Oh hey hi hello subscribers!
It’s so snowy lately here in the Western Catskills; we got over a foot last week. Meanwhile I’ve been wanting to share with you all about a project that has delighted me this winter.
Playing off of both this and this and in general my desire to eat fresh things even when it’s very cold out, last December I started seeds for a bunch of herbs and greens under some grow lights: spinach, arugula, cilantro, basil, parsley and a cold-tolerant lettuce.
I started everybody in little grow cells, and then moved them into peat pots…
Until one misty morning between snows I hauled in some grow bags from the garden and transplanted all the babies into those…
The growing was slow-going. I struggled with figuring out how to adequately heat this outbuilding space and how to discourage the curiosity of mice.
But eventually there it was, what in this household we came to call the “spaceship garden.”
I had thought this was a reference to the movie The Martian wherein whatshisname composts with his poop yadda yadda but Rob (upon reviewing this newsletter draft) informed me he’s never seen The Martian, actually just read the book, which he likes, but also he wasn’t thinking of that when we called it a “spaceship garden”; he was thinking of the actual space station growing stuff apparently, as well as The Expanse, which I’ve never read nor seen. (The more you know dot gif!) Point being, living out here in the country, in this old farmhouse — especially when isolated from the world by a weather event — it can feel real apparent, that we’re just adrift in space.
When outside is it is January and oh so freezing, I cannot tell you the difference that it makes, psychologically, spiritually, what have you, that little bit of homegrown green in a bowl, or on that plate. What joy it brings, a side salad, a garnish.
So, What’s Helping Today is my spaceship garden.
Also Rob’s glorious cooking, which I am very blessed to often eat…
Last week it was so snowy I had to shovel my way out to the spaceship garden to water it. But soon, maybe even tomorrow, I’ll carry some of these containers back out to the greenhouse, and let the spinach and others continue on there. Then under the freed-up light space, I’ll start spring seeds.
Spring! Imagine! I know my spirit is ready.
Hope you take care of yours, loves.
Until next time,
Sandy
p.s. I wanted to mention, I’m starting a new experiment… If you ever want to write with an anonymous question for me to potentially answer in a future newsletter, feel free to do so at whatshelpingtoday@gmail.com. What sort of questions do I mean? I don’t know, you tell me. Could be mental health-related, or not. Maybe this will wind up being an advice column or something in that general wheelhouse. If you do send in a question, please note again, I may use it in a newsletter, albeit anonymously, but regardless keep that in mind in terms of what you share there. I may edit questions down as well, for concision purposes. (To contact me for other reasons, visit this page.)