V’day 2013 ~ Compost Heart ~

Hope you had a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Seems fitting to report that the heart sitings keep getting more and more amazing! This one happened on Wednesday, Feb 6th at the Marin Oaks High School garden
here in Novato, CA—a seven minute walk from my house. I’ve been volunteering in this garden for about five years with Annie Spiegelman, The Dirt Diva. Our little garden club has grown to about 15 students (known as Dirt Club) who show up before school on for just under an hour. We have fun. Annie and I work them pretty hard and on good days I bring warm fresh-baked muffins and hot chocolate.

So last week Ulysses and his buddies are turning the large compost heap we have coking under a sheet of plastic. All of a sudden he’s yelling…

“Anita!! Come see! It’s a heart!”

I’d forgotten that one morning during the Minute of Silence we observe at the end of each class, I told them about my heart sitings in the oddest places—including parking lot rain puddles—which only proves that love is everywhere.

I run over and join the others, looking into the compost, already sharing Ulysees’ excitement. Using the handle of his rake, he draws an imaginary line around this huge heart shaped out of decomposing clippings and urges me to, “Take a picture!”  And so I fetch my camera. But first I say, “You see what I mean? Love is….” and the response from the teens comes back, “…Everywhere!” 

We have since found three hearts in this composition, a large, medium and small. See if you can spot them and then… go here to see new photos outlining them. Share the link, spread the love!