🌱 🌷 Starting Seeds - Bedtime Stories for Adults - Soothing Stories for Grownups and All Ages

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Welcome to The Slow Life, a
village filled with cozy stories

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for everyone.
I'll read this story 2 times to

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help you zone out or even fall
asleep during the second

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reading.
This story is called Starting

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Seeds and it's about a generous
neighbor, a cat who loves

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lasagna and noticing quiet
sounds.

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I've been out for a morning walk
on the trail that reaches the

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00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:45,320
beach.
I took a few breaths to match

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00:00:45,330 --> 00:00:51,140
the waves strolling in and out
before heading back home.

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00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:57,710
As I came up to my neighbor's
place, I saw that she was out at

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00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:04,069
her garden shed, all set up at
her outdoor table to plant seeds

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to start growing inside.
I'd stopped in to say hello and

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after chatting for a few minutes
about the weather and how

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excited we were about how the
gardens will soon be coming to

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life again, she had given me her
extra egg curtains to do some

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seed planting of my own.
She'd also offered me some extra

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seeds that she had more than
enough of for her own use.

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It's still fairly early as I
arrive home and I like it that

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way.
My shoulders drop in relaxation

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knowing that a bit of my day is
now planned out.

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00:01:53,620 --> 00:01:58,650
I had already prepped for this
day by getting bags of potting

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soil and collecting newspapers
from my parents to contain the

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00:02:04,300 --> 00:02:07,930
mess I'm bound to make during
this process.

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00:02:09,270 --> 00:02:15,000
I think my backyard patio and
table are the perfect spot to

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host my seed planting this
spring.

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Sun is still mild enough that I
don't need to hide under the

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patio umbrella, which hasn't yet
been brought out for the season.

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For starters, I cover the
outdoor table with the

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newspaper, layering sheets until
the whole surface is filled with

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stories.
I giggle.

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I had a few of my favorite comic
strips that have been around

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since before I was born.
You know, the one about the cat

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who hates Mondays and loves
lasagna?

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The crossword puzzles are
impressively complete.

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Some pages have partial rings
from coffee cups, and one page

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is missing a window of space
where they'd cut out something

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interesting.
It seems to have been a recipe

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from their favorite column.
I wonder what it was and if they

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tried it yet.
I head back into the kitchen

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where the rest of my seed
packets are in the buffet drawer

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with the matches and tea lights.
Some are store bought, folded in

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their glossy paper with bright
pictures on the front and much

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appreciated directions on the
back.

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00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:53,710
Others are saved in envelopes
I'd sealed and written on last

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fall.
Butternut squash that had grown

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00:03:57,990 --> 00:04:04,350
up a wooden ladder against the
fence, sugar snap peas that had

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done well on the patio in big
pots and pumpkins, which yielded

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enough for Jack O lanterns and a
few pies around Thanksgiving.

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As good as growing my own plants
right from seed fields, saving

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seeds from those plants and
using them the following year

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feels even better.
Some of the trees are the egg

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00:04:32,990 --> 00:04:38,480
curtains from my neighbor with
perfectly sized cells waiting to

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00:04:38,490 --> 00:04:43,810
be reused.
I'm all for wearing gardening

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gloves at times, but today I get
my fingers dark with soil,

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knowing I can scrub them off
later.

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I fill each space in the
curtains with potting mix.

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The smell of the damp earth
rising upwards, noticing the

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quiet sounds that accompany me
is all part of the experience.

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The soft crinkle of the bag that
holds the soil, my hands

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00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:20,690
crumbling the bigger chunks that
drop into the curtains and

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trays, and the birds never far
away, probably eyeing the black

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seeds beside me that will turn
into sunflowers throughout the

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summer.
I remember with the peas to soak

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them in some water for a few
days first, so I get their trays

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ready, but the soil will have to
wait while the peas begin to

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sprout their tiny tails.
Once a tray is filled with

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enough soil, I place a packet of
seeds beside it to mark which

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ones will be filled with what.
The butternut squash is first

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because it's the one I'm most
proud of.

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I haven't bought seeds for these
in years because the crop always

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does well and I can save so many
of the seeds for the following

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spring.
I like the size of the seeds.

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They're easy to handle and
difficult to lose between your

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fingers or be taken by a sudden
gust of wind.

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I place the seed into each cell
as gently as putting a sleeping

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puppy into their bed, whispering
to them in my mind.

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See you soon, little ones.
I scoop more soil up into my

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hands to cover them just enough
to keep them safe, not worrying

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00:06:59,060 --> 00:07:04,510
about the dirt that spills over
the sides as the paper will help

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me gather it all to be used in
the final trays.

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00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:15,220
I plant the pumpkins the same
way and then the ever dependable

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green beans.
They seemed to grow no matter

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what, as long as I pay a little
attention to them.

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Some of the other packets are
less familiar, so I'll need to

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00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,870
pay closer attention to the
instructions jotted on the

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00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:37,850
backs.
I picked them up from the seed

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00:07:37,860 --> 00:07:42,710
exchange at the library.
The brown envelopes with

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00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:47,540
handwriting in all capital
letters or beautiful cursive.

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At one of the cafes, they'd left
a box of seed packets near the

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00:07:54,250 --> 00:07:59,130
napkin dispensers.
I took a few while waiting for

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my drink, drawn to names like
Calendula and Purple Carrot.

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00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:11,720
Those go in to different trays.
The zinnias and calendula get

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00:08:11,730 --> 00:08:16,580
the shallow ones.
I plant more than I should, more

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00:08:16,590 --> 00:08:21,190
than I'll have space for, but
the abundance can be shared with

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00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:26,040
friends and neighbors, just as
they do with their seedlings.

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00:08:27,550 --> 00:08:32,840
But let us Seeds are like dust,
so fine I have to pinch them

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carefully, trying not to lose
any.

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00:08:36,950 --> 00:08:41,919
I scatter a few extras, knowing
I'll thin them out if needed.

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I continue on enjoying each
repeated step, looking forward

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00:08:49,350 --> 00:08:55,780
to using my tiny watering can to
keep them fed and happy while I

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00:08:55,790 --> 00:09:08,660
wait starting seeds.
I've been out for a morning walk

102
00:09:08,710 --> 00:09:11,230
on the trail that reaches the
beach.

103
00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:18,360
I took a few breaths to match
the waves strolling in and out

104
00:09:18,580 --> 00:09:24,410
before heading back home.
As I came up to my neighbor's

105
00:09:24,420 --> 00:09:30,470
place, I saw that she was out at
her garden shed, all set up at

106
00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:35,650
her outdoor table to plant seeds
to start growing inside.

107
00:09:37,310 --> 00:09:42,920
I'd stopped in to say hello and
after chatting for a few minutes

108
00:09:42,970 --> 00:09:47,200
about the weather and how
excited we were about how the

109
00:09:47,210 --> 00:09:52,800
gardens will soon be coming to
life again, she had given me her

110
00:09:52,810 --> 00:09:57,690
extra egg curtains to do some
seed planting of my own.

111
00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:04,250
She'd also offered me some extra
seeds that she had more than

112
00:10:04,260 --> 00:10:10,520
enough of for her own use.
It's still fairly early as I

113
00:10:10,530 --> 00:10:13,580
arrive home and I like it that
way.

114
00:10:14,540 --> 00:10:20,430
My shoulders drop in relaxation
knowing that a bit of my day is

115
00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:25,220
now planned out.
I had already prepped for this

116
00:10:25,230 --> 00:10:31,340
day by getting bags of potting
soil and collecting newspapers

117
00:10:31,350 --> 00:10:36,300
from my parents to contain the
mess I'm bound to make during

118
00:10:36,310 --> 00:10:41,490
this process.
I think my backyard patio and

119
00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:48,120
table are the perfect spot to
host my seed planting this

120
00:10:48,130 --> 00:10:51,840
spring.
Sun is still mild enough that I

121
00:10:51,850 --> 00:10:56,600
don't need to hide under the
patio umbrella, which hasn't yet

122
00:10:56,610 --> 00:11:02,520
been brought out for the season.
For starters, I cover the

123
00:11:02,530 --> 00:11:08,120
outdoor table with the
newspaper, layering sheets until

124
00:11:08,130 --> 00:11:11,310
the whole surface is filled with
stories.

125
00:11:12,890 --> 00:11:16,120
I giggle.
I had a few of my favorite comic

126
00:11:16,130 --> 00:11:20,590
strips that have been around
since before I was born.

127
00:11:21,570 --> 00:11:26,120
You know, the one about the cat
who hates Mondays and loves

128
00:11:26,130 --> 00:11:30,310
lasagna?
The crossword puzzles are

129
00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:35,660
impressively complete.
Some pages have partial rings

130
00:11:35,670 --> 00:11:41,140
from coffee cups, and one page
is missing a window of space

131
00:11:41,430 --> 00:11:44,340
where they'd cut out something
interesting.

132
00:11:45,420 --> 00:11:49,710
It seems to have been a recipe
from their favorite column.

133
00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:53,660
I wonder what it was and if they
tried it yet.

134
00:11:55,030 --> 00:11:58,900
I head back into the kitchen
where the rest of my seed

135
00:11:58,910 --> 00:12:04,430
packets are in the buffet drawer
with the matches and tea lights.

136
00:12:05,590 --> 00:12:10,840
Some are store bought, folded in
their glossy paper with bright

137
00:12:10,850 --> 00:12:15,940
pictures on the front and much
appreciated directions on the

138
00:12:15,950 --> 00:12:20,660
back.
Others are saved in envelopes

139
00:12:20,730 --> 00:12:23,730
I'd sealed and written on last
fall.

140
00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:29,930
Butternut squash that had grown
up a wooden ladder against the

141
00:12:29,940 --> 00:12:36,620
fence, sugar snap peas that had
done well on the patio in big

142
00:12:36,630 --> 00:12:42,800
pots and pumpkins, which yielded
enough for Jack O lanterns and a

143
00:12:42,810 --> 00:12:49,620
few pies around Thanksgiving.
As good as growing my own plants

144
00:12:49,630 --> 00:12:55,100
right from seed fields, saving
seeds from those plants and

145
00:12:55,110 --> 00:12:58,970
using them the following year
feels even better.

146
00:13:00,530 --> 00:13:05,080
Some of the trees are the egg
curtains from my neighbor with

147
00:13:05,090 --> 00:13:09,420
perfectly sized cells waiting to
be reused.

148
00:13:10,980 --> 00:13:16,650
I'm all for wearing gardening
gloves at times, but today I get

149
00:13:16,660 --> 00:13:21,790
my fingers dark with soil,
knowing I can scrub them off

150
00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,680
later.
I fill each space in the

151
00:13:25,690 --> 00:13:30,580
curtains with potting mix.
The smell of the damp earth

152
00:13:30,590 --> 00:13:37,340
rising upwards, noticing the
quiet sounds that accompany me

153
00:13:37,390 --> 00:13:43,180
is all part of the experience.
The soft crinkle of the bag that

154
00:13:43,190 --> 00:13:48,110
holds the soil, my hands
crumbling the bigger chunks that

155
00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:53,900
drop into the curtains and
trays, and the birds never far

156
00:13:53,910 --> 00:13:59,700
away, probably eyeing the black
seeds beside me that will turn

157
00:13:59,710 --> 00:14:02,340
into sunflowers throughout the
summer.

158
00:14:03,730 --> 00:14:08,780
I remember with the peas to soak
them in some water for a few

159
00:14:08,790 --> 00:14:14,680
days first, so I get their trays
ready, but the soil will have to

160
00:14:14,690 --> 00:14:19,180
wait while the peas begin to
sprout their tiny tails.

161
00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:25,910
Once a tray is filled with
enough soil, I place a packet of

162
00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:30,800
seeds beside it to mark which
ones will be filled with what.

163
00:14:32,310 --> 00:14:37,000
The butternut squash is first
because it's the one I'm most

164
00:14:37,010 --> 00:14:41,190
proud of.
I haven't bought seeds for these

165
00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:47,470
in years because the crop always
does well and I can save so many

166
00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,270
of the seeds for the following
spring.

167
00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:56,910
I like the size of the seeds.
They're easy to handle and

168
00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:02,090
difficult to lose between your
fingers or be taken by a sudden

169
00:15:02,100 --> 00:15:08,130
gust of wind.
I place the seed into each cell

170
00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:14,400
as gently as putting a sleeping
puppy into their bed, whispering

171
00:15:14,410 --> 00:15:18,470
to them in my mind.
See you soon, little ones.

172
00:15:20,090 --> 00:15:25,480
I scoop more soil up into my
hands to cover them just enough

173
00:15:25,490 --> 00:15:30,870
to keep them safe, not worrying
about the dirt that spills over

174
00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:36,490
the sides as the paper will help
me gather it all to be used in

175
00:15:36,500 --> 00:15:41,820
the final trays.
I plant the pumpkins the same

176
00:15:41,830 --> 00:15:45,920
way, and then the ever
dependable green beans.

177
00:15:46,630 --> 00:15:51,380
They seem to grow no matter
what, as long as I pay a little

178
00:15:51,390 --> 00:15:56,490
attention to them.
Some of the other packets are

179
00:15:56,500 --> 00:16:01,310
less familiar, so I'll need to
pay closer attention to the

180
00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,010
instructions jotted on the
backs.

181
00:16:05,310 --> 00:16:09,760
I picked them up from the seed
exchange at the library.

182
00:16:10,290 --> 00:16:14,520
The brown envelopes with
handwriting in all capital

183
00:16:14,530 --> 00:16:21,430
letters or beautiful cursive.
At one of the cafes, they'd left

184
00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:25,400
a box of seed packets near the
napkin dispensers.

185
00:16:26,510 --> 00:16:31,630
I took a few while waiting for
my drink, drawn to names like

186
00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:38,120
Calendula and Purple Carrot.
Those go in to different trays.

187
00:16:38,530 --> 00:16:42,600
The zinnias and calendula get
the shallow ones.

188
00:16:43,190 --> 00:16:48,590
I plant more than I should, more
than I'll have space for, but

189
00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:53,520
the abundance can be shared with
friends and neighbors just as

190
00:16:53,530 --> 00:16:59,830
they do with their seedlings.
The lettuce seeds are like dust,

191
00:17:00,060 --> 00:17:05,190
so fine I have to pinch them
carefully, trying not to lose

192
00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,349
any.
I scatter a few extras, knowing

193
00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:15,849
I'll thin them out if needed.
I continue on enjoying each

194
00:17:15,859 --> 00:17:22,319
repeated step, looking forward
to using my tiny watering can to

195
00:17:22,329 --> 00:17:25,819
keep them fed and happy while I
wait.

196
00:17:28,329 --> 00:17:31,000
I wish you sweet dreams.