06/14/2026
⏳️ Time to talk about swales!
🗓 Its been a busy week(month, year, life?? 🤣) and this cloudcover today has me inspired!
I got to spend some time on the homestead today and walked around with my mother looking at some of the areas we've planted together earlier this year.
They appear quite underwhelming in pictures.
Theres a lot going on underground that none of us get to see. 🌾
For now, seeing a knee high Tree of Heaven, some dehydrated irises that got relocated here after being left to their own survival for the last 8 years under a tree... and the rest of these rag tag little whelps... dont really inspire much at first glance.
The willows and maximillions, who will one day both be 8 feet tall are just silly looking and scraggly at this stage.
But what does any of this have to do with swales?
Monsoons are on the way, and this bed is located at the base of a long, gentle slope. We piled up the dirt high on the fence side and kept the other side of the bed open.
✅️ Swales act as catchment systems for rain runoff.
✅️ They are humble, almost boring to look at when you first set it up in a barren landscape.
✅️ within one season, they can hold enough water to keep the soil moist without needing watering (once the monsoons officially begin).
So, while it does require a kind human hand in making sure these tender plants get to the optimal part of the year, it pays in dividends the longer the swale is active and in use.
We may need to build the berm higher depending on how much water moves through this part of the yard.
2026 will be the first monsoon for this swale, so the shape may change depending on the topography needs and where we notice standing water lasting longer.
This method for planting is often used in extremely arid climates where water is scarce and every drop has to work overtime.
⏰️ Next year, this swale will look very different.
It will look like an oasis, when compared to the ground only 3 feet away from it. Grasses are grey and crispy, weeds struggle to grow higher than a few inches, and flowering plants reserve energy by keeping their blooms close to the ground.
I just wanted to share that with all of you because its important to remember that starting is a humble process. It doesnt look like much. It seems like a failure immediately because we are taught that it should look like "better homes and gardens" when we plant our beds.
🌻 Instant flowering plants, lush green leaves, established and picture worthy. 🌹🌷
Nature doesn't work that way. It builds on itself, and all it needs is a strong and stable foundation. It can do the rest on its own, and in time.
It doesnt have to be flashy to be good. It just needs to start.
Giving ourselves this kind of grace is a good lesson too.
I didnt plant anything today. My mother and I didnt dig any holes or do heavy labor. We just walked around.
We took a moment to appreciate our efforts knowing that this isnt the season for the "glow", its the cradle phase... the tender, slow building where everything happening underground matters more than what we can see... so we just took it all in, together, enjoying each other's company and the gentle rainfall of midday.
It was peaceful.
❤️ Have you let yourself slow down and enjoy the process recently? Its not always about "doing" all the time. Sometimes, our "best work" is invisible to the world. This is growth too, and it's valuable. 👏
I see you all working really hard in life right now. Take a moment to sit, enjoy the slow build, and let the rain cleanse the air.
We will follow the progress of this swale as the monsoons arrive. The transformation will be noticeable.
🌳 Blessings friends. ✨️
