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It has been a great week so far.  This week I had a little well up of emotion.  I went out on the deck and gazed at my pepper plant.  For the first time it really sunk in that I have little peppers hanging from the plant’s delicate branches.  I leaned in closer and stared at them for longer than a normal person would do, when I felt a well up of emotion inside me.

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Many of you may be thinking how could looking at a pepper plant possibly make you emotional, unless you know ‘it’s that time’ again?  You see, I have never really grown anything successfully like that before.  I have had very few plants survive the amount of care I’ve given them. 

One such plant being a small Christmas tree from 2 years ago that we planted in a pot to live on our deck after Christmas.  It’s my baby Spruce as I like to call it.  I have a very special place in my heart for Blue Spruce trees.  So much so that when we were discussing names for my daughter before we knew the sex, we could not think of a boy’s name to save our lives.  We had already used our favorite boy’s name on my son 3 years earlier. 
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My husband and I were totally that couple that had a girl’s name and a boy’s name picked out very early, possibly even before we said I do.  Anyhow, we couldn’t think of a boy’s name so I suggested Spruce based on my special love for those trees and the fact that it was going to be a winter baby.  My husband thought that was H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!  Of course like any woman would do I defended myself with the typical response “Well it’s not like you are not coming up with anything!”  To which he said if that is the direction we are going we could name him x, y or z, which I will not reveal here because all though it produced a laughing fit it is not very appropriate ;-)

This pepper plant is the very first plant I have ever grown on my own that has produced any source of food, without counting the help of parents as a kid or assisting at Patricia and Aaron’s vineyard.   I’m a late bloomer when it comes to growing plants, and although I did not start it from seed or anything like that, I am still very proud of myself.

I never thought growing your own food could be so rewarding.  You feel attached to it almost, and I am sure eating something you grew yourself will induce another set of emotions altogether.  I know I need to settle down because it is not like I ran a marathon or anything, although in my mind I kind of feel like I did!  If growing a pepper feels this good I can only imagine...lol!
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I found unexpected happiness in one small simple thing, keeping a plant alive long enough to produce flowers then peppers.  For me it is a sign of hope.  This girl who has never been a huge fan of dirt or getting dirty with a wild dream of one day owning a Christmas tree farm with many, many blue spruce trees, and a pumpkin patch because... oh my gosh who doesn’t love pumpkins?!? 

I am growing my very first pepper.  One small step for mankind!  Maybe there is hope?  Maybe I could nurture a field of trees, pumpkins, and in the dream of course there are beautiful flowers and herbs too.  Feeling humble I’m brought back to

‘Think big, start small’...

The dream continues...

What about you?  Have you ever found unexpected joy in nurturing a plant?  Have you taken a small baby step that made you feel closer to your dream?

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Comments

09/06/2010 8:25pm

Wendy, I would be super excited and emotional if I saw peppers growing on my pepper plant! I am terrible with plants, so I would see this as a sign of hope, too. I cant wait to see what you do with the peppers. Awesome job, by the way. It's pretty amazing to be able to enjoy the little things in life. You certainly have a huge capacity for joy.

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Victoria
09/06/2010 10:12pm

Oh how I loved this post Wendy! (Maybe because I'm an emotional basket case today ;) but also because the little things like this also stir up emotions in me as well, so it's nice to know I'm not alone!).

Whenever you feel like you are failing though because you can't grow a plant, just remember your two beautiful babies, because you grew them, and that is a heck of a lot more hard work than a plant, and you should be so proud of the wonderful mother that you are, and all the care and love you've brought to your children!

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Wendy your little peppers are awesome and I cannot believe how big your beautiful blue spruce is getting!!

I am also a late bloomer (and feeling terribly sappy myself at this moment!) when it comes to gardening, my experience up until late was buying plants from the basement of Ikea, cause if they could grow there they could grow anywhere, right?! I found potatoes in the garden yesterday - I was so happy and shocked!

Wendy, I adore your blog. I really look forward to coming by and being uplifted by your love and insight. You are a tremendous blessing to all your readers, whether regular or passing through. I love you heaps. xoxo

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09/07/2010 4:05pm

@Astrid, @Victoria, @Alicia,

THANK YOU so much for the tremendous comment luv! You guys sure do know how to make a girl feel great. Thank you, I ♥ U! Your words are making me emotional in a wonderful way all over again ;-)

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Guida
09/08/2010 4:37pm

I have this same issue with plants. Try as I might, plants do not like me. I even get the "sturdy, un-killable" plants- no luck. I have somehow managed to keep two spider plants alive... although they don't grow. And I am ever so slowly killing some basil plants. They keep hanging in there though so here's hoping:)

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09/08/2010 9:11pm

@Guida -

I completely understand what you are saying! Don't you love plants that hang in there for you?! ;-)

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09/11/2010 11:24am

WOOT WOOT!! That is awesome!! Pepper plants and me do not get along. I have tried to plant them and this year was the first time I got an edible pepper.

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