Equine Dentistry

Last week I had 5 tonnes of pebbles delivered. My brilliant gardener had said she would help shift them – and volunteered the help of her teenage son. She suggested I might ask other friends to help with the task of moving this mountain (actually, it’s more akin to a beach) from the front garden to the back. But I was reluctant to do so (lots of potential lessons there, to be explored another time) and so the task fell to the three of us. And, to be truthful, mainly to the two of them.



As they set to work one sunny afternoon, an 18 year old lad passed by, paused and offered his help.
He was unknown to all of us and quite simply asked, ‘Would you like a hand with that?’. Now, my gardener had three main choices here, she could

• Accept graciously and gratefully
• Simper (well, maybe she couldn’t; in my experience, that’s not her style !) and say something like ‘oh, that’s very kind but I couldn’t possibly put you to so much trouble’
• Wonder about his motives and either quiz him on them relentlessly or refuse point blank on the grounds that he was probably on the make somehow.

My gardener is a down to earth soul (if you’re reading this, that’s a compliment btw !) and rather than looking this gift horse in the mouth she went for option 1. Result? 50% less time needed to shift the pebbles and an 18 year old (who explained, along the way, that it was a nice day, he enjoyed being outside and that it beat revising for his ‘A’ levels) has left a bigger mark in the minds and hearts of others than perhaps he’s conscious of. All by a simple gift of helping. My hope for him is that his gift is repaid many times over – that the sunshine and exercise will have re-energised him and enabled him to tackle his revision with renewed vigour.

Power is the ability to do good things for others.

E. W. Howe

All power to his (mental) elbow ! We, after all, benefitted from the physical one.

Veg Talk 3

It’s been a funny few weeks in the veg patch.

Some plants – grown from seed and tended lovingly in my shed-cum-greenhouse, are doing really well. I harvested my first salad crop today, have the promise of more to come and a number of other, slower growing , veg have clearly taken root and are developing well.

Others again grown from seed, are looking pretty sorry for themselves (can you look pretty, and sorry for yourself?) and I’m wondering whether to let them have a bit more time/space or whether to give up on them now and replace them with something that may be more suited to the soil/my talents/the weather. I’m reluctant to give up on them – but they’re taking up valuable space that could be put to better use.

Ideas must be put to the test. That's why we make things, otherwise they would be no more than ideas. There is often a huge difference between an idea and its realisation.

Andy Goldsworthy

And then there are the young plants bought from a garden centre – I chose perfectly good looking specimens, followed the instructions to the letter. And within just a few days of planting out (again, following the instructions to the letter) they shrivelled and died.

Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear.

Dogen

And there are others, variously grown by me, shop bought or donated by friends – for which it’s too soon to call. So I’ll continue to nurture them and watch with interest.