3rd week of December prompt
I Crave the Energy and Color of Green Leaves in My Life
It’s early April as I walk the perimeter of my garden sanctuary. The maple trees are bursting with new leaves. Not long before they’ll provide welcome shade to our yard. The weather is getting hotter every year. Our raised beds seek intermittent relief from the heat. The shadows move around, following the sun’s path across the sky.
I delight in the signs of new growth on my roses. It looks like they survived the cold winter well. The blueberry bushes haven’t leafed out yet. So I don’t know if they made it intact.
I see some perennials have pushed through the wood chips and straw. The new leaves let me know that they have multiplied. Good, that was what I hoped for. The wildflowers have displaced the leaves laid down in the fall. So far my garden beds look good.
I peek under the quilt covering suspended on hoops over my transplanted lettuce. The individual heads are looking good. The night temperatures are down to 30 degrees so far. I want it to get warmer before I uncover them.
I have to live amongst green leafy plants and trees. I have visited desert environments in California and Arizona. The different shades of brown and thorns on every plant was interesting. That’s all I can say. I could not thrive there for long. I need the energy of green leaves around me.
Leaves play an important role. Their chlorophyll converts carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight into sugars. Without this function, my plants and trees would die.
My produce wouldn’t be able to mature. I would miss the fresh taste of my favorite foods. Store bought vegetables aren’t the same. The best time to harvest food is right before eating. Prolonged shelf life diminishes vitamins and minerals.
I am in love with this green Earth.~ Charles Lamb
I love to see and touch all the leaves in my yard. It is difficult to say which ones I value most. After much thought, I can state that lettuce leaves win first place. They’re not only beautiful to behold, but they taste so GOOD.
They’re a source of vitamin K and A to support my health. Their dense heads can be notched, scalloped, frilly, or with ruffled edges. They even come in variegated colors. Some are of the looseleaf variety.
I order lettuce seeds every year which I plant in nursery flats. Then place them under a plastic shield for warmth. They’ll sit under grow lights until they emerge and gain an inch or two in height.
That is the time I transplant the seedlings to bigger pots. Back under grow lights to mature some more. When the soil warms to 50 degrees, I’ll plant them outside in their permanent bed. The hooped quilts will keep them warm until I expose their tiny heads to sunlight.
I can taste them already. I talk to them every day to encourage their growth. Oh, what joy when I pluck my first lettuce head for a salad.
My favorite varieties are:
Black seeded Simpson,
Dynamite and Little Gem for the best flavor,
Burpee Bibb lettuce.
This article is written in response to the prompt “The leaves that stole my heart” from Dr. Preeti Singh.
Please read the following articles which I found interesting.
Suma Narayan has written a thoughtful post on the fact that we cannot live isolated to thrive on this earth.
Dr. Preeti Singh writes a heartfelt article about a lovely visit to one family. A special moment she’ll treasure forever.
Leonard Tillerman has Christmas suggestions for those who have pets.
Thank you Reciprocal editors Sahil Patel, Dr. Preeti Singh, and Yana Bostongirl for your hard work to promote Medium writers.
