The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Like beauty, organization is in the eye of the beholder (or doer). Daniel and I recently had a heated discussion about who is more organized. I think the issue is that we have different expectations about what the definition of organization is and what it means to each of us. We are both organized. We just approach it differently.

When I was in elementary school, my mother expressed concern to my teacher that I was not organized. Of course, this distressed her because she came from a family that considered organization a religion, even more than cleanliness! My teachers assured her that I was organized, even if I didn't necessarily subscribe to her version of order. My teachers confirmed that I could always find my homework in a flash, and I was more organized than many of my peers. It may be different than her way of doing things, but, different isn't wrong!

Now it is Daniel and me who are dealing with different expectations of organization. He professes to worship at the altar of no clutter, clean lines, and minimalism. May I remind you of our bar and the huge lineup of bottles spread across a beautiful mid-century custom credenza? Or the pantry shelves lined with enough chemicals to compete with Dupont? In my world, these phenomena are the very definition of clutter.

I confess I do have a lot of "stuff" which left out could be considered clutter. But I am of the thought that if I can't see it, it isn't clutter. I'm an "out of sight, out of clutter" type of person. As long as things are put somewhere I can't see, it's not clutter or disorganization.

Now we are in the midst of our garden competition, and our different organizational styles make it even more of a challenge.

Being the impatient person I am, I made an executive decision, without any guilt or shame, that plant starts are the right way to go. I also planted some seeds, though I'm never confident in my seedlings. My planting, seeds, or starts, are not visually organized, but I'm of the philosophy that if it produces food we can eat, who cares; other than Daniel, whose plants are lined up like soldiers!

Daniel finally got down to business and started his section of the garden this week. Mostly he has planted seeds, so I anticipate he will be very envious when all my plants from starts are feeding us, and his are just starting to bloom. And, to give me an edge in this competition: Daniel is busy cooking at Blue Mountain Station for his CounterFeat Take and Bake business and getting menus ready for the restaurant we are in process of purchasing (yes, there is a sucker born every minute).

I admit I was a bit intimidated by the scientifically organized calendar my friend Alexandra maintains for her garden and planting schedule. Still, I have started my own notebook this year. I am determined to hold the 45-day cabbage to 45 days. This year I want to track what actually blooms, produces, or dies in the garden and when! Also, how many zucchinis can one plant produce?

Everyone may not understand my organizational skills, but as long as I can keep track of my efforts, eat out of our garden, and my plants are more prolific than Daniel's, I will be happy!