Green Thumbs
I complained the ____ day.
My parents were making me work on the neighborhood project, but I had far better ____ to do.
I didn't understand why we were working on this ____
It was just the ugly, old, empty lot across from Johnny's ____
It was full of wild plants, fast food wraps, old newspapers, broken glass, and every other kind of ____ trash you can imagine.
As I looked at it that first ____ I thought, "I bet there are snakes in there, too."
There were twenty of ____ ages and sizes—ready to work that day.
I didn't think that we could ____ up this awful mess and turn it into a garden.
We were all ____ where to begin.
Then Mr. Hernandez said, "The only way to do ____ is just to start."
Then, he divided the lot into four parts with string and ____ five people to each part.
By lunchtime
By lunchtime, I was hot, sweaty, and glad my dad ____ made me wear gloves.
We filled fifty trash bags with ____ and were ready to pull wild plants.
As we pulled and pulled, dust filled the ____ and made us sneeze.
At the end ____ the day, I had to admit the lot looked much better.
____ first day was the toughest.
On the weekends ____ followed, we made rows, planted flower and vegetable seeds, and watered them.
After about two weeks, I stopped complaining when I ____ the plants had started popping up!
First, the lettuce and then the ____ and the tomatoes.
They grew so fast. ____ couldn't believe it!
The bean plants grew ____ inch, and the tomatoes doubled in size in just a few days.
Now, two months later
Now, two months later, I like to go there every ____ to see what new flowers are ready to pop up.
Lots of people in the neighborhood meet there ____ enjoy the sights and to talk together.
Tonight, it suddenly hit me—what a ____ thing we did!
I'm proud I ____ been a part of it.
I'm in charge of picking flowers for the ____ home on Fourth Street.
The ____ will go to every kitchen in our town.
But even ____ an ugly and dirty lot that people didn't like has become a pretty garden for everyone.