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25 A New Beginning I think how good it would be to spend the day in a garden. Now how to begin? With some ground of my own, some good dirt. How much? Half an acre? Too big? Not big enough? How deep the good dirt? Two feet? Seven inches? I’d need to learn. A book? From the couple next door? Their garden thrives. I would get to meet them. How long has it been? Four years? What to grow? Flowers? Vegetables? Both? If flowers— annuals, perennials, a mix? Sun. Is there enough sun? Too much? I will watch the light all day. Should I grow it all from seed? Buy established plants? I remember how my father built a cold frame from old windows, built it out in the far right corner of the backyard. I see myself peering through the windows, their frames peeling paint in chips I’d sometimes see catching 26 in the wind. My father knew exactly when to lift the windows, gently dig out the sprouts and plant them in long, straight, fertilized rows. ...

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