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The Joyful Gardener Turns 12

Harvesting his first watermelon

My cheerful, insightful, smart and creative son turns 12 today.  As an infant we joked that he was born with the “happy gene” as he soaked up his surroundings with a positive, mellow and inquisitive outlook.  His tantrums were few, even at two.  When he fell, his cries lasted a few seconds.  My son was joy, personified.

As it turns out, he was also born with the “gardening gene.”  Sure he liked the toy aisle at Target, but the seeds were his favorite.   We came home with many a packet of sunflower, pumpkin and carrot seeds, full of optimism and good spirit.  His grandfather would be proud.  During the Santa years, I mail-ordered his pumpkin seeds so they looked just a little different from the seeds we bought in town.  The jig is up, but the pumpkin-seeds-in-the stocking tradition lives on.

Here are a few pics of my joyful gardener over the years.

The first watermelon

Starting his garden

Reading to his pumpkin plants to help them grow

A little music never hurts either

11, years, 364 days old

Happy birthday, M!

19 thoughts on “The Joyful Gardener Turns 12”

  1. Too precious! Especially the part where he read and played music to his pumpkin seeds! I’m sure his love of gardening helped keep yours going as well.

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    • Linda, you are absolutely right. I grew flowers and the occasional tomato plant, but M. really got me happily growing a vegetable garden. Thanks for reading and commenting. I guess that old saw is true: kids grow like weeds.

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  3. It really isn’t a joke. Some are born to be happier than others. How fortunate for him and all those who come into contact with him. He’s even doing all the right things. Plants are living things and reading, talking or playing nice music is proven to make them grow better. How did he know? Thanks for sharing so much joy with us. It’s contagious, you know. 🙂

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    • I think we are born knowing some things, but lose them along the way. Other things we learn as we go. Often the best thing you can do with children is introduce them to multiple experiences, and see what direction it leads. Both my children were exposed to similar people, places and things, but they’ve each followed a unique path, as different as they are from one another.

      Thank for reading, commenting and for sharing your insights.

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  4. What a sweet tribute to your happy boy…and I think you were divinely inspired to have him read to his plants….

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  5. I just think he’ll get the biggest kick out of the first picture when he grows up. That is what “Joy” looks like. I imagine you feel complete happiness when you see it.

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    • How strange. I just stumbled upon a section of my blog called “unread” and found several comments from you that I never replied to. Reading them here, I don’t think I ever saw them.

      I love it when you comment and reply in kind unless we’ve come to a natural conclusion. Thanks for your thoughtful replies. XX00

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  9. Pingback: Pumpkin Mishaps, Emotional Gardening | gardeningnirvana

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