Languages, Gardens and Growing

If you were in our house right now, you would no doubt begin looking for the nearest exit after being here for fifteen minutes That's because we have a "learn-Spanish-through-repetition-if that-is-even-possible" cd's playing. We picked the series up at our local library - hoping to finally give some credibility to our numerous statements that we would like to learn Spanish.

We just discovered that Latin Americans traditionally refer to the Spanish language not as Espanol but as Castellano. Then, we had the word drilled into our heads with a variety of other phrases like "I don't understand," "excuse me," "sir," and "North American" ... in Castellano of course.

The damnable thing about language learning is that it takes repetition upon repetition. The language just doesn't come unless you hear and speak it. So, you have to disregard the desire to check the cd to make sure it doesn't have a scratch on it when - after twenty minutes - you're trying to figure out how to say, "Excuse me, sir, do you understand Spanish?"

After the twentieth time of asking me, I respond: "Pardon, senior, entiende Castellano." Crap. Is that right? No worries; I'll hear how to say it at least fifty more times.

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The funny thing: Wyatt gets this poor routine everyday. Today after work I was in the backyard with him. He would point to various things, and I would parrot back to him what it was. "Tree. Garden. Birds. Grass ..." and so on. Over and over again. I'm like a walking cd, only not nearly as systematic, and hopefully not nearly as boring.

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Some words have taken root in Wyatt. Dog is now completely understood - as acknowledged by him patting his thigh with his hand (the international sign for dog). And, as of today, he seems to understand and use the international sign for bye-bye ... that one really is international.

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Meanwhile, our garden doesn't seem to be making great strides. Although there are a few snap pea plants bursting through with little green leaves and stems, the broccoli, kale and green onions just aren't much to look at (thus, they are not on the blog). We do have some "warmer" crops that are being started inside ... tomatoes, bell peppers and some herbs. They're doing fairly well, but I can tell Anna is less than thrilled with their performance as well ...

So, rather than ridicule the vegetables (or stand over them and repeat slowly and methodically the word "grow"), Anna has turned her attention to our perennial garden, which had looked something like the jungles of Latin America. Now you can isolate one perennial from another, and you can even distinguish some ground here and there. Who knew so much of gardening was about pulling up the things you don't want while waiting tirelessly for the things you do want!

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Languages and gardens: both take a great deal of careful observation, practice and time to master. Master is the wrong word. Languages and gardens grow. They take hold through patience and persistence.

Adios, amigos.

Wes