My Childhood Garden: Manipulation

I've been in this deep, landscape analyzing mode...wondering how and why my garden fascination began.

My story began with this plump red fruit: My Childhood Garden: Tomato Plants

Then led to the back forty: My Childhood Garden: The Woods

Image courtesy of Moore Photography

Why was I drawn to the woods (rather than our destitute backyard) as a child? I wish I could say it was a simple connection to nature, but honestly, it was more than that. The woods provided the opportunity for manipulation.

Photographer unknown.  Does anyone know who took this fabulous image?

This captivating place had sticks, leaves, soil, berries, and even some misplaced human trash that we could use to create our own world.  We would create something one day, let the weather blow it over, then start again the next.

Image courtesy of Nothin But Wood

There is something very special about creating with our hands, manipulating our environment.  Even more fun is creating something unique with whatever we have available at that moment.

I still have that urge to manipulate my environment today..whether it's reorganizing a room, trimming a hedge or painting a wall.  Manipulation (in an unobtrusive way) is such a wonderful way to connect to your surroundings and allow creative expression.