Garden Daydreams

Sometimes I catch myself daydreaming.

I look our window at the towering trees, lush with leaves and squirrels and my favorite cardinal darting to and fro between their limbs. I wish I could walk up to them and sit by their trunks, with a book in hand like Rory always managed in Gilmore Girls.

But these trees are deceiving. Though they stand tall and stately outside our windows, they are planted ever so out-of-place in the parking lot outside our building. There's no lounging to be had and no stretches of grass and moss like you'd be led to believe.

No, we live in the city. In an apartment. With windows that don't even open. There's no hope of bringing vegetation into this place, although, trust me, we've tried. I tried my luck at various houseplants, all of which clung for dear life for a few days, weeks, but eventually surrendered to limp leaves and shriveled stalks.

So, when I glimpse the vibrant vista out our window, I imagine our someday-yard. When I go to the fridge to pull out some spinach for a salad or slice a tomato for a sandwich, I find myself wistful for our someday-garden. I paint myself into the reverie with a green thumb and a big floppy sunhat, while I tend to the garden rows that sprout and flourish with abandon...

It's a rainbow of colors, filled with the greens of lettuce, spinach, broccoli, string beans and bunches of kitchen herbs. Reds push through with bell peppers and tomatoes. Beneath the ground, potatoes and carrots grow without much fanfare, while I walk through, admiring all the handiwork.

I try to keep these daydreams from going too wild. (No, there won't be a citrus tree. No, an apple tree takes too long. No, I've heard watermelons are pretty fickle.) I try to be careful, knowing all too well that a garden is more than just dropping seeds in the ground and singing in the rain. I know that it is difficult and often results in more sunburn and backaches than plentiful harvests.

But sometimes I can't help it. From this side of the window, the grass sure does look greener...

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Daydreaming about our someday, future home

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