Tuesday, March 23, 2010

You're In the Army Now

"By its nature, strategy is more demanding of the intellect and imagination than most other military and policy competencies. Strategists must possess highly developed analytical and problem solving skills to rapidly conceptualize and develop creative feasible solutions to complex strategic challenges. Further, they must succinctly convey complicated conceptual or analytical material in a manner that is clearly understood by decision makers."
FA59 Education Opportunities (US Army)

Here is my final report from the front lines of the demonstration Vegetable Garden at the WCG. It’s not illustrated with photos because my stupid camera batteries on my stupid new camera were dead. Stupid camera.

Today, we harvested the last of the cabbage: both green and blue, as well as all the broccoli, red and green lettuce varieties, and the exhausted cauliflower that never got around to blooming. We spent the morning amending the planting beds with fragrant fresh warm compost, planting two squash and two cucumber starts, adding some worms, and covering the beds with a confetti of colorful ornamental kale and cabbage leaves to encourage the worms to make themselves at home.

Next week, we hope to add final compost and to begin covering the beds with mulch. We hope to have starts of warm season plants in the ground by the Spring Garden Festival next month.

Today was one of those days when I realize I live in paradise. Temperature in the mid-70F range, soft breeze with enough moisture to waken the rich warm compost, the living greenness of cabbage, the pungency of the thyme.

Bright and early tomorrow I leave for a few days in Baltimore, Washington DC, Greenbelt MD to visit with 4/5 of my sisters and miscellaneous other relatives. There’s nothing like being able to complain about your spouse to people who already know you love but also are being driven insane by your beloved spouse. Isn’t that what love matures into?

2 comments:

Martha in Michigan said...

Glad we will be able to commiserate in person tomorrow, as your lead-in must mean your beloved offspring is now in uniform. I still remember my "staff car dreams" from the Vietnam era, so I understand the worry. Glad this happens at the sunny, optimistic cusp of spring.

However, you will need socks on the East Coast!

Skeeter said...

I love my computer, camera and everything else until it does not work then they are all Stupid to me. I can so relate to your stupid camera and batteries LOL...