Transplanted

Outdoors Transplants

By Jonan Keeny

When the world shut down in early 2020 (remember that?) our family opted to spend the lockdown in Rabun County. Our rustic house here had always been used solely as a temporary getaway in the mountains. However, in this case, we chose to deal with a negative situation by making an extended (and open-ended) trip to one of our favorite places. Perhaps the biggest challenge with this change of scenery was how to keep our seven- and two-year-old boys entertained. We went from having a relatively flat backyard that was a perfect size for two active little ones to having a property that was mostly driveway and mountainside. And, due to the state of the world at the time, pretty much all our “go to” activities were off the table. And even though part of our preparations for this change included making several trips to the mountains just to bring essentials for the boys, Nerf battles and marble runs are temporary. We needed a long-term project…So we (also known as “I”) built some raised garden beds. Explaining what the beds were for and describing how seeds work (in layman’s terms, of course; I’m no botanist) to a couple of little guys was a challenging task. Following every answer to the questions of “why?” and “how?” was at least one additional “why?” or “how?” that barely kept my mind afloat as I attempted to tread water in a sea of Google searches in the hope of honestly satisfying the curiosity of two inquisitive little minds. So, we planted flowers, herbs, and vegetables in pots on the windowsill. We kept them watered. We waited. We watched. We watched and we waited. We watered. And in a few days, we had sprouts! (A huuuuuuuuuuuge weight off daddy’s shoulders…Yes, I still remember how to do this! Special shoutout and thank you to my parents, whom the boys call Mimi and Papa, in northeastern Pennsylvania. Many years after the fact, my forced time in the garden during my childhood continues to reap benefits.) And then, we transplanted. But here’s the thing…My preference is to do as much as possible without the help of electricity, gasoline, etc.; Charles Ingalls-style, if you will. For instance: Slamming the four-tined hand tiller into the earth and twisting the soil into submission takes some effort and time. And while I enjoy the “extra” work that my body must produce on its own, I tend to second-guess myself when, after a few short minutes, my little helpers are spent and it’s my turn once again. But every additional minute is another minute spent with my sons. (Until their desire to watch television or to play video games becomes an insurmountable obstacle, that is. But I digress.) And yes, we do get frequently distracted by ants and worms and bees and butterflies and ladybugs and…I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jonan Keeny was born in Topeka, Kansas, he got older in Berwick, Pennsylvania, and then he lived a bunch of other places. A lifelong learner and a full-time dreamer, the prospect of grand new adventures gets him out of bed in the morning, with some additional assistance from his two blonde-haired, blue-eyed alarm clocks, of course! Jonan recently rediscovered his passion for photography, which keeps him quite busy tromping around the woods, stopping at random places on the side of the road, and uploading photos to his website, www. myworldpics.com, and his Insta, @dude4disney. When he isn’t wrangling two little boys, he’s likely hanging out with his wife, Mary Lauren, reading a book to learn something new, or dreaming of life’s next adventure and Walt Disney World. Regardless of the activity, he’s probably participating in it while wearing funky socks and a cool hat.

Of course, our efforts have yielded varying degrees of success. A vacation to visit family that turned into an extra week’s stay due to COVID put a damper on things our first year. Last year, a different set of circumstances limited our ability to even get started, but we did our best. And this year, we’re focusing on flowers to add some vibrance to our little spot on the mountain, which might seem like we won’t produce any food. But…All our flowers are edible! Regardless of each year’s bounty, I see this tradition continuing in years to come. Serendipity is something to be embraced and built upon whenever possible. At least that’s how I see it. But these days, just a couple of years removed from the uncertainty of 2020, our boys are the plants. The transplants, as it were. They got their start in one place, but now they grow and thrive in another. They’re both doing great in school, they make friends wherever they go, they are active in after-school and church activities, and they’re quickly becoming little men with quirky personalities, a wide range of interests, and kind hearts. And for the record, mommy and daddy are thriving, too. I won’t argue one bit if you call us an entire family of transplants. Thank you, Rabun County. Thank you for being a wonderful place that has become the fertile soil in which we have transplanted our roots.