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I'm not in California… yet. and I don't have a garden…yet. I'm still living in my least favorite place of anywhere I have ever lived, a place where terrible, heartbreaking things have happened to me, where I have been through really hard times, a place with harsh weather, and very few redeeming factors. I will miss the friends I have made here, but nothing else. We are supposed to be moving back to California in a few months. This has seemed too much to hope for and foolishness to count on even though my husband's job says we are deffinetly moving there. But I have begun to let myself hope, anticipate, dream, even plan…
I was inspired by this post on DesignSponge to draw out the wishes that have been hiding inside for fear of being disappointed. The past four years of living here has not been a season to flourish – I have been busy simply surviving. I did make a little container herb garden which I sketched above.(it has been dismantled already in preparation for the supposed move)
A lot of things will change in our lives when we get to California. It feels like a huge step of faith to say this and to sketch out my garden. At the start of the post are all the vegetables I want to grow in a square foot garden that produces all of the vegetables we will eat fresh and can.(I dream of Hibiscus planted all around the house) I would like to find a farm or ranch where we can buy healthy, natural meat, and buy all our fruit from the amazing farmer's markets. I won't be able to raise any livestock or chickens where we will be living, but (now the dreams are really kicking in!) I hope to buy a horse within a year or so and keep it at a nearby, affordable stable so that I can start teaching my kids about taking care of animals in addition to growing their food.
This is the garden I am hoping for along with some other simple but miraculous things like healthy babies and time together as a family. I'm so thankful for even the possibility of these blessings, but it's scary to dream or hope because I don't want to hurt again. However, before anything can ever grow a seed has to be planted… so this is my tiny seed and I pray for soft soil, rain and sun… and for this hope to grow
I made a gardening coloring page for my kids click here to download it!
Heather - Here’s to hope!! Sharon, this is my favorite blog post of yours to date! The watercolors turned out absolutely beautiful!! I’m sure you’ll be hanging onto the originals but are you going to have prints made of these? I would love to buy some prints from you. You are SUCH a talented artist and amazing woman! I will miss you dearly when you move to California but I am hoping for a beautiful future for you there and maybe I’ll get to visit and see how that garden pans out.
Sharon - oh so glad you enjoyed the post! it started with the drawings and as i thought about them all day it really meant a lot to me:)
good idea on the prints, i bet they would make nice notecards individually or small prints for the kitchen…
Sharon - and i will miss you like crazy too!
Marcia Sharp - this one made me cry, Sharon, and well, I’m still teary…it’s so wonderful to see you feeling hopeful – I once saw a saying that “gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow” – seems very appropriate for this – and I know that even drawing or simply imagining a garden does the same thing…I absolutely adore your drawing/watercolor – I would love to hang it in my kitchen 🙂 I’ll leave you with one more of my favorite sayings about hope – I have it framed in my den…”Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without words And never stops at all.” (Emily Dickinson)
Sue - Praying for your dreams.
Sharon - beautiful quote! xo
Asia - California is waiting for you! I hope you get here as quickly as you wish… I’m also in the hopes of starting a garden (that we can eat from) and am currently focusing on starting some succulent / CA native landscaping for our backyard… loving your drawings 🙂 xoxo
Alicia P. - Beautiful — and hoping every dream comes true for you.
Aura - These are SUCH beautiful drawings. I hope your gardening dreams come true, soon 🙂
Rachel Follett - I wish you the very best in your new home. Love your illustrations!
Molly - I LOVE your drawings too! This post is wonderful!
Katie Stepehnson - What a wonderful post. I’m so happy for you that you’re moving. Everyone deserves to live in a spot they love. I’m more of a flower gardener than an “edible” gardner but I’m contemplating trying it out for the first time this year. Good luck with your move!
Hannah Marcotti - Just stumbled upon this and how lovely. I would love to use the coloring page for some of my little clients, if you don’t mind. So lovely.