This spring, I convinced myself a garden wouldn’t be possible. I was running behind, as I had only acquired my home in April and had multiple other projects to focus on. Plus, it would be lots of work to build up a new one. I remembered the effort it took to get 100 retaining wall blocks (by way of a Mazda 3 trunk) to my home in Fargo, carry them two by two to the back yard and stack them diligently in a 10-foot diameter circle. Filling it with dirt was a whole other project.

Mother’s Day (the weekend to plant) came and went, and I concluded I would skip a season. I thought it was a fine idea, until I began to tear up when telling a friend my not-so-grand plan. Gardening meant more to me than I realized.

I bought two small garden beds, painted them, bought dirt and planted a garden just in time.

As I clean up the garden beds this season, I reflect on the planting, growing and joy I got in my new back yard checking on things and bringing handfuls of produce inside to wash up and make meals and snacks. Even though my garden was much smaller this year than other years, it brought just as much happiness.

Moral of the story: Don’t give up on something that brings you joy. Not even for a season.

Shootin’ the Wit is a sporadic blog about everyday life that should never, ever be taken too seriously.