We’ve had ample rain, and as y’all have heard April showers bring Mayflowers. Right? Except we are approaching the end of May, and the precipitation continues. Forecasters predict a never-ending parade of wetness from Saturday afternoon through Friday. We renamed the swale at the backyard property line, Walden Pond. The newly formed water feature is deep enough to accommodate a rowboat, a pair of mallard ducks, and a robust growth of algae.

The yard resembles a grass-green raft floating on a sea of mud. But my gardening genes yearn for dryer weather. It is time to transplant the seedlings I’ve been nurturing under grow lights in my makeshift nursery. Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, and onions are ready to be hardened offed to prepare them for summer in the sun.

This week, warm temps, cloudy days, and frequent showers provide the perfect conditions for the transition. I stage flats and small pots in a protected area of the patio. Despite my plotting and planning, I feel panicked. My garden is a vast blank slate. The spot earmarked for one vegetable looks far too large, while another seedling will overrun the bed I prepared.

My garden plots need adjustments, some transplants require editing, and I must shop for more veggies, or maybe flowers to fill gaping holes. Writing a story and creating a garden have many similarities. The picture in your head never quite materializes. You tinker, fiddle, fuss, and then take a step back to see the work in its totality. Serendipity conspires with creativity, and just when you are about to throw in the trowel, you discover a sight worth beholding.

How does your garden grow?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer