Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Tomato season

As is very apparent at this point, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, in general and, more specifically, when it comes to gardening. However, I got 5 tomato plants a couple months ago and planted them. They were nothing special, just run of the mill big box store plants, less than a foot high each. Not long after buying these plants I heard a "tomato expert"-if such a thing exists-on NPR talking about the secrets of tomatoes: why store bought hydroponics are flavorless mush, etc. He pointed out that the more these plants struggle the better the fruit. Isn't that a lovely metaphor for human existence? Aren't the people who have been through the most adversity always the most interesting? Anyway, my tomato plants have struggled greatly, partly due to my ignorance, but also because the soil was too rich, acidic and bug infested and southern Ohio is in a drought, yet they persevered and today I harvested the first one.
It was the best tomato I have ever eaten.


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Urge to Purge

Recently I have been seeing a lot of articles about getting rid of your excess stuff, clutter and multiples. I realize that I have a whole bunch of "stuff" that I do not look at, do not use, do not enjoy and certainly do not need. And by stuff I mean all the assorted ephemera which one accumulates over a lifetime: cosmetic bags, lids to storage containers that you cannot find, glassware specific to drinks that you will never make, books you won't read again. And  I realize the accumulation of all these miscellaneous things is in a way comforting, gives a sense of fullness and roundness to life. A sense of security and stability: "of course my life is stable and under control, look at all these things which I possess". But that sense of security is false. Having a bunch of useless objects tucked into corners and stowed away in closets does nothing to anchor your life to anything solid.
So it's time to purge. To give away, throw away, recycle and sell as much of this stuff as I can without ending up feeling barren or wanting. I know that the hardest for me will be books. I feel a sentimental attachment to books, even ones I disliked, because I invested the time and energy to read them. But that I silly, as silly as keeping the DVD of a movie you watched and hated (I am guilty of that as well)...
So the purge begins. I'll let you know how it goes....