Trying to Grow Things (Including Myself)

Last week felt full in a quiet, physical way.

For almost a week, there was no rain. Which already felt unusual.

So I spent a lot of time gardening.

Not just gardening — working and gardening at the same time, switching between tasks, trying to keep everything moving without getting overwhelmed.

I now have three half-barrel planters ready. Strawberries are waiting — some of them already planted in soil, some still waiting for their place in the hydroponic tower that is slowly being printed on my 3D printer.

It’s not ready yet. So I’m improvising.

Some plants go into the ground.

Some are still inside.

Some are just… waiting.

I planted kiwis. Started vegetables indoors. I keep checking them, waiting for the first signs of growth.

And then there are the mushrooms.

Pink oysters, lion’s mane, king oysters — I grew them for the first time and picked them yesterday.

They don’t even feel real.

They look unusual, almost artificial, but they’re not. They’re alive, growing, becoming something you can actually eat.

Nature is quite crazy, honestly.

The more I grow things, the more I realise how much is happening quietly, without control, without forcing.

You just prepare the conditions — and then you wait.

This week was busy.

But I tried something different.

I tried to stay balanced.

Not to rush too much. Not to burn out.

To sleep properly. To take breaks.

It didn’t always work.

There was one morning when I woke up completely broken, even though I had slept well. I still don’t understand how that works.

But overall, something felt… steadier.

Not perfect.

Not fully under control.

But more balanced than usual.

Maybe this is what it looks like — trying to grow things outside, while also slowly learning how to grow something inside.

Maybe not everything needs to grow fast — some things, including us, just need the right conditions and a bit of time, even in an imperfect week.