Page 21 - The New Age Chronicles Newspaper No 1 Vol 1

Gran’s Garden 21

Gran’s Garden

Gwilda Wiyaka

Winter seemed to last forever! Thea couldn’t
wait for spring. In spring it got warm, the snow
melted, and she and her brother, Tim, would get
to visit Gran.
Visits with Gran were the best! Gran was
wise and kind. She would show Thea how to fix
delicious homemade goodies from things she
had canned last fall. Gran had a beautiful
backyard and a huge garden. But best of all, this
year, in that garden was a special raised bed
Gran had set aside, just for Thea and her brother
Tim to plant their very own garden. set everything up. right?”
Gran had taught them you can’t plant a Thea decided then and there that spring “Yeah, but then she got a baby bump!”
garden in the snow and cold. It would kill the was her favorite time of year! Thea exclaimed.
little seeds. They had to wait for spring. The next time the children went to “Just keep watching. Water and care for
When they visited Gran for spring break, Gran’s house, it was time to start working the your garden, even though it doesn’t look like
she taught Thea and Tim how to start plants soil in the raised bed Gran had set aside for anything is going on. Everything starts in the
indoors by planting them in little pots. Gran them. Gran had a big pile of leaves and kitchen invisible,” Gran advised.
called this “pushing.” She explained that scraps in a wired off area that she called her The children faithfully watered their
outdoors, the air and soil were still too cold to “compost heap.” Gran put some of the compost little pots and the outside garden. Finally one
sprout seeds. into a garden cart with some alpaca poo she got day, the earth formed little bulges.
But the days had been getting longer. from the neighbor, stirred it all together and “It’s a baby bump, the garden has baby
There was now enough light to support the added worms that she called “garden hackles.” bumps, Gran!” Thea and Tim shouted excitedly
seedlings if they were started indoors by a “Eeew,” Thea complained, “That is just one morning. “It’s magic!”
window. That way, they could get the light they nasty, Gran!” “Yes, little ones, life is magic,” Gran
needed and still be warm enough to grow. Gran “Everything works together, Thea,” agreed.
told the children that every season had a Gran shared. “The fallen leaves, food scraps and To be continued in the next edition of
purpose. Spring was the time for beginning poo from last year is the food for this year’s The New Age Chronicles.[]
things. If you worked with nature, you could garden. The worms put air and more fertilizer
“push” things a little to give them a head start. into the soil. We all work together. Everything
She explained that the seedlings would need to depends upon everything else. It’s the way life Hopi Prayer to The
go outside at just the right time. If you started works.”
them too early – “pushed” them too hard – they All the seeds were different, with Great Spirit
would need to go outside before it was warm different needs. Gran showed the kids how to
enough. read the seed packets, to see which ones you
Gran had taken the children to a started indoors, which ones you could put into
hardware store to purchase seeds and little pots. the ground as soon as you could work the soil,
While they were there, they stopped to visit the and which ones you planted in the ground after
baby chicks kept in big troughs under warm danger of frost. She helped them plant each kind
lights. It was time to begin growing chicks of seed at the proper depth and distance apart,
inside as well, Gran explained. They would have cover them over, and mark the rows with little
a head start by doing what she called “feathering wooden popsicle sticks with the name of the
out,” so they could move outdoors sooner. plant on them.
“Can we get some baby chicks to push, “Now we need to water them and keep Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes
too?” Tim pleaded. them moist so they can germinate,” Gran ever behold the red and purple sunset.
“Yeah, Gran, can we please?” Thea informed. Make my hands respect the things you have
chimed in. “With the right amount of light, good, made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
“Okay, but you will be responsible for rich soil and water, the seeds will sprout and Make me wise so that I may understand the
cleaning their coop, feeding and watering them, push up to get to the sun.” things you have taught my people. Let me
and gathering eggs this summer while you are Thea and Tim couldn’t wait until they learn the lessons you have hidden in every
staying with me.” started to grow. Every day during their visit, the leaf and rock.
“Yeah!!” Tim and Thea yelled, jumping children went out first thing in the morning to
up and down in excitement. look, but nothing had changed. I seek strength, not to be greater than my
Gran let them pick their chicks, and “Nothing is happening,” Thea brother, but to fight my greatest enemy,
purchased a light to keep the chicks warm, a box complained. Myself.
for them to live in, and wood chips for bedding. “Oh, there is plenty happening, Thea.
They also needed a little feeder and watering Don’t you remember when Tim was growing in Make me always ready to come to you with
dish, but Gran said she already had those at your mommy’s tummy?” clean hands and straight eyes.
home. “Yeah.”
They took the cute little chicks home and “At first you couldn’t see anything, Asquali, Kawquai