For eleven months of the year, we have the huge and wonderful benefit of living in the midst of a beautiful garden. Trees, flowers, and grass are not enjoyed daily by the vast majority of residents in this metropolis--those that do have 'garden' space may only have a little sliver of grass along the side of their building with a few flowers in pots.
Again, we have not only a large garden, but one that is annually recognized by the a local Garden Society when they award our gardener a certificate for his beautiful work throughout the community. There is the garden inside the wall, and outside--outside the wall, we've seen people walk their dogs, city workers take a nap, rugs get enrolled by those needing a place to pray, and kids will rest after playing soccer in the street.
Inside the wall is a wonderful place for more than just our family; CCF regularly holds fellowship or worship events, and we have hosted parties for different groups, as well as past workshops for national pastors.
All this for 11 months of the year--but for one month of the year, the garden is just full of it.
Literally.
Today starts that month of annual seeding and maintenance. Keep in mind, the Nile valley is the most fertile ground in this spacious desert country of Egypt--but it cannot maintain vegetation without regular irrigation and fertilization. Nearly daily the garden is irrigated to the point of pooling water; and, annually, the ground is broken up, seeded, and covered in truckloads of manure.
For a month.
We've been told by past residents that this is a smelly, fly invested process. :( For that reason, the process was done in December or 2011 before our arrival in January 2012; otherwise, the kids first month in Egypt would have "stunk" in addition to the other difficulties.
This year, all the flowering shrubs that line most of the inner walkways were completely cut back. I'm not sure what type of shrubs they are, but they regularly produce orange and yellow flower clusters. They grow quickly and routinely need to be trimmed back from the walks and down, only to return to their original height within a week; however, they have grown too far into the grassy areas of the garden and needed to be drastically cut back during this seeding process. These shrubs hide/house a pair of tortoises who will have to find safe haven among the ferns that are nearer to the walls for a few months while the shrubs slowly grow back.
So, there you have it--beauty sometimes has a cost, and we'll be paying for it over he next month--but from inside the villas where we will do everything we can to keep the smell and flies out.
Again, we have not only a large garden, but one that is annually recognized by the a local Garden Society when they award our gardener a certificate for his beautiful work throughout the community. There is the garden inside the wall, and outside--outside the wall, we've seen people walk their dogs, city workers take a nap, rugs get enrolled by those needing a place to pray, and kids will rest after playing soccer in the street.
Inside the wall is a wonderful place for more than just our family; CCF regularly holds fellowship or worship events, and we have hosted parties for different groups, as well as past workshops for national pastors.
All this for 11 months of the year--but for one month of the year, the garden is just full of it.Literally.
Today starts that month of annual seeding and maintenance. Keep in mind, the Nile valley is the most fertile ground in this spacious desert country of Egypt--but it cannot maintain vegetation without regular irrigation and fertilization. Nearly daily the garden is irrigated to the point of pooling water; and, annually, the ground is broken up, seeded, and covered in truckloads of manure.
For a month.We've been told by past residents that this is a smelly, fly invested process. :( For that reason, the process was done in December or 2011 before our arrival in January 2012; otherwise, the kids first month in Egypt would have "stunk" in addition to the other difficulties.
This year, all the flowering shrubs that line most of the inner walkways were completely cut back. I'm not sure what type of shrubs they are, but they regularly produce orange and yellow flower clusters. They grow quickly and routinely need to be trimmed back from the walks and down, only to return to their original height within a week; however, they have grown too far into the grassy areas of the garden and needed to be drastically cut back during this seeding process. These shrubs hide/house a pair of tortoises who will have to find safe haven among the ferns that are nearer to the walls for a few months while the shrubs slowly grow back.So, there you have it--beauty sometimes has a cost, and we'll be paying for it over he next month--but from inside the villas where we will do everything we can to keep the smell and flies out.
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