Like the good American that I am, upon receiving my economic stimulus check from my good Uncle Sam I promptly spent it. And now my yard should be properly equipped for summer. USA, USA, USA!

Purchase #1 was a very special one, my first ever gas grill. Now I’m cooking with gas, literally. Clean, odorless, efficient Sweet Lady Propane. I’ve had the grill a week and have used it every day. I was also able to buy some of them Walmart steaks and burgers with my loot too. I can already see this recession going away.

Purchase #2 was for Jackson Jr. We got him one of them fancy turtle sandboxes. While I was prepping my garden this spring he took a liking to playing in the dirt with his Tonka trucks. I figured if we got him this sandbox it might keep him out of the garden he seemed to take an early liking to. Plus, they’re pretty cool looking too. He’s lovin it so far. Kids adore sandboxes. I hear T-Bird just threw Marley’s away last weekend. No joke.

Purchase #3 was the installation of Spurr Farms, my kick ass Italian-American garden. In my neighborhood in Buffalo where I grew up, a man’s garden is a source of pride. The competition for the best looking tomatoes was a fierce one. To be able to pick stuff from the yard and mix it up into a fresh and flavorful dinner is the highlight of every summer.

Fresh herbs, fresh veggies. Mmm. It doesn’t matter how much room you have for a yard either. Whether you have half an acre or a flowerbox on the patio of an apartment building you can grow tomatoes and herbs. It easy, fun and relaxing to tend to.

My garden is pretty small. It’s “L” shaped and spans the front and side of my deck. The side of the deck is full sun and the front is part sun/part shade. The full sun side is 10′ by 2′. That’s where I got all the essential veggies. Basil, oregano, strawberries, 2 kinds of tomato, 2 kinds of pepper, you know the good stuff. Up front is a mix of a few herbs and some flowers. Gardens gotta look nice too.

And to think that just months ago none of this was possible. But that’s why you can never count Americans out. Remember Rocky IV?

Economic stimulus checks help keep this land free. In your face, rest of the world. Imagine a world without flowers or a world where burgers were cooked only on a George Foreman. That’s not a world I want to live in. Not now, not ever. Thank you again, Mr President. I’ll send you a jar of sauce in August.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 3:20 pm and is filed under material goods. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.