Whenever I’m not feeling right I go to an abandoned lot by the Motel 500. Four or so big houses were demolished rendering a large scar of land and a gigantic white wall that furthers my daydreaming. This Friday, secret agent T-rizz and I were biking by when I noticed an older woman tending to a homemade garden. I pedaled closer and she insisted on giving me a tour.

This is Angela. She moved to Reno about a year ago and is originally from mainland China. She lives with her husband and a curious minx named Tiger. Her pink flip flops are stained the same shade of brown as the dirt. Her hair is a bit wild from the afternoon wind and what seems like sacrificing showers for watering the garden. Apparently her landlord told her she can’t have the garden because it uses too much water. Her eyes grow large and she states that a fifteen minute shower is the same amount of water it takes to water all of her garden. She also has an elaborate drip system out of water gallon jugs.

She places a seed that she calls the golden nugget in a Top Rahmen styrofoam cup.
“The Golden Nugget is a treasure,” she says. “It is a melon that grows small and keeps you cool all day.” Other plants in the garden are kale, spycy radishes, various lettuces, and catnip for Tiger. Angela repeats over and over how this land is dead and how not even worms will move through the soil. She keeps planting and if anything she has put some life back into the demolished plot. This type of motivation is beyond inspiring. She gives me three cups full of dirt, manure, and baby spicy lettuces then I let her get back to her little treasure.

If you are in the area stop by to learn about organic gardening from Angela. She loves plants and self-sufficient appproaches at living.

love,
erik