Monday, April 17, 2017

To plant a garden

"To Plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow"
~~Audrey Hepburn






    Strangely, its not the days when the brilliant winter sun makes the snow on the roof melt and drip like summer's raindrops from the eves, but  on  the quiet  days with subdued light , a gentle  breeze much like the times before a spring rainstorm, only much colder, that  I miss my garden the most.   It's then, that  I want to curl up in the big comfy chair, drink coffee and  day dream over seed catologs.  When the first  catkins appear and the green tips of daffodils break through the frozen ground, I am ready to send for seeds.

But now a brief word about daffodils, because I do digress ALOT.  Anyroad, and I do mean any road that I travel at this time of year might have clumps of daffodils  dotted along side of it, in one area there are daffodils growing and blooming between the ties of an abandoned railroad.  Because daffodil bulbs are toxic, few if any creatures dig them up and eat them, so they remain long after the buildings and the builders of said buildings have left this vale of joy and tears, but still the fragrant yellow blooms return each year to mark their memories.  Stalwart messengers of spring, blooming year after year completely untended.


Ok. back to the seed catologs.   And there I sit, in front of the pellet stove watching those bits of stuff that look like rabbit pellets burn, sputter, flame as I day dream about growing huge tender, and flavorful vegetables in a nearly weed free garden where just the right amount of rain balances with just the right amount of sun, the frost doesn't stay too long or arrive too early, no deer jump the fences and take a taste of every bean, tomato or pumpkin.   Yes, I always day dream about the perfect garden, and what fabulous meals I am going to make from my vegetables.   There is no store bought cuke that will ever dare to compete withwith one fresh from the vine, peeled and sliced onto fresh bread, and topped with mayo and a dash of pepper.  A treat that can only be savored for a few weeks a year.  Each year I look forward to that treat.
 
And then there is the rich and varied experience of planting and harvesting your own food, perhaps even canning some of the extra.   Something that has been  part of my life for as long as I can remember, and probably longer.  I don't think that as a child I really appreciated home grown and home canned food, those pretty cans that lined the grocer's shelves were  much more modern and appealing.   The old fashioned ways were fun to watch, and it was fun to help plant and pick, but not something you would talk with your friends about unless you liked being call "a dumb farmer" or a "hick".   But with age comes perspective, so now I proclaim to the universe.




YUM!, guest blogger on making Naan....something I am new to and still working on

  Naan is tasty!   I wanted to make some, and from there on out, wellllllllllll, it's been a learning experience!   And I don't give...