Ursula Plants Her First Grden

Ursula was a sweet gal. Ursula had been raised in the city but dreamed of a country home. It was a special day when she bought her first home with a yard big enough for a garden. All winter she read about gardening, made her plan just an an architect would attack a major project. Spring came and the almanac said she could plant after Mother's Day. Dutifully Ursula spaded up the dark earth preparing it for her first crop. The man at the nursery had sold her the seeds, plants, and fertilizer she needed.

That Special day in May came and it was a bright sun shinny day. Ursula was ready. One row of Zucchini, One row of Tomatoes, Two rows of onions, and one row half bell peppers and half Jalapeno Peppers. At the end of each row Ursula planted herbs and flowers making her garden a thing of beauty. Ursula sang old Peter, Paul, and Mary songs while planting. The sun was almost overhead when the planting was complete. It was a small garden but Ursula was confident she would have plenty to can and freeze and still share with friends.

Night after night Ursula would come home from work, change clothes and go to her garden. Some days she pulled weeds, some days she took her banjo and sang camp songs to the plants. On Saturday she would go to the garden to read, meditate and sing Peter, Paul, and Mary songs. The Summer passed very quickly and the plants grew and grew and grew...

We all know the first harvest of the garden is the Zucchini. Ursula dutifully grated and bagged Zucchini for bread. She shared a few loaves of bread with a neighbor. The freezer had enough Zucchini for bread every week for a year. Ursula took Zucchini to work and shared with everyone that wanted and even forced extra on a few. Finally in desperation she took two bushel baskets of Zucchini to the Food Pantry only to find a sign No Zucchini. Ursula then put party clothes on several large zucchini and sat them on her back seat hoping someone would steal them...the next day there were forty zucchini in her back seat with a note that boldly proclaimed "Zucchini Multiply."

The tomatoes began to ripen. Ursula made Bread salad, Tomato bread, and caned over 100 quarts of her best Marinara Sauce. She still had tomatoes to share. The first morning she brought tomatoes to work she asked the boss if he desired a few he replied "How many Zucchini do I have to take to get a basket of tomatoes?" Ursula broke into the Helen Reddy song.. "I am Woman" startling the whole office but placed a bushel basket of tomatoes on the Boss' desk...

That Fall as Ursula braided the onions together she sang more Peter, Paul, and Mary songs. Ursula dreamed of next years garden...Less zucchini, more tomatoes and more herbs....maybe some cucumbers next year.... If I were a hammer I'd hammer in the morning.... Mizpah ;-}}>.