Bringing Water to the Thirsty

I worked for a number of hours yesterday on installing plastic drip lines to the new trees planted in our home orchard.  Drip irrigation is very efficient in terms of getting water down into the roots of each plant, and saves much time and effort for the gardener in watering plants. 

I fill up an old coffee mug with hot water.  Then, when I am attaching drip line fittings, I soak the 1/2" plastic tube in the hot water a few moments before setting the fittings in place.  

It rained overnight the last few days, so I did not need to do much watering on Monday.  

"If gardeners will forget a little the phrase, "watering the plants" and think of watering as a matter of "watering the earth" under the plants, keeping up its moisture content and gauging its need, the garden will get on very well."
- Henry Beston, Herbs and the Earth, 1935

"Before enlightenment - chop wood and carry water.
After enlightenment - chop wood and carry water."
-  Zen saying 

Water: Quotes, Sayings, Poems

"Man - despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments - owes his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains."
-   Author Unknown