks through the vines for snow peas to eat right away. This year gardening has provided so much more than a way to relax and food, it has been our teacher. Our garden teaches my daughter about responsibility as she helps to water the plants, about patience as she waits for the little tomatoes to ripen, and even her colors as I have to show her to pick the red, not green (or orange- I admit this confuses her a bit) tomatoes. Most of all I believe it infuses in her a sense of love and respect for the earth and all of its bounty. The next lesson in store? Learning to let go and accept change. Fall is here. Winter on our heels. Our garden's days are limited as evidenced by the falling leaves. Yes, the garden is my teacher too.