Ghosts of the Garden

In the baseball classic "Field of Dreams" Ray Consella hears voices that prod him on to build a baseball field while plowing under his crop of corn.  By doing so he ventures on a journey that would eventually reunite him with his father.  

As I went about my garden today and started to till the ground and prep it for planting I couldn't help but hear the "ghosts of the garden".  As I planted the garden I reflected on some of my heroes that have taught me much not just in the garden but in life.  

As I planted the potatoes it was as if the ghost of my Uncle Bart was speaking.  It was this time last year that I called him at his home in Enterprise from the IFA in Price asking him how to plant potatoes and what kind of corn was the best.  It was then that he instructed me on how to do this.  It was a bounteous crop and I was grateful for timely advice.  If he were here he would say,"Make sure you cut the potato in half with the eyes of the potato facing up and make sure that you mound it and continue to mound it as you go throughout the year."

As I was planting corn I reflected on the many times I would go to Grandma and Grandpa Esplin's garden with my Dad and Uncle Karl and plant corn.  While gardening my dad would relate to me how good Grandpa Esplin was at keeping a garden and how he wouldn't allow a weed in his garden.  My dad taught me (because he was taught by his dad) to evenly space the corn and to slip in the seeds just behind the shovel (This was my job as I would lag behind as my dad would do the shoveling).  It was always necessary to put 3 or 4 seeds in each little hole.

The famous phrase"If you build it, they will come" that was coined in this film continued to ring true this afternoon. Yes it would be nice to still have Uncle Bart and my Grandpa Esplin around to give me more advice on how to garden in the garden.  Heaven knows that they would cringe at my futile attempts at a garden.  But it is my hope that whatever comes of it would bring back wonderful memories and reunite me with what they have taught me that I may pass it down to my children in the years to come (Parker made sure I planted the Carrots and Lettuce just right).  

"Is this Heaven?" was the question posed by Ray's dad after playing catch.  After spending a day in the garden with my son and wife I too ask myself the same question, "Is this Heaven?"