I was picking French beans on a misty morning after a great deal of rain. The ground was wet and soggy. My jeans were soaking against my legs from brushing against even wetter foliage and the water from the wet beans was running up my wrists and further up into my shirt. In short, I wasn’t comfortable and I consoled myself with the thought that gardening must be a good character-forming pastime. I thought that picking the beans would come under the heading of ‘Learning to deal with Discomfort and developing Stamina’.
Then I thought, what about ‘Learning to Share’? Yet another year has passed when I have not tasted a single cherry off our tree, and as I write this the blackbirds are eating the figs and the squirrel is chomping away at the hazel nuts, and I’ve just remembered the row of spinach and late lettuces that disappeared overnight in a slug onslaught. Which brings me to the next lesson- ‘How to Control your Temper’… Better not to let those expletives carry over the garden wall…
No, watching things you have nurtured get eaten, destroyed by the weather, or suffering some other mishap comes under the heading of ‘Dealing with Frustration and Disappointment’. I am reminded of an incident years ago when some small visiting guests came into the kitchen proudly bearing most of my crop of peaches, still very small, green and hard. I’m trying now to develop my ‘Patience’ as that peach tree went the way of many others with leaf curl and last year we planted a new one, plus an apricot and greengage. So far, not a sausage, let alone a fruit on any of them.
Any way the current virtue to nurture is ‘Organisation and Forethought’. By now you should have ordered (or bought), your bulbs for planting October/November. You should have thought about your sweet peas for next year. There should be a mammoth tidy up everywhere in the garden, and by the time you have taken your umpteenth trip to the potting shed to fetch- the rake, - the pruners, - a fork. - the string, ‘Planning’, as well as ‘Forethought’ would be an advantage. As the weather worsens and we try to develop ’Learning to deal with Discomfort and develop Stamina’ this will be an ideal opportunity for ‘Overcoming Vanity’. The warmest, oldest, scruffiest clothes are the best, with plenty of pockets for bits of string and a battered hat for keeping the hair out of the eyes. No mirrors in the potting shed.
Now just back to the French beans. Because of the atrocious weather I had not picked them for some days. Consequently they were somewhat large. But I have found a superb recipe which suits the larger French bean. It is from Jane Grigson’s book of Vegetables (wonderful), and it is called Greek Beans. It involves beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, oil and parsley. It is simple, and delicious hot or cold. Better the next day even.
Then I thought, what about ‘Learning to Share’? Yet another year has passed when I have not tasted a single cherry off our tree, and as I write this the blackbirds are eating the figs and the squirrel is chomping away at the hazel nuts, and I’ve just remembered the row of spinach and late lettuces that disappeared overnight in a slug onslaught. Which brings me to the next lesson- ‘How to Control your Temper’… Better not to let those expletives carry over the garden wall…
No, watching things you have nurtured get eaten, destroyed by the weather, or suffering some other mishap comes under the heading of ‘Dealing with Frustration and Disappointment’. I am reminded of an incident years ago when some small visiting guests came into the kitchen proudly bearing most of my crop of peaches, still very small, green and hard. I’m trying now to develop my ‘Patience’ as that peach tree went the way of many others with leaf curl and last year we planted a new one, plus an apricot and greengage. So far, not a sausage, let alone a fruit on any of them.
Any way the current virtue to nurture is ‘Organisation and Forethought’. By now you should have ordered (or bought), your bulbs for planting October/November. You should have thought about your sweet peas for next year. There should be a mammoth tidy up everywhere in the garden, and by the time you have taken your umpteenth trip to the potting shed to fetch- the rake, - the pruners, - a fork. - the string, ‘Planning’, as well as ‘Forethought’ would be an advantage. As the weather worsens and we try to develop ’Learning to deal with Discomfort and develop Stamina’ this will be an ideal opportunity for ‘Overcoming Vanity’. The warmest, oldest, scruffiest clothes are the best, with plenty of pockets for bits of string and a battered hat for keeping the hair out of the eyes. No mirrors in the potting shed.
Now just back to the French beans. Because of the atrocious weather I had not picked them for some days. Consequently they were somewhat large. But I have found a superb recipe which suits the larger French bean. It is from Jane Grigson’s book of Vegetables (wonderful), and it is called Greek Beans. It involves beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, oil and parsley. It is simple, and delicious hot or cold. Better the next day even.
