I wonder what my women friends would think if their husbands / sweethearts gave them a bag of steer manure for Valentine’s Day. Yeah, I thought so. Ah, but for me, that spells Romance!
Now, before you start searching online for some prescription meds that might help me, I’d better back up a little and explain. First, I try almost every year to grow a vegetable garden. Second, the soil in our back yard is mostly heavy clay. Third, Valentine’s Day happens to fall just about when I’m tired of being cooped up indoors and am ready to get out there and dig in the dirt a little.
So it started, like many of our traditions did, as a bit of a joke. Years ago on a bright February day Brent was about to head to Home Depot or some such. He asked me whether I needed anything. “A bag of steer manure for the garden,” I said.
When he came back with the bag he plumped it down in the garden and said, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” We snickered about the incongruity of the “gift” and how his reputation would be ruined if word got out. But you know, it says a lot for Brent and for our understanding of each other that even if the steer manure was all he could afford, I would still be thrilled with it. Because he knows I love to garden, and supports my efforts. And because he knows it doesn’t matter whether or not society approves of this kind of gift. He just wants to give me something that will be meaningful to me.
"Moo-nure" -- fancy brand this year!!
I’m also linking up with Rachel and the Company Girls.
Thanks for reading!
Jan
Jan C Johnson, Author 
I do consider this romantic…since I am a gardener, I prefer it!
Maria.
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Exactly. If perfume and fine jewelry were my favorite things, I would not be nearly so impressed with the Moo-nure.
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Anything can be romantic ..because of the one who gives it to you 🙂
I enjoyed your story very much!
blessings..Trish
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Good point; and thanks for the kind comment.
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Hi Jan, I think your Valentine Manure is the perfect gift for a gardener,it brings a promise of beautiful things to come. My husband once gave me rocks for our patio because I like rocks. I was thrilled. I still re-arrange and move my rocks around. Enjoy your garden.
God bless
Barb from Australia
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Hi, Barb, and thanks for stopping by. I’m with you on the “rocks” thing too.
By the way, I loved your post about playing Yahtzee with your mom. My mom and I play “Upwords,” similar to Scrabble.
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Good for you and Brent. A rose and chocolate will last a day or two and will soon be forgotten.
A bag of steer manure will last a lifetime.
Happy Spring Gardening
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It is the gift that keeps on giving… Thanks for taking time to comment!
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Happy digging dear.
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Thank you! Now, what shall I plant?
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Oh this makes me laugh…this is so my Dad! But I have to say my husband has bought me power tools for gifts…at my request and been yelled at by the clerks at Home Depot for “buying” them for his wife….so I totally understand.
Enjoy that garden…now I must head to get some manure myself!
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See, that’s the kind of courage I’m extolling here… standing up in the face of Home Depot Clerk Outrage. 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
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Love is so practical it often makes us smile. Thanks for this.
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I appreciate the comment and am enjoying your blog.
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Loved your story! It reminded me of the I Love Lucy episode where all Ethel wanted was an iron for her birthday! Fred was going to get her one until Lucy thought she’d enjoy fancy evening pants more. Fred was right all along! LOL
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Thanks, Joie! This world needs more Freds, doesn’t it?
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I thought of Bif getting doused with manure! Served him right! His ego and Bully approach to Mc Fly was about the limit! No 3 was the best’cause I like Westerns and the scientist saves the schoolteacher and they fall in Love and live happily ever after! Kath
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Thanks for visiting today, Kathy. I enjoyed those movies too… especially the third one!
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great gift for a gardner….He knew exactly what would make you smile. Sounds like a great guy…glad your day was the best.
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Thank you, Sarah; he IS a great guy! I so enjoyed your post today. (Gotta love those blushing gerbils!)
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I love this…my husband and I buy practical gifts for one another and it’s not the gift that matters, it’s the love behind the gift.
Blessings,
Joan
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I agree, Joan…. although I do draw the line at vacuum cleaners and oil changes as gifts! 😉
Have a blessed day.
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Hee he. I will have to show my hubby this post. *grin* But in my case I would be giving the gift to him. He is a wonderful gardener. But sadly at this time he would not be able to go out and dig in the garden. If you come to my blog you will see pictures of snow everywhere. Yes, we are still in Narnia where it is winter.
Blessings<
-Mary
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No kidding; you all appear buried in snow! Hope it doesn’t last a hundred years like it did in Narnia!
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This is cute, Jan. Made me smile.
Thanks for stopping by and I’m glad you enjoyed The Sounds of Dusk.
Have a wonderful weekend.
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Just shows once again how important it is to consider the interests of the one to whom you are giving the gift. Hooray for you both!
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Hi, Julia — Thanks for visiting and commenting. I see you like bicycling; so do we!
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I would take a bag of manure any day! Very Romantic. 🙂 Nice to see you got some chocolates, too??
Days like today make me want to get out and dig!
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Mmmmm, chocolates. Let the shoveling begin! (Of course I mean shoveling dirt, not chocolates…)
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Perfect! Glad you had a good heart day! Our ground is still too frozen to do anything outside, but I can dream! Enjoy the manure!
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I’m so glad you came by today. Our driveway ice lasted five or six days… I’ll have to stop calling it “permafrost,” won’t I?
Hang in there; spring’s coming!
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Ha! How fun for you 🙂 V-day gifts from those who know you the best. . .those are the best gifts.
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You’re right; I give Brent some of the oddest things, that he really really likes. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
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This is great! To me, it’s all about what I want and so be it if it’s not something society “smiles upon.” Pooey on them! :o)
Our weather this past week has made me very anxious to get out and play in the dirt myself. But, think I’ve got to wait just a few more weeks before I get serious about it.
Blessings to you this day!
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Thank you, Lea! I think playing in the dirt might be safer than riding that “Plasma car” … don’t you? 😉
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How nice that he gave you something that you need and would use but also the sweet stuff. and think of all the “sweet stuff” you’ll have later on too 😉 I’m a terrible gardner. . .maybe I need a bag of manure!
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see, I can’t even spell gardener ;(
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Manure, banana peels, coffee grounds… it’s all good.
(We have to be careful what we compost because Little Dog can jump the fence and likes to chew on apple cores or whatever.) Thanks for the comment!
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How fun.
I have been hinting to my hubby to get me some untreated planks and the likes so that I can make my own square inch garden. I so want to do it and even though I’m not even going to be in the country this summer, I have asked my neighbor to take care of my garden if I ever get one. Maybe I will write a real wishlist for my birthday and maybe then I will get some planks and some dirt, some seeds and some plants. Oh well, have fun and enjoy the spring.
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I’m not familiar with the “square inch garden” …sounds like fun, though! I hope you get everything on your Wish List!
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That is hilarious! Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your time in the garden. Hope you have a great weekend!
-Melissa
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Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment; loved your encouraging post.
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I love it. I’d much rather get a gift that says, “I know you and love you just the way you are,” than a gift that is given out of obligation to social standards. 🙂
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Yes, and with our culture the way it is now, I’m not sure “social standards” are worth my loyalty, anyway.
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Spoken like a true gardener. 🙂
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I am a gardener at heart, too. Sadly, I am afraid to see what actually survived the brutal winter we had. Even my hearty jasmine looks a little worse for wear. Time to save up for more plants!
Loved this story!
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I’m just now reading this one….but I love it! I don’t have any steer manure, but I have ALL the horse manure you could possibly want! I plan to put some in my flower beds but have plenty to share! You can have as much as you want!
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