It is a freezing cold Valentine’s Day this year. Literslly, 0 degrees outside. My husband is not one for mushiness. He is an “acts of service” kind of guy. My gift this year was that he weather-protected my little “farm” while I was away. This is quite the gift since he really didn’t want chickens in the first place!
The chicken and pigeon coop is actually a small, red barn (soon to be painted) from the 40’s. I have a lot of open windows, which have chicken wire to keep the varmits out. My hubs took the feed sacks that I have saved, and stapled them over all the open windows and doors. He also bought more hay and three different kinds of chicken food. He hung heating lamps from the ceiling in both rooms of the old barn. I am quite sure the birds have never had it so good!!!
Gardeners are notorious for enjoying the gifts of service in their gardens. My friend Karalina receives a small rose bush each year for Valentine’s Day….because why buy a bouquet when you can enjoy the entire rose bush forever? Another friend received a greenhouse, custom built with old windows, by her husband. Actually, my Mother-in-Law had a greenhouse built for her too. (Apparantly, greenhouses are good gifts!!) Other friends have received big, sexy piles of mulch or compost, raised beds or gift certificates to garden shops…..all of which I completely approve of and secretly drool over.
Our society tells us that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”….but that only applies to non-gardeners.
Gardeners simply prefer their gardens. Gardeners keep their hands in the dirt and their heads in southern bulb and seed catologues. Gardeners are nurturing, and love to watch their flowers grow. On freezing cold days, Gardeners will curl up in a big comfy chair and read about gardens growing,or write flower blogs about their gardens! So forget the diamonds and the ring….Love is growing a garden and raising chickens.. Love is loving your gardener who loves their gardens.
Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends! Enjoy the beautifully magical winter day. Remember that love is not about materialism…..Love, to the gardener, is *truly* about compost, feed-sacks, heirloom bulbs and seed catologues. 🙂
For more information on the 4th Annual Heirloom Bulb Give-Away (and plant swap) in April, email heirloombulbgirl@gmail.com
Happy Gardening, my friends!!!!