Published: July 23, 2008 04:09 pm            

The Yield: Solace found in gardens, car shows and friendship

Originally published in the July 11, 2008, print edition.

The mornings have been gentle coming into summer. Until these last few days, we have had more than ample rain. Generous greens grace the trees and lawns. Fields are finally drying out, allowing young corn and bean plants to lavish under blue skies and billowing white clouds.

Between showers, I have planted my first veggie garden in town. It is small. This first season, I’m checking it out to find what can or cannot grow in the vicinity of giant oaks and walnut trees. Rabbits are a problem. I was used to my farm dog chasing out the scoundrels that nibbled on the crop.

I bought the equipment and put a fence around the happy veggies growing in a sunny spot just made for a garden. Then I planted my herb garden outside by the kitchen window. Herbs have a mysterious fascination for me. I like their strange names in recipes and had used some of them on the farm. I promised myself to further learn and explore the tastes in recipes I clipped from magazines.

While my garden grows, I content myself with further house settling and meeting the neighbors. There is such a thing as a neighborhood watch. I was not used to seeing people living so close, so I have to resist the temptation to “watch” the neighbors.

Sometimes they walk over to visit. Two of the neighbors were in the hospital and I missed them when they were gone. It feels like family. Still, when I get on the motorcycle with Stan and ease out of town I feel the serenity of spacious bean and cornfields. It is then I miss the farm.

Stan’s workshop has provided solace. It is there we worked on our 1903 Curved Dash Oldsmobile Stan built from queries on the internet. Sunday we took it to the Autofest in New Ulm. “With a car like that, we’ll put you in the front row,” the attendant said. “Follow me.”

I loved watching the cars arrive at the Maday Motors parking lot. The cars from the 1960s interested me most. The people driving them look a lot older than us, I thought.

“Stan, do we look as old as these folks?” I asked. He laughed, “I was thinking the same thing.”

They drove in with big smiles and shiny restored vehicles. There was a nostalgic feeling that drew us “older” people together. Couples our age walked hand-in-hand, pointing at cars, remembering.

Several weeks ago, we were at a show in Garden City. We participated in a “motors off” race. At the top of the hill, eight of us piled into Terry’s ’62 Chevy. Using our bodies, we synchronized rocking back and forth to get the car going. It seemed strange to rock, and we laughed heartily. “Don’t quit rocking. Keep together,” the leader urged. “We are ahead!” (We won, but lost in the second heat.)

We said goodbye to Terry and Jane. On the way home, the discussion turned to concern. Terry did not look well.

Our 17-member class had lost its first classmate last year. He died of cancer.

It seems that there are many things we might do that can raise our risk factor for disease. Smoking, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, over-eating, living under stress and others would be included. Some seem easy to change, but we must walk a mile in the other’s shoes before judging. Age is also a factor, and that we cannot change. It is sad to see those who have been there for us for so many years getting sick and dying.

We might well ask ourselves, what can we do so that we might “be there” for those we love?

Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that he lives within you? For God bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God, because He owns it. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

        

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