Gardening in February
Southern California sure has been treating us well. Gosh I'm happy to be a migratory creature—a snowbird, if you will. I'm a wanderer driven by the subtle nudges of a cold night or a southbound goose. Don't get me wrong, I love a good cold snow-filled winter. Often I find myself dreaming of being on cross country skis in Michigan, or back on a dogsled in Montana. More often though, I find myself appreciating the fact that it's February and sunny and I'm comfortable outdoors in shorts. The other day I was working in a garden—watering plants and digging holes and just getting dirty outside; then I realized it was February and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. We have driven about as far south as we possibly can within this country's boundary, and right now, San Diego is the perfect place to be. The trip south from L.A involved exploring several wonderful beach towns along the way. It's really great to be here in this part of the world.
For the last few days we have been working at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center. It is a very pleasant place—seven acres of beautiful land dedicated to environmental education. They teach kids the science behind the gardens and how to cook with the fresh food. Field trips come from schools in the area for a hands-on learning experience. It's an encouraging thing to see because public schools don't seem to put any emphasis on this important issue. We've had the opportunity to help out with a field trip and general garden projects. Most of our time has been spent digging, planting, watering, harvesting—getting dirty in the garden, learning a lot, and loving it. I have really enjoyed my time at Olivewood. It feels so good to get back to the earth and put in some good hard physical labor—I've got blisters on my hands and dirt under my fingernails—that's a good feeling! It's so refreshing to eat fresh veggies and berries right off the plants and eggs from happy chickens that ate out of my hand yesterday. Chickens with freedom make for a tasty breakfast. I must say that I'm inspired for whenever I find myself in a stationary home—I'd love to grow my own food and have some chickens running around the yard someday. The crew at Olivewood is awesome, and it has been really great to get to know them over the last few days. They have been more than hospitable and have made the San Diego experience a memorable one.
We are living in luxury right at the San Diego KOA. Clint offered us a free camp site for as long as we planned to work in the area. It's not your ordinary campground—we've been enjoying top-notch accommodations including a hot-tub, swimming pool, and great neighbors. For example, just yesterday we met some new friends. Stewart and Kathy invited over for dinner and a campfire last night. They thoroughly spoiled us with a delicious meal and good company. We're hoping to get out on the kayaks with Stewart before we leave this place. After an entire year of living on the road and avoiding campgrounds (we only stayed in campgrounds for 5 nights in 2011) it sure is a nice treat to enjoy an extended stay. It's so nice to have the simple luxury of waking up next to bathrooms, knowing that you can take a shower everyday, plugging into shore power, and knowing that the water won't run out. Life almost seems too comfortable—that's a good feeling for now.
Arizona is next—we're thinking Tuscon. As usual, I hope you'll let us know if you've got any ideas on what we can do in the area. Somehow three weeks of bus life has already slipped away since getting back to California. It's so good to be back at it. I'm loving this life and trying trying hard to appreciate every moment. I'm blessed… Life is good.
