I’ve always been fascinated by those who are good gardeners. How did they learn? When did it start? I’ve been trying for years to keep a garden throughout the seasons.
I’ve had a few successful summers with my tomato plants. Other than that, my gardening skills are not up to par. Three years ago, my daughter made a pre-k craft with flower seeds as a Mother’s Day gift.
This is where our new tradition began. Every year, my daughter and I, along with my mom, plant simple flower seeds. So far, we’ve had an ongoing assortment of small, colorful flowers in various sections of our yard this year. I decided to order Marigold seeds this year.
Planting seeds each year is symbolic: seeds of hope, growth, joy, and beauty. Watching the flowers grow through my daughter’s eyes is priceless. This tradition will continue, giving my daughter memories to cherish.
We don’t follow a strict planting routine; instead, we enjoy the process and the excitement of watching new blooms appear each morning as we eat breakfast. Throughout the years, as the flowers sprout, we love sitting in the backyard to admire their beauty. We look forward to checking in on our seeds and watering our soon-to-be flowers.
There is something very therapeutic about planting. Even if it isn’t your cup of tea. Getting your hands dirty and being close to Mother Nature is revitalizing. It brings you back to simpler times. When life wasn’t as chaotic at times. Days were slower, and being in the moment was a natural state. Being present wasn’t something to strive for; it was a mindset.
Nowadays, families’ schedules are filled with so many activities, which in itself isn’t a negative, but I find that the racing around can take away from the present moment. The rushing around creates an atmosphere of always looking for the next place or thing you have to do. It becomes more like a checklist than an adventure. I want my daughter to look back on these moments as childhood treasures, not just another activity.
We have decided that each year we will come up with a new, creative activity for the whole family to participate in.
This year, we added painting. My daughter taught herself how to draw a fish from YouTube and was so excited to outline a fish for each family member to paint. The moments spent picking out colors and exploring different patterns were so thought-engaging. Being able to share ideas and to watch each creation in process from beginning to end was so joyful.
The most rewarding part is capturing those moments in time with our own paintings. Paintings that we will keep and hang on our walls. Snapshots of various moments of creation. Tracking different stages of growth, emotionally as well as physically. Our own creative family album.
