Humble Beginnings

When I was first married, more than 20 years ago I purchased some strawberry plants and planted them.  Well, not having much experience with them, or gardening for that matter, I went ahead and just put them in the ground.  I really didn't think about where I was putting them or what type of soil I was putting them in.  I just planted them.  And guess what?  They didn't survive. 

I don't think that it was because the plants were bad, it was just what I did with them.  I think the location and the soil - clay - wasn't what the strawberries needed to survive.  

So they died.

And because they died, I resolved that I could never grow strawberries again. 

Well, then I moved to Missouri and found out that people really can grow strawberries and lots of them.

About 2 months ago, my very sweet neighbor, the Rancher's Wife, gave us a lot of strawberry plants.  So the next day, we planted all of them and watered them well.  And then the next day we watered them again and they were doing fantastic.

Then.................we went to a homeschool conference for 4 days and I totally forgot to tell my kids who stayed back (to hold down the ranch) know that they had to water the strawberry plants.  So when I came home, I found out that only about 1/4 of them survived.  I was devastated!!  Noooooooo!  How could I be so negligent!!  These beautiful plants that my neighbor so graciously gave to me, I killed them!!  Ug!

After a few days of feeling sorry for myself I decided it was time to forget about it and get over it.  There was nothing that I could do about it.  I had to focus on what was still alive.  

And that's what I've done and once again, they are doing fantastic!

"You don't have to be great to start but, you have to start to be great!!"

Zig Ziglar 

Our first and only strawberry of the season (so far)!!