Listen and Learn
That title could actually also be “Pay Attention and Learn”.
I’ve been paying more attention, and I am learning.
I learned that the watering system that John set up last year for the first time made a big impact on our garden. The system he set up this year made an even bigger impact.
It’s on a timer and set up in a way that water is not wasted in run off the way the system allowed last year. It was worth every minute of watching him set the system up LOL.
I learned that when you do a thing that you have learned is a good idea but haven’t implemented it before, deciding to do it also makes a big impact.
When our neighbor talked about being ready to remove the suckers from the lower half of his tomato plants - about 18 inches worth. We knew this, but we never really did it before the plants got out of hand and then we just never ended up following through. About 27 years of gardening and we’ve never removed all the suckers from the bottom of the plants - not to this degree anyway. Wow. The leaves are not left on the ground to rot and attract pests, and the air circulation helped keep fungus and mildew away. The tomatoes are easier to harvest. And the crop is the single best we’ve ever had, and that from fewer plants than we’ve ever grown. They were ALL volunteers this year. We had no idea what would end up growing but it worked out just fine.
I learned that other people have really great ideas about how to do things even though it might be different from the way I do it.
When my brother-in-law shared how he enjoys a tomato every day with a little bit of seasoned rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. I enjoy tomatoes pretty much anyway I can get them, but this simple snack is a game changer.
I learned that I’m not always right, which isn't a new lesson, but reminders never hurt.
When my husband insisted that the dipping oil from Bone Fish Grill was not simply olive oil mixed with basic pesto. Although it tasted fantastic, he was right - and I was wrong. I’m so happy to admit this because it allowed me to be willing to try the recipe that he went to the trouble to find for me that turned out to be the absolute match (according to my taste buds).
Bonus lesson - I discovered that when you combine the lesson on eating tomatoes with the seasoned rice with the lesson on the dipping oil you have a variety of ways to enjoy all the good things.
I learned a long time ago - it’s nice to know how and be willing to admit I am wrong. I don’t have a reputation for being right all the time that I have to live up to - because that’s just too much to expect of anyone. And if you’re always right, where is there room to learn anything new?