Re:

In that it is the Sabbath for some and a relatively mild yet sunny day, my DW and I thought it a good time to get down on our hands and knees and finish weeding the garden. The thistles, purslane, smartweed and amaranth put up a good fight, and I am certain will return, yet for now, the vegetables will not have to compete for nutrients. We shared a light snack of the first few raw green beans, and tonight we are eating greens and broccoli fresh as they can be.

I’m a praying man; or rather, I am an abject sinner, both humbled and rebellious in my spirit and somewhere on the continuum of that conflict , the need to pull back and plea or move forward with a nod of thanks plays through my thoughts. And in the garden, I have a lot of time to think. That’s it. Nothing profound today. Just thought I’d mention it.

Actually, I thought about poker. Like I said, nothing profound.

Actually… no, on second thought…

Yesterday, while I was filling the ducks’ water buckets in the paddock, I noticed the birds were a little jumpy. The were turning their heads on an angle that allowed them to look up in the sky. As most know, aside from owls, birds lack stereopsis. They do not have depth perception because they do not focus both eyes front-and-center. Instead, their brains accept signals in a way that brings “focus” to one eye. Now, I don’t know all of the physiology behind this, and it is a digression anyway.

Something had their attention. At first I thought it might be the vulture that cast a shadow over us, yet they continued to look up, and then moved into their lean-to. A bald eagle and another large raptor were riding thermals at about 500 and 600 feet respectively. I lost them in the sun, and eventually the duck re-emerged to continue foraging.

Buckets full, I wished them well. Their St. Francis statue was back in the coop.

The garden. For a growth comparison, look here.

L to R: garlic, cherry maters, various cucumbers and squash, nothing and more squash.


L to R: Red spuds, russets, 2 rows of all blue, kale and cabbage kin, mustards and peppers, and basils and peppers.