And why not? It’s the last ragged remnant of my harvest. The tomatoes visible behind the chard are actually riddled with fungus. They wouldn’t taste like summer anymore, anyway. After taking months to recover from our pair of hungry bunnies, the chard is still bitterly delicious. It apparently enjoys a light flirtation with frost. I hope it’ll still stand tall in ten days, when I return from California.
For now, I’m grateful to have time with my family. Everyone is (reasonably) healthy. None of the various cancers in my family has made an encore appearance. I’m still recovering from last winter’s mystery illness, and as long as I notice continued improvement, my spirits are (mostly) good. My father is clearer-headed than I’d expected. There’s hope that his memory lapses may be at least partly due to a vitamin B12 deficiency, and thus treatable. My niece is recovering well from back-to-back swine flu and a complex bone break that required surgery. My own kids are masquerading as angels, so thrilled are they to be with their cousins and grandparents. My mom still makes the world’s most delicious caramel rolls.
Everything dear to me is as fragile and transient – as tough and resilient – as my garden. My task is to be in the moment, savor the last leaves of the harvest, taste their solid transience, and know that planting time is only weeks away.
Happy Thanksgiving, kind readers. May your blessings taste as sweet as mine.
Patron cat of Kittywampus (1985-2001)
I was out in my garden yesterday and did a rhubarb picking – easily the latest I have done this. Have a couple of nice heads of bok choi and cilantro that I will cut today, too.
Please convey to “The Bear” how impressed I am by the book he loaned us, to be returned on his return! A true work of genius! Glad to hear you all are well and I hope you are getting some quality R&R.
Would that be the Captain Underpants books, by any chance?
We are getting some R&R, but only have dialup most of the time (I am writing this from a visit to the Cozmic Cafe, which is an awesome place) so I’ve been pretty quiet. I hope you all had an excellent feast. I’m envious of the rhubarb.
We still haven’t had the homemade holiday dinner. My niece came down with something barfy last night, and so we’ve deferred it ’til. She seems to be doing better today – thankfully – so I’m hopeful that dinner will be on for tomorrow night.
We did a curry tonight (what a shocker, eh?) and a game of Carcassone. We will definitely have a game/meal when you get back. I have to say that your chard could very well make it. My bok choi is still flowering and I counted about 20 bees on the plants I’m trying to get to seed! I have lots of cilantro again, too.
The Captain Underpants book has been immense fun, fine call. Sorry about your niece, btw.