Kitchen Garden Musings

presented by Robin Larkin, of Cabrini Immigrant Services--Roots & Wings partner in the Kitchen Garden, at South Church Celebrates Roots & Wings, April 2013

First Saturday in April.  

Clear.  Chilly.  

The gate opens to the dormant garden space.  

So many possibilities.  

Mark and Pablo are looking at drawings of raised beds.

A green house has been placed

where a tree once stood.

It's warm inside

Ready for new growth.

Doris, Virginia, Solange arrive.  

We stand there --  

Remembering what grew where, what didn’t, why?

Last year, the questioning, the newness.

Would it work?  It worked.  Would people come?  They came.

Would we understand each other? 

Yes.  Si. はい(hai). 예(ye). 是 (shì). جی ہاں (jee haan).

All speak, hear and teach the same language in the garden.

A shiver passes when the wind picks up.  The Spirit… 

English and Spanish warm today’s air

as Mark shows the blueprint.

“It’s beautiful,” Doris says,

“We need to clear the space,” Solange adds.

Virginia has already started.

The garden re-awakens.  Rakes scratch its surface.

Blankets of leaves are removed, then moved to the compost pile.

Uncovering the dirt to start over.

It too was waiting for this reconnection.

“I like the way this smells.”

The stirring of the earth continues, as memories also stir…

Of parents, grandparents, other countries, other backyards,

And their garden smells. 

“We did this at home…”

We are doing this now. 

This can be “home…”

“There’s room for a table now… A meditation space…

Maybe a grill... A mattress in the greenhouse?” 

Just kidding, Linda Jo!

But the talk is of being together in this place…

…This sacred space.

The strength of these women who came,

And then came back with their families.

Our own Easter messengers.

Waving goodbye for now.

“Te amo.  I love you all.  It’s beautiful.”

Cultures together.

Generations together.

Faiths together.

Neighbors together.

Community.  Sustainability. Prayer in Action. 

WE ARE Roots & Wings. 

“Te amo.  It’s beautiful!”