8 The Garden

Inspired by “Epiphany in the Beans” in Braiding Sweetgrass

Dear diary, here’s the end to another Friday where I feel down in the dumps. Everyone at recess today was talking about their favorite things to do when they go home after school and on the weekends. My best friend Poppy asked me what I like to do for fun, and I just didn’t know what to say. I felt kind of embarrassed because I didn’t have a cool answer like everyone else. Willow likes to play soccer. Holly likes to dance. Lily likes to sing and paint with her sister. Rose likes to watch movies with her family, and Poppy likes to bake with her dad. Don’t get me wrong, there are many things I like to do, but I don’t have a favorite. There isn’t one activity that I LOVE so much that I could do every day and never get sick of. I ended up telling my friends that I like to play board games with my brothers because I just didn’t know what else to say. I felt sad and confused. Hopefully, next week will be better. I start my new science class on Monday, and I am so nervous. I don’t know anyone else in the class, so I am scared I won’t make any friends.

All my love, Daisy

Dear diary, my new science teacher is crazy! She wants everyone to grow a plant… I do not like dirt. Dirt is messy and stinky and icky! Why is she making us grow a stupid plant at home? Why can’t we just do it as a class, so I don’t have to put my hands in stinky dirt? EW! She is making us grow cucumber plants. I don’t even like cucumbers. I mean, I haven’t tried one before, but I just know that they probably don’t taste good because look at them… they are green. YUCK! Wish me luck because this class is going to be the worst. I can’t believe I have to take care of a plant for the next two months. UGH! On the bright side, I did make a friend in my class. Her name is Ivy, and she seems really excited about this whole plant project which is weird, but she seems pretty nice other than that.

All my love, Daisy

Dear Diary, I planted my stinky seeds in my stinky dirt, and I water them every other day, but nothing is happening. Everyone in my class is excited and showing pictures of their sprouts, talking about how tall they are, and I have nothing. When it came time to share my plant’s progress, I presented a picture of my dirt. So embarrassing. One boy laughed at me, and my teacher told the class to be nice and that everyone’s plants will develop at different times. Ivy told me not to worry about it because all plants are different, and she invited me over to her place for a playdate tomorrow so I could see how she takes care of her plant. After class, my teacher pulled me aside and told me to keep trying with a big smile on her face, and I wanted to cry. I felt like a loser. Why is everyone else’s plant growing except for mine? Maybe my plant hates me.

All my love, Daisy

Dear Diary, I finally have a sprout!!! After many tries, I finally have a sprout. After seeing how Ivy takes care of her plants, I think I finally figured it out. Ivy made me realize you have to be like a mom when you take care of plants. She showed me that you need to care and be kind to your seeds in order for them to grow. I felt like I was walking into a fairy garden when I walked into Ivy’s backyard. She has plants everywhere and a garden the size of my bedroom at home. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Ivy and I spent the afternoon helping her mom pick fruits and vegetables from the garden. Then Ivy showed me how to pick the weeds and properly water everything. I was amazed at how much food we collected from the garden. We must’ve gathered about five buckets overflowing with fruits and vegetables. I was scared to try all the stuff we picked but surprisingly, it was the yummiest food I have ever tried. Who knew fruits and veggies could be so juicy and full of flavor? Not me. Seeing this garden made me want to grow the best cucumber plant in the world. I think I want to start my own garden. Is that crazy? Dirt doesn’t seem so stinky and messy to me anymore.

All my love, Daisy

Dear Diary, I haven’t written to you in a few months. I’m sorry I have just been so busy with my INSANE garden. After seeing Ivy’s garden, I went to the store with my dad and got a bunch of soil and seeds, and he helped me build my own little garden in the backyard. I have been slowly growing this masterpiece over the past few months, and let me tell you, it is A LOT of work. Every day after school, I go out to my garden, and I pull weeds, pick produce, and water everything. My garden is kind of my new best friend. I still love Poppy, but my garden gives me little gifts like cucumbers, carrots, or strawberries. It is the best thing to do after school… hanging out in my garden. Sometimes Poppy and Ivy come over and help me take care of my garden. They are such sweet friends to me.

All my love, Daisy

Dear diary, it’s the last day of school!! My science teacher had everyone share their plants’ progress one last time. My plant was one of the biggest cucumber plants in the class! I brought one of my giant cucumbers in for the class to taste. The boy who laughed at me at the beginning of the year came up to me and said my cucumber was the best cucumber he’s ever tasted. My science teacher jumped with joy as I shared how happy this project made me and how I started an entire garden in my backyard. After class, my science teacher talked with me and told me how proud of me she was for growing such a beautiful plant and realizing that plants are not stinky, messy, icky things that make yucky vegetables. I thanked my teacher for making me try something new because I finally have something I look forward to every day after school. At recess today, my friends talked about what everyone was going to do this summer. Willow is going to play soccer. Holly is going to try tap dance. Lily is going to an art summer camp. Rose is going to watch as many movies as she can, and Poppy is going to make a bake sale. When Poppy asked me what I was going to do this summer, I smiled and said I would keep growing my garden. I finally found something I LOVE so much I could do it every day and never get sick of it. I found my place in this world… my garden.

All my love, Daisy