We are having a baby

Gardening occupies most of my time. It is good physical work and it keeps me in shape. I don’t water the plants and trees as much as I should. I barely keep them alive until the raining season starts.

Joseph started a vegetable garden in a small area next to our kitchen so we could keep it watered more often. He planted tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, and peppers. After months of TLC (tender loving care) we harvested a small crop: three zucchini, one miniature tomato, and two small pumpkins. The sandy soil is not ideal for cultivation, the water we pump from the well might have trace of salt in it, the sea breeze is damaging to the leaves, the intensity of the sun might give the plants a heat stroke, and finally the friendly iguanas feast on the blossoms. Let’s face it; growing a garden by the Pacific Ocean is not an ideal condition to a healthy crop.  I finally decided to keep the peppers in pots; I gave up the rest.
 I have always planted the green tops of pineapples directly into the soil. They grow into beautiful leafy plants.  Years ago one produced a fruit exactly four years after it was planted. I do not known if this long lapse of time is the actual “gestation” time, but I knew many years would pass until this little miracle happened again. If I had to make a criticism about my garden, I would say that it lacks color, there is too much green.
I have hired a kid to help me watering the back part of the property and while he does that, I water the front. He did not show for work to-day so I took the time to water “his” part. I was just going to give it a kiss and a promise. A bright red spot caught my attention. I looked closer, “is this possible?”

I dropped the water hose and ran into the bedroom, “Joseph, we are having a baby!”
My seventy-three year old husband quickly removed his glance from the TV screen, grabbed the remote and clicked on the mute button. As the voice of the newsman silenced, he said, “we are having what?”
“We are having a baby.” And I quickly added, “come and look, the pineapple is producing a flower.”
I remember from the previous experience of many years ago, how much I enjoyed watching the progress of the flower turning into a sweet fruit; the change of colors, from bright red to a vivid violet. It is a new miracle of nature awaiting for us every morning. Life is good….