I am the Audience

Why do Southerners grow okra?

September 8, 2013

a day in this life

Because we can.

It grows in drought. It grows when the rain won’t quit. It keeps growing and producing until frost finally kills it. And you get new okra every day.

Flower, developing pods and ready to eat, all at once together.

The bed on the right has okra trees taller than my head. And they just keep going.

Chuck planted 14 seeds and got 14 plants. We are about to quit trying to eat it all and start freezing it. (We bought a chest freezer to be delivered next Saturday because the one in the kitchen can’t keep up.)

The consensus here is that anyone who thinks they don’t have a green thumb should try growing okra. It will make you feel like Mr. Greenjeans.
Eye See

September 8, 2013

Beautiful, dancing in the field of dreams

I found this via StumbleUpon. I would be delighted to give attribution to the photographer if someone lets me know who.
Ennui

August 26, 2013

dancing in the field of dreams
What I said to Johnny

August 24, 2013

dancing in the field of dreams

I no longer believe in the God of the Bible. When I was little I believed with all my heart. And then I learned about the infinity of the universe, I couldn’t merge the “universal god of love who has His eye on the sparrow” with that vastness. I couldn’t accept “Jesus loves all the little children of the world” with the horrors that are happening in Africa and the Middle East and Thailand. So, I started reading. How can a loving god let that shit happen? Answer (for me): That isn’t God. The god of “the Book” is a little fantasy made up by frightened Bedouins trying to make the shadows in the night less terrifying.

What I believe in is Here and Now. Today, I love my son (etc.) and we make memories of joy or pain or whatever happens. Those times/feelings/experiences exist in the Singular moments of Time where they are created. And when I have passed beyond those moments in my awareness, they still exist even though I am no longer anchored to that point in the time line of the thing we designate “Reality”.

I am still sitting in my living room, reading poetry with my grandmother. Just not this Here. Not this Now. I am still holding my newborn son. I am still screaming in ecstasy. I am still weeping in despair. Screaming with frustration and/or rage. I am still flipping channels because nothing worth watching is on.

Those moments are always happening. Always true.

Time is a fantasy. Just like everything else.
Seeds to plant again

August 22, 2013

note to self

We’re saving seeds, but I’m also trying to keep track of the names of the varieties we like.

Okra – Emerald, All purpose, never woody (truth)

Pole beans – Hamby

Bush beans – Romano

Tomatoes – Tula (Black Russian), Roma, Cherry Sweetie

Cantaloupe – Honey Rock

Potato – Yukon Gold

Summer Spinach – Malabar (smaller leaf and less bitterness than New Zealand) and we don’t need to plant a lot because it’s prolific,

On the what NOT to plant list, we have decided that we don’t like yellow summer squash, zucchini or spaghetti squash enough to give up the garden space for any of them. We can buy a little bit from the farmers’ market and be satisfied.