The scent I am referring to is not petrichor. Petrichor requires rain. The scent of farmers and gardeners turning the soil over after the long, cold rest of winter is unique. Petrichor is a scent I seek out; the scent of freshly turned dirt is different.
The smell of the soil being turned is one that I associate with the hope and promise of things to come. It is spring telling us that summer's glories are on the way. Perhaps, it is the smell of hope.
That a hard, lifeless seed can be brought back to life with soil and water will forever be a mystery to me. I see God in every seed that produces a harvest. I see reminders that we were instructed to care for the earth. Avid gardeners... and I am not one... often say that we are closest to God when we are in a garden.
The kids gave me a hydroponic garden for Christmas. It is all the wonder without the dirt. (It is time to replant it.) We've enjoyed sharing the "Farm Reports" as the seeds sprouted and grew. The arugula was probably my favorite harvest. It requires plant food to be added to the water. For the outside garden, the dirt works its magic of feeding the seeds.
Walker and Amber are our family gardeners. The rest of us have tomatoes and perhaps a few other plants. Now is the time to turn the dirt. The rain is part of bringing the soil back to life. I walked back to our small garden bed last night that showed signs of Randy's work. The scent made me smile.
Black dirt freshly turned is special.
"And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so." -Genesis 1:11
And, it was good!
Today, I am grateful for the smell of freshly turned dirt.
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