We had become enamored of a small community on a lake just west of the church where I serve, and we began looking. A small housing stock and deflated home prices made the search challenging, and after nearly 9 months of looking we came back to a place we had initially rejected - a plain-looking colonial that needed a little TLC. The thing that really stood out about this house was the enormous backyard:
It measured 10,697 square feet, which is nearly 1/4 acre.
I have to admit my initial reaction wasn't: yay! I can have a really big garden! It was more like damn, that's a lot of lawn to mow. But we put an offer on the place, and after some nail-biting negotiations we were the proud owners of a Plain Colonial With a Huge Backyard. We moved in shortly after Easter, which means that this minister had to pack during Holy Week. As God is my witness, I will never, ever do that again.
And then spring came, and Michiganders began to talk about gardening. One thing I've learned is that as soon as it gets just a little bit warm, Michiganders obsess about gardening and lawn care. You can hear blades being sharpened all around, while people drive out to the farmer's market to dream of seedlings. The seed-growers have been busy since early March, and as their electric bills skyrocket from Gro-Light use, they draw up their meticulous garden bed plans on fresh sheets of graph paper. Meanwhile, I looked out at my lawn with dread, filled with the knowledge that mowing would soon commence.
And then I had an idea: rip up some sod and plant tomatoes! Less grass to mow, fresh tomatoes in the kitchen. It was a concept filled with win, and I got busy with my own plans. The Plain Colonial With a Huge Backyard wasn't yet The Suburban Farm, but the seeds of change had been planted.
to be continued ...
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