According to my mother, and confirmed by a black and white photo or two that I’ve glimpsed over the years, my grandfather Luigi had an extensive garden in the backyard of our house in Providence that he tended in a unform that included a white shirt and tie and a pair of pressed trousers. (He also had 3 or 4 apple trees that the folks who bought the house back in the 90’s proceeded to cut down. But I’m not mad…Okay, maybe just a little bit.)

Now, I don’t know about the shirt and tie ensemble, but I will say that there is something about gardening that’s so calming and meditative.

Precisely why I used to enjoy kicking back and watching Martha Stewart’s old show on Lifetime back in the early 2000’s - or the early aughts, as the kids say - after a long day of putting out fires 🔥at my retail job.

It was such a de-stresser watching her work in the garden or around the yard. (Most people usually associate her more with cooking and entertaining, but gardening is right up there too in terms of her expertise.)

Also, the most obvious bonus: Think of all the fresh, delicious veggies you could be harvesting from your backyard or window box.

If you’re interested in channeling your inner Luigi or Martha this spring and summer (or perhaps Kim Wilde, who in her post-pop star life, believe it or not, is now one of the UK’s top gardening lecturers…hey, you can always hum “Kids In America” whilst you work) by way of digging in the dirt and growing our own vegetables, the wonderful peeps over at the URI Cooperative Extension are hosting a number of their FREE Vegetable Gardening for Beginners workshops this month.

There’s one coming up in Narragansett at the MLM Library on Saturday the 21st and another at the Greenville Public Library on the 25th.

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to wear those overalls in the back of your closet (the ones you bought in the 90’s that are, for the record, making a big sartorial comeback this year) with a jaunty tee.

For complete details, you’ll want to check out their Facebook Page.