K.I.S.S.

Remember that famous adage Keep It Simple, Stupid?

 

Yeah, I thought I remembered it, but I've got a lot to learn.

 

I found a lovely pinterest wheatgrass centerpiece for our annual Relief Society Broadcast.  The instructions described it as "uncomplicated". "Easy." "So simple a child can do it."

 

It was on pinterest. It had to be true.

 

So my counselors and I began to soak wheat to sprout.

Except it didn't sprout. Not even for my counselor who grows wheat in her backyard.

 

I did some internet research and found you can't use wheat from your food storage ( although multiple websites said you could). Finally my counselor realized we should use the wheat they use to grow beautiful wheat fields on their farm. Success!

 

I don't know why it was so hard to sprout wheat.

I got Stan to build me 20 boxes to plant wheat in. Each box is made from one fence board. He whipped them out one Saturday afternoon.

 

 

Now the hard part began.  You have to water these suckers twice a day, but not too much because the boxes have no drainage.  You've got to mist them between waterings to keep them from drying out. You've got to lug these boxes out into the sunshine in the morning, then back inside at night to keep them from our Montana weather. You've got to stay calm when they're struck by a bug infestation and patiently spray them with organic, nasty chemical-free stuff to kill the bugs, but not the people who will be sitting at the table with them.

 

AND you've got to keep them all going for 10 eternities days until the night of the broadcast.

Really? So simple a child could do it? I'd love to meet this child.



 I grew some extra on jelly roll pans, "just in case".

 

Did I mention that between the three of us, we grew 20 boxes of wheatgrass?



They did look lovely. We added burlap mats and faux flowers for a bit of color.



 

They were interesting, gorgeous, different, very, very popular, but they were NOT simple. I feel more than a little embarrassed for signing us all up for this unsimple centerpiece creation.  I can only say I don't think I'll be in this calling a year from now.  I'm pretty sure my counselors are ok with that.

 

I guess this need to be complicated is genetic. This is Hailey's official soccer hairdo for the day, courtesy Amy. 

Please ignore the mountain of tablecloths in the background, waiting to be washed.

 

Can I retire now?