Ninja Turtle Thumbs

What color are a ninja turtle's thumbs? Green! I have been trying to discover if I have a green thumb by doing a little gardening this spring. I grew up in the countryside and I've lived in the city for the past nearly 4 years. I miss nature and having green, growing things in my life. I think it's good for the soul. So I decided I would try to grow my own little piece of nature on my apartment balcony.

The last two years haven't worked out too well. I planted seeds, full of hope. But all my seeds were for plants that grow in full sunlight. I had a big tree parked right in front of my balcony and once the leaves grew in, there was no such thing as direct sunlight for my poor plants. This time around I live in a new apartment and yes, our balcony gets direct sunlight! So I've planted and now I'm waiting for the first shoots to appear.

I'm dabbling not just in growing flowers. Flowers are awesome. Don't get me wrong. I'm rather fond of live flowers. But I've chosen to expand into growing herbs and vegetables as well. I really like the idea of growing something I can put on the table, whether in a vase or on a plate. So this year I've planted dwarf sunflowers, marigolds, lavender, morning glories, and spinach. Sunflowers make me smile. I don't know why, they just look so happy. I've loved marigolds since I was little. My babysitter grew them. I think morning glories are gorgeous. Lavender is pretty and the smell really helps in calming anxiety and aiding sleep. Spinach is one of the few vegetables I like. It also happens to be one of the best for you.

 My balcony is a peaceful spot for me. On warm days I like to sit out there and take in the fresh air and sunlight. I can feel the wind on my face and hear birdsong (in my opinion one of the sweetest sounds on earth). I can watch the squirrels and some of the birds come quite close. My balcony looks out onto a glorious patch of untamed wilderness here in the city. It acts as a natural hedge between my apartment building and the homes on the other side. Patches of wilderness are rare in a place where every green thing is primed, pruned, and mowed into perfection. I grew up in a place where nature runs wild and beautiful. Right now I can't have my mountains or my wilderness. But God still gives me little pieces of the nature I crave.

Hopefully in future I'll have pictures to share of the progress in my plants. Until then, thanks for reading! Feel free to send any feedback to thehalflingninja@gmail.com or leave a comment.

You're never too small to make a difference in the world.

The Halfling Ninja