Nils's gardens no longer bore any relationship to the needs of the house. Each spring he plowed and planted acres of vegetables and flowers. The coming up of the asparagus shoots was the signal for a hopeless race between the vegetables and Mrs. Garrison's table. Nils, embittered by the waste that he himself was the author of, came each evening to the kitchen door to tell the cook that unless they are more peas, more strawberries, more beans, more lettuce, more cabbages, the magnificent vegetables that he had watered with his sweat would rot. - The Common Day
Nils was frustrated because the expansive gardens he tended were disconnected from the actual needs of his household. Each spring, he tirelessly worked the land, planting a variety of vegetables and flowers. As the vegetables began to grow, particularly the asparagus, he found himself in a futile competition to keep up with what was needed in the kitchen, realizing much of his hard work would go to waste.
Despite his dedication...
