I live just a couple of skinny Baltimore row houses down from Mr. Leroy's garden. As I stand at my window, looking from his garden onto the cement below my window, I'm inspired. I could grow our groceries in that little patch of sun, and I dream of raised beds brimming with herbs and vegetables, and of sharing the bounty with our neighbors. I could turn that wasted space into something productive, and raise our quality of life more than I know how to articulate. I know that the connection with earth and the cycle of seasons, and the exercise of gardening brings benefits far deeper than the vegetable alone. I know that the world around us is changing, and that this return to growing one's own food is ultimately a very good thing. Mr. Leroy had the right idea.

Photo courtesy of Burpee