A "Master Gardener"

Tonight I completed all the course work in order to be certified a "Master Gardener" by Louisiana State University (LSU). But in my heart and mind - my maternal grandfather Joseph Essie Bernard ("Acie") will always and for evermore be the only genuine "Master Gardener" in our family. Lucky for me he lived just across the street as I grew up. More about him on another day.

Our class had been meeting each Monday for the past several months - and we all have one more meeting to attend (though it's not a class - just a final meeting) and some volunteer work to do before we are certified, but it has been one of the most enlightening semesters of study in my life.

I will add more to this entry later (as in days later) - so check back if you are interested in this topic.

I just wanted to mark this day in some way, so wrote this after returning from my final class. I feel like Johnny Appleseed must have felt when he started out walking across America : full of hope and big ideas and enthusiasm and the desire to plant things and help teach others to do the same.

I already know that my specialty and focus will be Organic Gardening.

I love not only the results of OG, but also - and more importantly i feel - the whole lifestyle and spiritual side of OG.

I already feel empowered by this semester's work and study, and hope to be sowing my new-found knowledge, enthusiasm, and desire in as many fertile locations as I can find - be that actual gardening beds or people's minds and hearts and souls .

Have hope, will travel !