Luke Jeffery - Gardening

Recently, we began a community garden in my girlfriend's back yard. As I have been thinking of this class and writing about beauty, one of my major focuses has been creation. The nature that surrounds us is filled with beauty, beauty that we often do not take into account because we are so busy in our lives. However, through gardening I have begun to experience more of the unity of life that Van Der Leeuw discusses throughout his work. On a cool spring day, I've been able to take off my shoes and sink them into the rich, dark soil below me. And then I look up and see the different shades of green and brown that grow all around in the yard. I truly feel connected to the earth. I have yet to eat anything from the garden since we have only recently begun, but I feel that I will enjoy and appreciate it much more (not to mention the health benefits!) since I have worked the ground for it. It's completely shifting my understanding of how I live and eat, because I desire to see the beauty even in the small things like gardening. So the search for beauty continues and it is often found in the nature right around us!