April 2017
From the Rector’s desk—Seeds in the ground by Rev. Anthony MacWhinnie, II
I don’t know where I picked up my love for gardening, but pick it up I did. I have come to realize that I just don’t feel right about the world unless I have some seeds in the ground come spring. My grandmother, from whom we derive Ruby’s middle name Corinne, used to plant tomatoes every year. Perhaps it was from her that I received this penchant. I can never plant a tomato without thinking about her axiom of never planting a tomato in the ground before Easter. And she grew amazing tomatoes! Each year I’d get reports that her pesky box turtle friend had returned and had been there taking bites out of her tomatoes. Every year it was the same turtle, returning to pester Corinne’s tomato plants. It was a funny relationship, my grandmother’s and that turtle. It’s almost like she planted those tomatoes as much for him as for us. Seeds in the ground lead to all sorts of good things. In a short stint living in a Gulf Breeze apartment before I bought my house there, I bonded with the seemingly gruff next door neighbor in the house next to the apartment complex. It was obvious that his familial relationships weren’t positive, as evidenced by the loud “conversations” they’d have at times. Equally obvious was his escaping to the garden in his backyard to have some “me time”. There he had bed after bed of onions. They were bunching, selfdividing scallions. He’d planted a bunch 20 years before and they were still dividing. We got to talking and I told him I was jealous of his onions. He told me he’d love to give me some and when we got settled in a place with a good garden bed that I could come and get as many as I wanted. I saw him give away onions to multiple other people as well. I wonder how many of his onions are in the
Our Staff & Vestry Rev, Anthony MacWhinnie, II, Rector Vestry: Chuck Barnett - Senior Warden Jim Warner- Junior Warden Beth Woods, Susan Early & John Velaski Twinette McDonald - Music Director Sally Putters - Parish Nurse
world. I’ve missed him on a couple of occasions, and I wonder if he’s actually still alive. I know his onions are… Seeds in the ground bring new sensations and feelings. One of the greatest pleasures there is is going out to the garden and cutting a fresh batch of green things for the family salad. Spinach, arugula, mesclun, lettuce, mixing them all together in a tightly planted bed, in just a few minutes of work, after they’ve been planted and grown of course, you can feed your family with the freshest flavors available. And occasionally I notice that rabbits have been in the lettuce bed. I don’t mind. They don’t eat much. Seeds in the ground lead to new relationships and strengthening of old ones. They lead to discovering things about yourself and those around you. They break down barriers and offer a safe haven for the gruff and the soft alike. It’s that time of the year again. It’s the time to be putting seeds in the ground, of one sort or another. You should plant something. See what grows. Anthony+
7 am Sunrise Service By the Pond 10 am Service In the Nave