More Than Food and Flowers

Community_gardenSeedfolks, a book by Paul Fleischman, was always a hit (very popular) with my adult ESL students. Here’s how the publisher describes it:

A vacant lot (empty property), rat-infested (full of rats) and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Especially to a neighborhood of strangers where no one seems to care. Until one day, a young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard-packed soil to plant her precious bean seeds. Suddenly, the soil holds promise (feeling that something good will happen): To Curtis, who believes he can win back Lateesha’s heart with a harvest of tomatoes; to Virgil’s dad, who sees a fortune (a lot of money) to be made from growing lettuce; and even to Maricela, sixteen and pregnant, wishing she were dead.

Thirteen very different voices — old, young, Haitian, Hispanic, tough, haunted (worried and frightened), and hopeful — tell one amazing story about a garden that transforms (dramatically changes) a neighborhood.

Community gardens, like the one described in Seedfolks, are growing in popularity. A community garden, according to the American Community Gardening Association is simply “any piece of land gardened by a group of people…. It can be urban (in the city), suburban (away from the city center), or rural (outside of the city). It can grow flowers, vegetables, or community (feeling of good relationships among people).”

Most community gardens have been created to make it possible for gardeners to grow food. Others have helped restore (return) beauty to blighted (ugly, rundown, ignored) neighborhoods or add beauty to existing neighborhood parks. But the recreation (pleasure), exercise, therapy, and education gardeners receive from the experience may be the greatest benefit of all. A city in California is counting on (depending on, especially in a difficult situation) these benefits to help members of its community.

Fresno is the largest city in California’s Central Valley, which is filled with farms, dairies (a farm that produces milk), and orchards (a place where fruit trees are grown). More than half of Fresno’s population is made up of minority groups of people. Most of these are immigrants. Many are refugees, people who have left their countries to escape dangerous or difficult situations.

The city of Fresno, with help from the state government, has created seven community gardens for these people. A recent New York Times article reports that community leaders believe the gardens can encourage and help these people, especially older ones, recover from their experiences. Older immigrants are often isolated (feeling alone and not able to meet or speak to other people) by language and poverty and experience depression and stress. Are these gardens helping? The gardeners interviewed by the Times say “yes.”

Mee Yang, a 65-year-old Hmong refugee from Vietnam, told the Times that she suffered from diabetes and depression and worried that she wouldn’t have enough money to live on. The garden “is my happiness,” she says. “You feel the world in this place, and it brings you back home.” Arminder Sing, a young Indian gardner who used to be a gang member, says his grandfather and the other older men encourage him and make him feel stronger as they work side by side. And Lee Lee, another Hmong refugee, says that working in the garden “lightens the load” and “brings peace, so I do not forget who I am.”

Are there community gardens where you live? Have you ever helped with one?

If you want a first-hand (personal) community gardening experience, read Seedfolks. Share the experience with Curtis, Lateesha, Virgil, Maricela, and the others. You’ll be glad you did. It’s especially good for intermediate-level readers.

~ Warren Ediger – English tutor/coach and creator of the Successful English web site.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

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34 Responses to More Than Food and Flowers

  1. Aécio Flávio Perim says:

    Hello my friends Dr Jeff and Dr Lucy.
    As always, this lesson shows you both are really good at teaching. As for me, I was raised by an Italian family that used to grow crops, to raise chickens, pigs, plant fruit and something like that. Old times that I miss so much and don’t come back again. I was happy and I didn’t realize how much! Thanks for the lesson.
    I hope to be connected with you soon.
    Aecio from beautiful Brazil.

  2. Dan says:

    Hello guys,

    I am not aware of community gardens nearby, and I have never been involved with that.

    I think that activity is great! Nothing better than working with your hand. Get the hands dirty.

    As they say “L ‘ozio è il padre dei vizi” the translation I found for that is: the Devil finds work for idle hands.

    There are many examples of that in the news every day.

    Thake those two BEEP BEEP brothers at the maraton bombing in Boston for example.

    I am 100% convinced that if those two BEEP had a job they would have not done that.

    There are sooo many people out there that should go and work the land. But not with machinery, with their hands.

    At the moment beside my regular job, I doing extra work helping out my neighbour.

    See, I have no time to think of bombing someone. And look at that case in England where those two beep beep beep killed that poor guy.

    That’s crazy.

    Thanks

  3. Henrique says:

    Nice recommendation for reading Teacher Warren, thank you!

    I sure gardening can help people live better and happy, like other activities which include social relation as running group, reading group and so on.
    People need to socialize whenever age they are or live in, I thinks nobody can be happy alone. Share experience of live, wasting your time with people (real people, you know, not virtual people) certainly helps to live with more pleasure.

    Unfortunately there aren’t gardening in my city or even a social group like I said before, I want to star a running club just to socialize and help people to live healthier. It’s hard to start, but I’m planing to do something.

    From Brazil – Also I’m planing to improve my Eglish, so you´re welcome to help me do that 🙂

  4. emiliano says:

    Warren, so nice to read you again. It is always a pleasure and this note is specially good for me being a Spanish man.
    Yes, here in Madrid, and the rest of Spain, there are now this kind of community garden, more frequently among Young people that have only the Street to live
    or sometimes they look for an empty house or similar places.

    There is also some programs in Madrid that look for people reinsertion among society teaching them how to take care of plants, gardens or fruit trees, it is a
    way of taking out these young people, or not so young, out from the drugs like a good therapy too, doing Works together and given them some self security
    for future.

    We are going through such a crisis that are millions having nothing, no house, no works, no hopes, nothing.

    More of 50% young have not any work here in Spain, but also there is the same problema in Greek, Italy, Portugal and lately in France too, less than here of course
    but they are increasing.
    Indignados movement, have some of these community gardens close my own house here, in the middle of the city, and I could see them working on the earth in
    one of this gardens when I go out for a walk.
    My daughter Eva who is living in “La Palma” has been doing this garden work for years, after being working in the mornings in the Bank, and it was because an
    German friend of her (80 years or so) let her a piece of land to make her own fruit garden. He tought her how to work the earth and Eva was happy doing that.
    Open air, exercise, and friendship with an old German couple who were living in the Island of La Palma.
    Klaus was the name of this good man that now is very sad because his wife pass away last year. Now my daughter try to give him some kind of help just to not be
    so sad.

    Life is so, and Eva living so far from us could remember her parents here in Madrid and she try to be tender with old people of the Island of La Palma. Canarias.
    Over there there are lots of Germans and English people, also some americans as the weather in these Canarias Islands is always fine.
    We call them “Fortunate Islands” by the weather, so people from North Europe, old people, comes to these Islands if they like to be in a warmer land.

    As always Warren it is a pleasure to read your notes, thanks a lot dear.

    emiliano

  5. cauat says:

    Dear all,
    Wow, sometimes I quite admire my mother cause she had a good harvest in the narrow balcony last week..Nearly 50 tomatoes!! If this blog supported to upload pictures in this reply,I’m sure that would be a wonderful thing!
    A few years ago I read an article about ‘Monsanto Seed’, and last year my mother got some seeds from the corn grow up with nothing but sadness!, then I supposed seeds that come from crop itself would no logner grow the fruit(you had to buy the seeds).

    and I’m wrong, my mother had done a great thing! And you can have a view in my QQ space by clicking the following link:
    [link removed – sorry, no links in comments allowed]

    best regards
    cauat

  6. emiliano says:

    With your placet dear Warren, let me say something about what is the crisis here in Europe and my country.
    ………………….
    He Blog´s friends, something to think about the big crisis in Europe and my life last year:

    SICK OR DEAD…..THAT IS THE QUESTION

    there is a saying that says: seven life have a cat…..but not a person.

    It is difficult not to have a chronic medical condition once we are old enough
    and we have lived several years, the body is tired, the heart is tired too and
    little by little everything inside us is going down.

    To doctors it is easy to say we are old and its natural the body is starting to be declined to treatments, once we have a chronic diseace.
    But they insists once and again to apply which ever thing they thought it could be good or not….just to prove what can be effective in our body…sometime without thinking the side effects of a hard treatment.

    It makes me think what is happening now with the echonomy? Our system it is also old?. Have we to invent a new procedure for our nations?. Is it possible?, without side effects in the life of people?.

    I don´t think so.

    Echonomists use a vocabulary that common people, like me, do not understand.
    More or less like doctors, but it is applied to the sickness of society.

    Last year have been a very bad year for my body, nearly I was close to die just because some doctor thought it was necessary a strong treatment to prevent future problems.
    It is funny that to prevent future problems I was so bad, so incredible bad close to the end. Without any force or will to do anything.
    Litle by little I am apparently better, or at least I feel myself so, but in future?. Who knows what is going to happen in future.

    Sorry, but it is a is a temptation to make a parallel between a person’s health and the economy.
    Till now in Europe all have been strong treatments to avoid the disaster and every moment the feeling of disaster is bigger.

    It seems the euro is goingto die more or less as I was last year.
    So many strong medicines to heal the economy of certain countries approaching us day after day to the disaster.

    Today, the 24th march 2013 the economy is even worst and the sickness is more or less the same.
    Treatments to the crisis have been a fake for thousand of people that have lost everything, salary, work, houses and health.

    About my sickness, a fake also, the treatment was so strong that at the end I have to leave it…..
    Why not to leave these strong treatments in Europe that are going to kill the euro and all the people kind of life they knew before.
    I have to choose, life or dead…..and I prefer to be sick but alive.
    Evidently there is some similar circunstances between my health and the economy, who could imagine.

    I think it is better to be sick and alive that to have now something not any body could imagine a year or six month before………”un corralito en europa” …… a playpen for the euro in Europe, a country where the citizens can´t have their money from their accounts, only 100 euro by day?.
    Why not 50 euros?, or less.

    Beside just to lost a part of their shavings…..from a day to the follow day just without any kind of good reason…
    Is it the strong treatment that at the end is going to kill our system?. Our social body as it happening now with thousand, millions of families or persons?.

    A sick body it is always better than a dead body, and here in Europe they are going to kill the sick….the sick social system the same as they are killed thousand of people already.

    Take care may friends, this body can´t support more strong treatments…
    Not Europe, not me.
    ————–

    Thanks a million Warren,

    emiliano

  7. emiliano says:

    Yes, thousands of people are returning to the Little villages here in this country
    because they are hungry.

    Just to have something from the earth to eat, not euros, not house….so to the country
    again.

    Not ever I have seen something similar in all my life.

    My best dear friends.

    emiliano

  8. Betty says:

    Dear Warren

    Thank you very much indeed for introducing this good book to us.

    I agree with every word I read above because of my experience as an amateur gardener.

    I would like to thank you for this article which gives me an idea about what to say for my next prepared speech.

    My experience of gardening came from my own private gardens in my house in England. My family house has front and back gardens which provided me chances to grow lots of things.

    At first, I did not know how to grow anything, I had to keep asking my neighbours for advices.

    That act of me asking enabled me to make friends with my neighbours.

    Now I have grown good friendships with my neighbours and beautiful fruitful gardens.

    Yes, we have community gardens in Hong Kong but I have not used any of them because it costs a lot of money to rent a very small plot of farmland. Another reason that I have not used them is because I do not have any spare time now that I am living in Hong Kong.

    This tiny place on earth keeps everyone extremely busy, no time for me to do any gardening.

    I must go now to do more research about community gardens in Hong Kong.

    Many thanks again, Warren, I truly appreciate your effort in encouraging us to read more good English books.

    Best Regards

    Betty 🙂

  9. parviz says:

    Dear warren
    Thank you for this educational, therapeutic article. It’s admirable what they are doing to their environment. The reward they receive certainly outweighs the enormity of the task. There is nothing like being or living in a beautiful environment, with people who have friendly taste for keeping it safe and healthy.
    Unfortunately, I don’t have such an experience. A long time ago I once participated on a small program meant to plant some trees around the city. And, also when I was 13 I planted some tree in our garden. I remember that day I tripped and fell down on the ground almost wounded. But, I knew it was worth it. The trees I ventured to plant are still around. I am delightful with their sight.
    Since then I have never participated in a community garden program, small or big.
    Thank you warren, I am very impressed with your article. It shows that people can make difference in their environment wherever they are.
    Thank you,
    Parviz

  10. parviz says:

    I almost forgot.
    I do have a small garden at home actually where it grows a beautiful rose, which produces lovely red roses at this time.
    I weed it several times a year. And prune the bushes early in spring.
    This morning, before I came to my office I stared at the red roses on it, and admire them through the window in my room. I saw some pigeons, and birds singing on it.

    An incredible sight for mornings.
    But unfortunately, the tall buildings around my house block the sun from reaching my small garden. For this reason, my roses should grow tall and thin to reach the sun, which make them fragile and sometimes pale.
    What can I do with it?

  11. Dan says:

    Hi Betty,

    Nice reading from you.

    I would love to see your garden. The garden says a lot about the person doing it.
    I am sure you do it with love, don’t you?

    I do not really have a garden, at my condo I keep the front/back yard.
    As a loan mower I have one of those that you have to push. It works with Human energy and sometimes with some cursing because it gets stuck. 🙂

    I do not cut everything down. I like to keep a piece with flowers for the bees and other insects. The grass belongs to them, is that right?

    Here at my latitude the weather is not like the one in LA where they have to keep watering down to get some grass.

    I also like to keep the yard, say..more natural with natural grass. Many people uses artificial grass or seeds.

    My best corner that I love is where it grows Mint. Do you like the smell of Mint? It’s soo good! It is growing right now.

    At times when I get to go with the lawn mower I feel sorry for the flowers I am gonna cut. 🙁

    Thank you all guys.

  12. Dan says:

    Emiliano,

    Come on! stop thinking about the ecomomic crysis. That way you are gonna get depressed again.
    That is not the end of the world. It is normal after all, the economy goes up and down.

    Then, if you get depressed again your are not gonna be able to write like the last time I thought you were dead, do you remember?

    Hey, do you have some of those pills that when you yawn you beep at the same time? 🙂

    Thanks, bye

  13. emiliano says:

    Dan, ja,ja, may be you are right but don´t worry my friend now I am really good, the subject it is I like to write
    and like to share my writings.
    It is incredible that today if you could see my blog, there are more of seventy countries round the world that
    have taken a look to it. In fact nearly fifty thousand visits till now, so yes having so many clients I am happy.

    So now and then I take one of the notes of gatufo´s blog and put it here, without any problema.

    My best dear. emiliano

  14. Lassana says:

    Hi Everybody,

    Good project ! this way to get a garden can help people who have problemes of daily life.

    But not uniquely, it’s gave them great benefits such as created friendship between neighbours, it’s can give hopefulness to help them to struggle against the illness.

    It’s can grow vegetables, flowers and community. Urban,
    suburban and rural areas to become more beautiful.

    One day perhaps one or two years ago, news TV in my country which is France had shown a similar story about people who had created an association in one France’s city I forgotten the name of this city.

    Anyway they have asked to autorities a part of soil of their urban area in order to seeds vegetables.

    They argue they’ll could eat cheap, they’ll could know what there is in their plate and they’ll be proud to make their urban more beautiful.

    I think this project should be universal !

    See you soon

  15. Peter says:

    A poor workman always blames his tools :)) I did gardening once or twice and I screwed the whole thing up. It was my dad ‘s back yard. My dad blamed me and I blamed gardening tools that he had no right tools for the job:)
    He was right , of course. It cost him twice the price he was supposed to give me to fix my handiwork:)))))

    It was then that i realized I m not cut out for gardening. But , I didn’t quit the whole thing altogether. i tried landscaping one or twice at college time .
    I was strapped for cash at the time ,So i figured what the he.l , lets give the whole gardening thing another shot. One friend of mine hooked me up with a guy whose profession was landscaping. Poor guy , he didn’t know what he was getting into by hiring me:)))
    The pay was just 8 dollars per hour ,still wasn’t bad for a college student. I put in 40 hours for two weeks . Not bad , hay?

    You know , one thing about me is I m slobby at best!! I mean I m a real klutz
    I mean put me in charge for a job and i m gonna be like a bull in a china store :))

    During the two-week period , I lost some small tools. They vanished into thin air. I mean , they were no where to find. To Make matters worse , I brought down the full length window of the living room that was facing the front yard. Man , it was a mess!!
    What happened was , I didn’t see the window. I was burrowing a small part of the garden to plant some plants later on . I had my back to the window and Some stupid tools tripped me and I fell into the window back first. The whole window came down. It broke into pieces
    I got some scratches ,nothing serious !!
    The boss was furious!!
    He said , ” enough is enough . You are fired and u must pay for the damage .”
    Well, need less to say that I got canned. I was out of the job with less money than when I started the job in the first place 🙁
    Well it was not my falt. It was the stupid hoe laying in my way as if it was a booby trap or sth. Besides , I m a big guy . I m awkward with small tools .
    You know what they say:
    “A poor workman always blames his tools “;)

    Yours
    Pete

  16. Giovanni Soccol says:

    Answering Dan.
    Hi Dan, I don’t agree with the motto “l’ozio è il padre dei vizi”. Consider the phrase “L’ozio non è il padre dei vizi ma la madre di tutte le virtù”.
    Experience of a seventy year old man. Please meditate. Ciao.

  17. Dan says:

    Hey Betty,

    I was wondering if there is a place online like You Tube where we can see one of your speeches.

    Came on don’t be shy I know they are samewhere…..:-)

    Thank you.

  18. Dan says:

    Me again,

    I was thinking about onother case of a this guy in the US that wanted to play at the sheriff and ended up killing that black kid. There is the process going on right now.
    That is the case Trayvon Martin.

    Play with the garden instead of playing with guns. Leave that to professionals.

    Thanks

  19. Dan says:

    Hey,

    Have you guys seen what’s happening in Turkey?

    I am with the protesters That are trying to save this only piece of green land in the area.

    C’mon it looks like a no brainer decision. If that is the only park in the area leave it alone.

    Do not make the same mistakes other cities have made in the past doing the same thing.

    Thanks

  20. Dan says:

    Hey Pete.

    LOL That’s a good story, thanks for sharing.

  21. Dan says:

    Hey Gio,

    I respect and listen to everyone especially the elderly so …I’ll mediate on that.
    Thank you.

  22. Peter says:

    No problem Dan ,
    Thank you for reading my stuff,
    Happy that my comments make you laugh. as you know , laughter is the best medicine.:)

    I read your comments and other citizens of Eslpod as well.

    For example , in one of your recent blog comments you write down some idiom in Spanish followed by its English equivalent which you said it is ” the devil makes work for idle hands.” I didn’t know the idiom. I must thank you for that.
    You know , the beauty is out blog is we don’t just learn from Our dear professors up there ,but we learn from one another down here as well.
    U see what I mean.
    It is a beautiful interaction we got going on here.

    Best
    Pete

    Eslpod rules

  23. emiliano says:

    Dear Giovanni Socol, another man of your age likes to say you he, how are you
    my dear old friend?.
    Me too are close to your age so welcome my dear Giovanni (juan, Juanito) in
    Spagnolo………..

    Italian is the best language´s sound at least for me.
    Adoro Donizetti, Verdi, Puccine, Rossini, and of course Mozart “Cossi fan tutte”
    and The Figaro Bodas (in Spanish), all in Italian.
    Italian bello sound to my ears always.

    My best, and yes, put some order to dear Dan who is always saying
    jokes, good humor and so forth, but he is a nice great boy, I know
    that perfectly well, because we mail each other several times.
    Even today we have something to say each other.

    Good boy who love cats too.

    My best to you dear Giovanni…..one of my best friend here calls Juan, Juanito
    too.

    emiliano

  24. emiliano says:

    SOLIDARITY from Turkish people with Spanish soliers and their families.

    Today, it was last week, I read in the newspaper some news I moved by his humanity, real solidarity with the victims and family of an accident that took the lives of many Spanish soldiers as they returned from Afghanistan.

    And the detail It had her marriage the humanitarian Turkish owner of the land where the plane crashed.

    The feeling, humanity, pity that these people felt for the deceased and their families embodied in an exemplary act that desire for knowledge review of all the followers of this ESL blog.

    Thank you, thank you, on behalf of the families of these soldiers, acts and dignify the human condition that has no boundaries, race or religion.

    My total and absolute solidarity with the families of these soldiers killed in an absurd when returning home.
    Unable to save money when it comes to the lives of our soldiers is an act unworthy and guilty that ought to have consequences for responsible.

    + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

    Words of Fatma, the Turkish woman: (incredible good words)

    •The families of the 62 deceased inherit the five acres of land
    •Years ago the family receives high money deals for this land
    •The owner: ‘My only wish is that anyone can come back to this earth’

    +++++++++++

    Thanks Fatma Karahan wherever you are, thanks to your husband Abdülkadir Karahan, which
    has led to your will.
    Now Spanish families could go to Turkish lands to remember their relatives, sons, husbands,
    fathers,brothers, just to the will of this Turkish woman and her husban.

    THANKS this people actitude made a better world

    Thanks, thanks, thanks …..

    emiliano

  25. tracy_lee says:

    Hi Warren,

    I do agree that gardening could not only provide food and flowers,it also give us pleasure and oppotunity to communicate with others.In modern times,although people live in a same community,they could still don’t know each other.Gardening let them go outsie,not always stay at home and feel lonely.The people could enjoy beauty of the nature flesh air,blue sky,sincere communication….It show us life could be much better with gardening.

    regards,
    tracy_lee

  26. Giovanni Soccol says:

    To Emiliano.
    I’m happy to hearing from you. You have the same hobby I have : English language ! But not only that. I love Verdi and Puccini and The Beatles as well.
    Dan, for sure, is a nice chap and I’ll get occasions to know him better through his letters.
    Caro Emiliano continua con la lingua italiana.
    Great pleasure to have met you. Ciao.

  27. sutisha says:

    Hi Everybody,

    Thank you Warren. Your article reminds me of my grandfather -or Ar Gong in Chinese- and his pleasant orchard with clear ponds. His front yard with flowers and back yard with a few vegetable beds made
    Ar Gong and me very close attachment. We watered the flowers and vegetables early in the morning and in the evening before dinner. He grew nearly all every plants I told him I liked. His tomatoes were noted for their pulp and taste. Ar Gong’s juicy pineapple was his and my most favorite of all fruit. Everyone in our neighborhood knew him and they called him Generous Ar Gong or in Thai -Ar Gong Jai Dee- as he always gave some fruit and vegetables to our neighbors. Some of them gave me some coins for my saving box. With this sum when I was 7 and he was 75, I bought Ar Gong a new hat to surprise him on Chinese New Year’ Day. Not uttering a word, he smiled and hugged me. Ar Gong went to bed early and got up early. He drank only hot tea and newly cooked food. He had suffered his stomach ache without telling anyone until it was too late. after he passed away, all his sons and daughters sold his fertile orchard and home …all piece of land… My ten-year-old heart broke. I cried a lot when I was alone I missed Ar Gong all the time, wondering whether he knew what happened or not. Ar Gong is always in my mind. I learned a lot from him every day while worked together. His main teachings are “Be grateful, faithful, industrious, kind, and never procrastinate. You will be successful and lead your life happily.”

    Today in this capital city where my two-story home is , numerous old, new, and under constructing skyscrapers put sunrise and sunset out of my sight. But life and duty must go on in a happy way. I enjoy growing pot flowers and some vegetables then exchange some of mine and my neighbors. Thank you for all guys’ nice writing.

    Best regards,
    sutisha

  28. emiliano says:

    Yes Giovanni, all life learning English, now as a hobby that gives me lot of pleasures.
    Your are from my generation when were you born dear, on 1942/43? that is the
    generetaion of music.
    Lot of singers, some of the Beatles, Rollings, J.Iglesias, Serrat, and so forth are from
    this music generation.
    Yes, Cuca and me really love Opera, do you know? Gaetano Donizetti was born on 29 november
    like me, in Bérgamo I think, and I love his music the same as the other two Bellini and Rossini, the
    three Bell Canto composers. We could watch their Operas with the DVD or Blu-ray discs, in a big
    big screen with fine h.f. equipment. “Una Gozada” “Just a pleasure”.
    When the Opera Royal Theater in Madrid was opened my daughter Laura was working in it for
    four years like sound/image technique, so we have some tickets to go to the Operas. Cuca and me
    could go to the “general essay” by free. Good time when Cuca was alright, now we watch the Opera
    at home.
    Incredible Vedi´s music, and Puccini Arias…..well, that´s so great to people who likes Opera´s music.

    As you, I like Rock, Jazz, BlueGrass Country and Pop, of course, That´s music too and some of them
    really as good as classical.

    My best dear Juanito……emiliano

  29. Willy says:

    I don’t like gardener neither I like other manual job. Maybe because I’m a IT engineer and I like to work with mind.
    I use my brain in order to work and that’s the only think I want to and I’am able to do.
    Besides my health is poor and I get sick very easily. So I don’t like to be in open-air environment I prefer protected site.
    I like to stay outside when the weather is good, when the sun shines and there is no cold, but that day aren’t done to work in the field but to enjoy them :).
    However I’m not made for manual works I prefer conceptual work as software development or computer system management into protected environment.
    I like office jobs too, but not manual. I hate manual jobs. I can’t resist to them.

  30. emiliano says:

    Willy,
    so good to know what are we made for that sure you could be happy doing what you are prepared and what you like more.

    By my side never I have known what I was made for, living in a big city like Madrid I would like to live out in a Little village
    sorrounded by nature, may be doing gardering or manual Works?. I don´t really know.
    No voice to sing, and never I was teached to play an instrument I love musice absolutely. Even I love to read but never I was
    trained to write.
    I didn´t like also work in a Bank, but I have to work in a big Bank to make my living and the living of my family. It was an easy
    work where I didn´t have to dry my mind doing difficult tasks. I do think I could be prepared to do another better work but
    life it is so.

    If you know what do you like and what do you don´t it will be really good foy you in future. Vaiety it is the taste and knowing
    our tastes and doing that is the best, at least for me.
    Now I could do what I really like, write, read and listening good music either learning a little more English.

    I like your sincere note Willy, my best dear.

    emiliano

  31. Jens says:

    Dear Warren, hello everybody

    thanks a lot for the recommendation of the book “Seedfolks” – I really can imagine how public gardening will help people in their way of living.
    I have to do some gardening for money, because I depend on gainful employment.
    That means I have to pull up weeds, to cut the grass, to clip a hedge, to fertilize, to clip bushes or to plant.
    I like that kind of work – usually it´s a good feeling for me, because I can see what I´ve done.
    It´s like the same with window cleaning !

    But sometimes I feel my bones !!!!

    My opinion is, that gardening is for some people a kind of therapy !!!

    At the moment we got high water in some areas of Europe (Germany, Tcech, Hungary, Austria), which is not easy to
    handle for the people.

    So let me finish by a quote from Martin Luther, the german reformator, ” Wenn ich wüsste, das morgen die Welt unterginge,
    würde ich heute noch ein Apfelbäumchen pflanzen” (if I knew that tomorrow it´s the end of the world, so I would plant today a little apple tree”

    walk on
    Jens

  32. Willy says:

    Thank you Emiliano.

    I don’t have the job I would as you (I have a office job but poorly related to IT), at the moment. But I hope a day I will do it.
    I’ve studied to be a IT engineer (I’m graduated with maximum degree) and I would do it.

    I look for new job offers every day and I continue to study in order to improve my IT skills.
    Besides I study English that is very important in my field.

    And I’m working on my social skills because team working is also very important.
    However I fight for it and I hope a day I will succeed to get the work I dream.

    Unfortunately economic situation is very tragic here in Italy, and finding a job is a very hard task. But I don’t despair 🙂
    I’m skilled and a day I will do 🙂

    Best Wishes
    Willy

  33. emiliano says:

    Sorry Willy, what IT is?
    What is the subject that IT touch?

    So, you live in Italy?. Willy is not an Italy name, I though, sorry, you were living in China………why?
    May be I am getting silly after all.

    Reading your note I know it is sure you´ll work soon and it will be over your learning.

    Thanks to you dea Willy.
    emiliano

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