Spontaneous Growth

If you know me at all…you know I love to putz in the yard.  That’s all it is really…is putzing.  I have dreamed of having a garden…flowering and edible good things!  I have also desired to do a community garden in one of the vacant lots.  But, you know what?  I know NOTHING about gardening, and I HATE to do it alone.  Louis hates it period!  Thankfully, Everett is willing to take care of our grass for a nominal fee.

Earlier this year, our beloved next door neighbors and sisters, Ami and Nichelle, bought a house and moved a short distance away, taking their wood frames for their raised beds from their vegetable garden.  After receiving permission, we used their dirt to fill in a hole where a tree trunk was decaying.  Who knew what would spontaneously grow just a few months later?!?!?

Cherry Tomatoes

Collards and Black Eyed Susans

Yes!  Cherry Tomatoes and Collard Greens!  They have gone crazy!!  I had some lettuce earlier this summer as well.  Surprisingly enough, this is all producing on the north side of the house…..the shady side.  We even have a few Black Eyed Susans in there, too.  What a treat!  I was happy to give some greens to Ellen from our Missional Community.  And the tomatoes are just now ready to start eating!  I ate my first one today.  That bright red one there in the picture is now history!!! There are TONS of them!  I am so thrilled that Ellen knows about gardening and is willing to help me!  She says that it’s almost time to grow our fall crops!

OK…so, then….Terence looks up in the vines that I planted 5 years ago at the base of my pergola.  I knew that the vines were fast growing and flowered for about a month each spring.  Then…these strange pods showed up…this year…..for the first time.  Take a look…

Terence and I were fascinated…and again, I was overwhelmed with excitement.  Needless to say, I got busy checking it out…what is this plant?  I only remember the garden guy at Lowe’s recommending what he called a “Five Finger Vine”.  After my research (thanks, Google!), I have learned that we have an ‘Akebia Quinata’ aka ‘chocolate vine’ growing….and that is the what appears to be a rare fruit.  As it matures it will turn into a 5 inch ‘purple sausage’, and in the fall will split open when it’s fully ripe.  That is the time to eat it.  Not sure what I think of it, but we will be sure to give it a try.  I’m not really thrilled about what I’m reading…sweet, but yucky jelly type goo. Anyone have an experience with the Akebia fruit? Not finding much online re: recipes or ways to eat it.

I’m not having to do a thing for this little growth spirt…it’s just happening, spontaneously! Who knew? I can’t help but think there is something God is trying to teach me/us here. Something is definitely percolating…seeds, fertile soil, spontaneous growth, nothing that WE do….yeah….definitely something.

More to come…both on the growth of my ‘garden’ and in the analogy…for sure.  Stay tuned and be blessed.