As I write, the state of Texas, where I live, has virtually reopened after being relatively shut down due to the pandemic. I know it has been a challenge for many people in different ways. The new emphasis is on keeping a safe distance from others and wearing a face mask. Please, let us each do our part to control the spread.
Several positives from the shutdown are people now cook a lot more at home and others try to stay healthier by exercising, spending more time with nature, and spending more time with their families. I have tried cooking a few new things, shared recipes with friends, and started drinking a lot more water.
Let me brag about my little garden. I have created time to get back into gardening. It is a small space in the front of my home, but I have been able to plant tomatoes, bell peppers, thyme, spearmint, and two pineapples. My strawberry seeds should germinate in another two weeks and my peppermint too. I will update you.
I am excited at the prospect of having a good set of crops. So, my dear reader, I challenge you to try and plant something this month. Keep it simple—an herb like thyme or rosemary in a pot—or if you have more space, plant a few more things. Take your children or grandchildren to Home Depot or Walmart and have them pick out a plant or two, and as a little project, let them transplant what they get and take care of it until it can be harvested, Or let them plant something simple like marigolds or zinnia flowers. They can keep a little journal or daily diary note, documenting their observation as the plant grows or seeds germinate.
By the time you read this, I would have turned 50 years old (May 24—the best day of the best month), and I am thankful to God for sparing me to see this milestone in my life. It has been quite a month for me…both my sons were born in May; my youngest brother was also born in May. Sadly, my father passed away on May 31 last year, so it is sad that he is not around to share in this moment.
I have a lot to be thankful for—surviving a stroke in November 2014 while driving on I-495 on a Sunday morning. It happened around 9:40 am, and I did not go to the hospital in Laurel until almost 8:30 pm. Then in April 2018, while on I-66W taking my son back to school at the Shenandoah Valley Academy, our car hydroplaned, and I blacked out simultaneously. Apparently while we spun in the dark of the night, a tractor trailer came round the bend and struck us. My son walked away with a scratch on his finger while I had whiplash, but the Nissan Rogue was a total loss. So I have a lot to be thankful for.
I am also thankful that it is time to wrap up the jive this month. In the next jive, I will share my tornado experience in Texas with you. Please be safe, exercise, join me in drinking a lot of water, and let us continue to be kind to one another. I miss Beltsville and look forward to being able to visit in the summer.