The old Schoolhouse and how our Garden Grows

Several weeks ago something in the air caused me to run up to the little hay meadow west of our house to photograph an old schoolhouse on our property. Little did I know the prudence of my timing: less than a week later the structure collapsed, along with my sad heart. I will be ok. I reserve grand plans for the rebuild and remodel of this building to model its former beauty. I have a special place in my heart for this structure since before I owned or even lived on the land on which it stands. I now have before and after pictures of this dear, sweet house, so if you scroll down you should see its current state. My dream was first to fix it up as a quiet chapel on our quiet bit of prairie. Now, I hope to someday (God-willing) restore it to be more true to its history and honor that history by giving her old books and beautiful art to protect and preserve. I think she will still be as quiet as an empty chapel and just as peaceful; happier too, serving a similar purpose to which she was built for. Please allow me my dreams!

In other news, my garden is coming along much more nicely than my friend, the schoolhouse. Her harvest has been most often one of flowers, but we also have tomatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupe, strawberries and, surprisingly, pumpkins!!! Last year's decorative pumpkins decided to save me some money this year by springing up and absolutely LOVING the soil in my compost area! I am attempting to keep this secret from oldest child as best I can in hopes that he lets them grow before picking them to enjoy. We have quite a variety. I think there's even some kind of squash that should make a decent soup this fall....I do not remember throwing out a squash last year (or actually any of the pumpkins, though it is the logical place for them to have landed), and at first I thought it was just one plant....but we have pumpkins and squash of all shapes, sizes, and colors!! Color me quite well pleased :)  As I said, the garden is mostly flowers. I much prefer growing flowers to food, and I am not ashamed to say it. Flowers are beautiful. Flowers smell nice, and they bring people (and pollinators) so much joy. Food is yummy, flowers not so much. I can see why someone would enjoy growing food, and it does give a certain satisfaction incomparable, however, with raising flowers. I hope I can always say this! This love for flowers comes to me quite naturally from my paternal grandmother, great-grandmother, and also my maternal grandfather. These I know of, far surpassed no doubt by those before them. It is late! I must sleep, 
Adieu 










 

Standing proudly, pointing us back to simpler times




her poor, crumbled face. I wish I knew how to help her!










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