Communion

Tut, tut it looks like rain.

This morning is cool and quiet. Just a hint of breeze. Blue clouds rim the horizon and suggest rain later. Another cup of coffee or so and I'll head out to the gardens; play with my plant buddies. Mike's at work for a few hours and while I'm waiting as fast as I can for him to come home I'll do some weeding, tilling and mulching. Garden therapy.

I played in the garden a little last night. I hesitate to call it working in the garden because it's more fun than work. I love the feel of the dirt in my hand and under my feet - I spend a lot of time in the garden without shoes on. I get a kick out of planting seeds and then waiting for the little plant babies to poke out of the soil. I am in awe and wonder each time this happens. The excitement wells up inside of me makes me giggle and I can't wait to tell Mike what new thing is growing in the garden.

I like the newness of each day with the garden for, like the river, you never step into the same garden twice. Each day brings new plants, new leaves,new fruit, new flowers and occasionally some new challenges: weeds, blight, bugs, critters. But you gotta take the bad with the good and there are more good days than not in the garden and more joy than frustration. It's life.

After dinner last evening I went to the garden. The sun was warm; not hot as it had been earlier. I left my gloves in the garage and my shoes at the gate. I wanted nothing between me and the earth but skin. I weeded; replanted some carrots and beets, scratched in some additional cilantro and basil (you can't have enough basil) and planted a few more flower seeds. Most of the time, however was spent with my hands on my hips surveying all I've grown.

Out in the yard our dogs were running around like idiots, chasing after the possibility of rodents in the woodpile. Humming birds were zooming back and forth from the feeders. Dragon flies were coasting on warm gold sunlight. Through the open windows of the house I could hear northern Minnesota playing Green Cheese on KAXE (for those of you not familiar KAXE is our local community radio station and Green Cheese is a call in trivia show that is played from 7-9 each Saturday. www.kaxe.org) and I could hear Mike's giggle as he pulled two perfect loaves of bread from the oven.

Mike learned how to make bread about a year ago when we decided to quit buying "not good for you", yucky store bread. Now we take turns making bread; each of us with our own favorite recipe. Mine is a maple oatmeal bread. His is a cottage cheese bread which always turns out tall and light with a delightful, chewy crust. While I'm the one who taught him to make bread it's a case of the student surpassing the instructor. He's more patient I think.

Mike's bread is better than mine and I think I discovered why last night: it's the giggle factor. He's like a little kid with the bread. He gets such delight from every aspect of the process and it builds up inside of him until the crowning moment when it comes out of the oven hot and golden and smelling of home. The oven door comes open and out comes this lovely, warm, deep....giggle. My bread comes out with an air of smugness but Mike's comes out with wonder, joy and "that" giggle. It never gets old.

So, as the dew started to settle, I finished up in the garden, fed the rabbits, threw the squirrel for the dogs and took my dirty hands and feet into the house. I cleaned up a little, sat down at the counter and let Mike slice a piece of warm bread for me. As I spread butter across my slice I thought, "this is what breaking bread is all about, this is true communion." I closed my eyes, bit down into the sweet, warm taste of love and home and I giggled.

Peace
Karen