On the Rocks Again

As I was planting out the first of the refugees of my Noah's Ark of plants from the old garden, I couldn't help but notice how many stones there were in the soil. My first "published" writing in Scotland was a letter to Kitchen Garden magazine --with photos-- about how I was de-rocking the soil for a kitchen garden

Along the way to courgettes and several failed attempts at tomatoes, I also sacrificed an elbow to that garden of rocks. Years ago, I lost my right elbow to tennis. This time my left elbow gave in after too much rocking and digging in the rich clay earth. I fretted just a bit about that as I dug contentedly in the soil. As long as I do it in small doses.... but that's what getting older means, isn't it?

The first of the lupines went in yesterday. The rain sliding down the window tells me my elbow will have a rest today. And I console myself that the rain will be good for the transplant.