The Garden Is Relieved

This morning, we had a brief respite from nearly two weeks of intense heat.  We even had a little bit of rain.  I was happy, and my plants were overjoyed   Their flowers perked up at the prospect of not being beaten all day long by solar assault.  I perked up a little at not having to run the air for survival.


The national and state level news is simply too depressing to talk about, write about, or live through. I would be remiss, however, if I did not call attention to the recent article in the Lawrence Journal-World about ALEC's actions in Kansas:  Corporate-funded ALEC Has Strong Ties to Kansas Legislators.  Yes, yes.  There is, in fact, a corporate conspiracy that writes and funds a lot of the bills that get introduced/passed in state legislatures.  It sounds like a myth if it weren't so solidly evidence-based.  And so depressing that, again, I can't contemplate it.  As an anarchist, I'm just registering it as yet another of the abusive potentials of representative government.  

My garden, however, continues to be a source of great joy and happiness--especially now that we've had a little rain and relief so I'm not as worried about my plantitos. The tomato plants are starting to produce, finally;   here's a nice cluster of them just ready to ripen.  They're big and juicy and delicious.

 I have some butternut squash growing now, too; they look great! There are four little ones at the moment, and if the sun hasn't burned off the flowers too dreadfully, I look forward to at least another half-dozen (or more).  Yum!

At right, you can see the beginning of some type of summer squash.  Since I didn't think to label the plants, or pay much attention to what variety I was planting, I'm not sure if it's zucchini or yellow squash in infancy.  That squash varieties grow at the base of the flower was a complete shock to me.  Not sure where I thought they grew.  Just not at the flower base!





I am seeing many, many beginning cucumbers.  Right now they are tiny, prickly little ones; they should grow to about six inches.  Lots of gazpacho is in my future!


Lastly is my tiny non-vegetable garden.  I have one beautiful purple and green bush, and two straggling flowers.  It's lovely; next year perhaps I'll put in three or four of these.


Anyway, on this fine Sunday afternoon, I will end on a mention of today's gospel text, Matthew 13: 31-52.  Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven as yeast, as a mustard seed, as good seed.  I agree that the Kingdom of Heaven is found in food and its metaphors, in the joy and fullness that can be found in eating and sharing food.  Also the Turning, when the fires of God's justice burn, which is just another way of saying the Kingdom of Heaven's arrival.  And the revolution, which is another way also of talking about the Turning and the Kingdom of God.  The metaphor of a mustard seed growing into a great tree gives me great strength.  For now, those striving for justice may seem few and far between, but we grow and provide refuge, and eventually God's justice and peace will shade the earth.