A Green Thumb

Kathryn had been working for hours in her grandmother’s garden. It was a favorite pastime of hers. She loved the feel of the moist, warm dirt, and the sound of the birds in the air. It had been a wonderful summer so far. Kathryn was anxious to see the fruits of her labor in the garden. She had planted all different types of flowers, and she was checking each day for a bloom from the green stalks poking their heads through the ground.

Things had not been easy for Kathryn. She had been fighting all summer. First it was the soil. She had raked all of the rocks out of it and tirelessly removed any clods of dirt. She had added fertilizer and other additives to make the soil healthy and strong. Then the slugs came along. Slugs and grubs were eating any plants and seeds she sowed. Finally, she fought the weather. After weeks of drought, the rains finally came, but then they wouldn’t stop. Water had washed away the first crop of seeds.

In despair, Kathryn stood outside dripping wet, setting up a net to prevent her soil from eroding. It worked temporarily.

Kathryn’s grandmother took delight in Kathryn’s hard work and diligence.

“It’s going to pay off, dear,” she cooed to Kathryn each time she arrived to work in the garden.

Kathryn always responded with the same comment, “My thumb doesn’t look very green.” Kathryn knew that she needed to be patient.