Plant Magic

Gardening is great, planting seeds, germination, maturation and crops, food glorious, food. Every step an adventure, when seedlings pop leaves above soil there’s always the wonder; what the hell did I plant here.

You’d think plants would be a low maintenance relationship, but no, they’re demanding; water me or I’ll die, feed me or no fruit. The clean, green look of a healthy plant puts a satisfied smile on the face making it all worthwhile.

Fertile flowers so pretty swell, soon to become fruit I can’t wait to harvest. Basking in sun, sucking up nutrients during the day, growing at night, born to nourish others, our food grows.

Gardening in containers can be especially fun. I put some tomatoes in front of my bedroom window to catch some sun. This particular night the fruit was grown, green at dusk, during the night to my surprise and delight I watched it go ripe. Every hour or two in anticipation I looked out the window. The green orb caught in the act blushed noticeably more orange.  By morning would you be ripe?  

Good morning, indeed when I got out of bed my tomato was waiting all ripe and red.

This happened last year, 2012, in New Orleans, when Kirt and I were staying with our friend, Darlene Cusimano May. It was a magical night for me.