Turning over 2014

I don't remember precisely how or when I started this tradition—I think it began one year when I was usually late with my end-of the season gardening tasks—but for at least the past several decades, I've gone out as close to January 1st as possible to turn over a small section of dirt. This isn't really practical anymore, since I'll do a full turning in the spring, but it is definitely metaphorical and spiritual. I'm turning over and under all the events from the old year that I want to bury, and my hope in doing this is that they won't resurface in the year to come. Of course, timing this endeavor is tricky since, if December has been cold, the soil will be cement hard and largely un-turnable. But in this latest tribute to global warming, the ground was easy to work. There is, however, a deep freeze in tomorrow's forecast, so, just to be on the safe side, I tackled the turning today rather than waiting. The work went fast. The bad times metaphorically disappeared. The ritual, I pray, worked its magic. The only bad thing was that, unlike in past turnings, I didn't discover any harvestable vegetables, such as potatoes and parsnips. That's OK; if I succeed in just burying the past, I don't need anything else.