The exercise:
Write four lines of prose about: the unknown.
Today was mostly about cherries and berries. I helped Kat's parents begin to net their cherry trees, they helped us pick our first strawberry haul of the market season. Which came to a grand total of 42 pints. Considering we peaked at 50 pints last year, I'd say the plants we added to our garden last season are settling in nicely.
My mind boggles when it tries to imagine what this year's peak is going to be.
Boggle, boggle, boggle.
Mine:
It's paralyzing, this fear of the unknown. It keeps me from making a choice, moving on to other adventures and mysteries and... life. Better to take a chance now and hope for the best... right?
"I'll take what's behind door number... two."
Thursday May 30th, 2013
The exercise:
Write about: the injury.
All of the tomato plants we set aside for ourselves are now planted out in the garden, and we shall attempt to sell those that remain in the greenhouse at the next couple of markets.
After a little break due to lack of interest (and lack of time on our part), we've restarted Max on solid foods. It seems to be going much better this time - here he is enjoying a piece of chicken while smushing some avocado to death:
He must have sucked on that thing for twenty minutes yesterday. Oh well, at least he kept himself entertained while the rest of us had our dinner.
Mine:
We've been receiving some much needed extra help from a friend's brother in recent weeks. He's been weeding and mulching and planting and generally being an awesome worker. We've really felt fortunate to have him around.
We asked him to come every day this week, hoping to get on top of things before strawberries devour all of our garden time, and he said he could make it except for Wednesday. Apparently he needed to get some physio done on his knee that day.
I asked him about it on Tuesday and he said that while he was playing hockey in college this spring he took a knee-on-knee hit, which is just one of the nastiest things the sport has to offer. The only thing worse that I can think of at the moment is a hit to the head, as concussions are never fun.
That was about twelve weeks ago and he still wasn't really trusting the stability of the knee. So he got referred to a physiotherapist in order to get some more work done. His first appointment was yesterday and... he found out he needs surgery to repair his ACL.
The injury itself is terrible enough (he's going to miss at least two months of his next college season because of it). But the fact that it took seeing four different doctors before getting the proper diagnosis must be utterly infuriating.
Write about: the injury.
All of the tomato plants we set aside for ourselves are now planted out in the garden, and we shall attempt to sell those that remain in the greenhouse at the next couple of markets.
After a little break due to lack of interest (and lack of time on our part), we've restarted Max on solid foods. It seems to be going much better this time - here he is enjoying a piece of chicken while smushing some avocado to death:
He must have sucked on that thing for twenty minutes yesterday. Oh well, at least he kept himself entertained while the rest of us had our dinner.
Mine:
We've been receiving some much needed extra help from a friend's brother in recent weeks. He's been weeding and mulching and planting and generally being an awesome worker. We've really felt fortunate to have him around.
We asked him to come every day this week, hoping to get on top of things before strawberries devour all of our garden time, and he said he could make it except for Wednesday. Apparently he needed to get some physio done on his knee that day.
I asked him about it on Tuesday and he said that while he was playing hockey in college this spring he took a knee-on-knee hit, which is just one of the nastiest things the sport has to offer. The only thing worse that I can think of at the moment is a hit to the head, as concussions are never fun.
That was about twelve weeks ago and he still wasn't really trusting the stability of the knee. So he got referred to a physiotherapist in order to get some more work done. His first appointment was yesterday and... he found out he needs surgery to repair his ACL.
The injury itself is terrible enough (he's going to miss at least two months of his next college season because of it). But the fact that it took seeing four different doctors before getting the proper diagnosis must be utterly infuriating.
Wednesday May 29th, 2013
The exercise:
Write about: the marshal.
We took Max in for his six month vaccination this morning. Thankfully it was only one shot this time, and he hardly cried at all. Probably the least he's reacted to any of his needles, which was great. Plus he doesn't have to go back until November, which is even better.
To celebrate the occasion, it pretty much rained all day. So not much was accomplished in the garden.
Hopefully we'll make up for that tomorrow.
Mine:
He stands motionless on the sidelines, hands clasped behind his back as he watches the runners stream past. As one of the many course marshals monitoring the day's event, he wears no uniform. His grey sweat pants and black hooded sweater are his own, and would not be out of place on a more casual spectator.
One of the few orders he was given that morning was to blend in. Competitors should not be able to determine who the officials were, he was told. It would only be an unnecessary distraction, seeing such intimidating figures watching their every move.
So he took up his assigned position and effectively disappeared. He became just another member of the audience, nothing to distinguish him from those around him.
Well, other than the gun at his hip and directions to use it on any runners who attempted to take a shortcut.
Write about: the marshal.
We took Max in for his six month vaccination this morning. Thankfully it was only one shot this time, and he hardly cried at all. Probably the least he's reacted to any of his needles, which was great. Plus he doesn't have to go back until November, which is even better.
To celebrate the occasion, it pretty much rained all day. So not much was accomplished in the garden.
Hopefully we'll make up for that tomorrow.
Mine:
He stands motionless on the sidelines, hands clasped behind his back as he watches the runners stream past. As one of the many course marshals monitoring the day's event, he wears no uniform. His grey sweat pants and black hooded sweater are his own, and would not be out of place on a more casual spectator.
One of the few orders he was given that morning was to blend in. Competitors should not be able to determine who the officials were, he was told. It would only be an unnecessary distraction, seeing such intimidating figures watching their every move.
So he took up his assigned position and effectively disappeared. He became just another member of the audience, nothing to distinguish him from those around him.
Well, other than the gun at his hip and directions to use it on any runners who attempted to take a shortcut.
Tuesday May 28th, 2013
The exercise:
Write two haiku about: sweetness.
Planted out a whole lot of tomato plants in the garden today, thanks to our farm intern and some extra help. While they were working on that we harvested for several local orders, mostly consisting of salad greens.
But we did manage to find enough ripe strawberries to fill three pints. And so the strawberry madness begins...
Mine:
One little taste is
all I need before I know
it's too sweet for me.
* * *
Sugary words drip
from your lips, tearing my heart
apart as it rots.
Write two haiku about: sweetness.
Planted out a whole lot of tomato plants in the garden today, thanks to our farm intern and some extra help. While they were working on that we harvested for several local orders, mostly consisting of salad greens.
But we did manage to find enough ripe strawberries to fill three pints. And so the strawberry madness begins...
Mine:
One little taste is
all I need before I know
it's too sweet for me.
* * *
Sugary words drip
from your lips, tearing my heart
apart as it rots.
Monday May 27th, 2013
The exercise:
Write about: the hideout.
Good day of work in the garden was rewarded with the first strawberries of the season. If the weather cooperates we should have a decent amount for the market this weekend.
And by next weekend I expect we shall be swimming in them.
Mine:
The tree was not much different than its neighbours. No obvious markings on its trunks, no peculiar twists or turns among its branches. It was not especially tall, nor especially short.
To a casual observer it was just one more tree in a twenty acre orchard. Unremarkable.
But when I had need of it, when it was time to disappear completely for a little while, I knew exactly where to find my hideout.
Write about: the hideout.
Good day of work in the garden was rewarded with the first strawberries of the season. If the weather cooperates we should have a decent amount for the market this weekend.
And by next weekend I expect we shall be swimming in them.
Mine:
The tree was not much different than its neighbours. No obvious markings on its trunks, no peculiar twists or turns among its branches. It was not especially tall, nor especially short.
To a casual observer it was just one more tree in a twenty acre orchard. Unremarkable.
But when I had need of it, when it was time to disappear completely for a little while, I knew exactly where to find my hideout.
Sunday May 26th, 2013
The exercise:
Write about: connections.
Enjoyed a quiet day off, now feeling ready to get back out in the garden to tackle those pesky weeds.
Thankfully our internet connection decided to start working again tonight or who knows when this would have been posted.
Mine:
"And how about this one?"
I look at the card the nice lady is holding up for a moment, then return my eyes to her face. She seems as though she really wants to help me and I don't want to let her down. And she has spent so much of her time with me. So I look at the card again.
There is a man pictured there, a close-up of his face. Middle-aged, needs a shave. Dark eyes, thick lips. It seems like he's about to smile, at least I think so.
I turn back to the nice lady. Those lines on her face have returned. Like she's concerned. About me? I hope not. I don't want to upset her.
"Sorry, miss," I say with an apologetic shrug and a gentle smile. I hope the gestures will ease her disappointment with me. "I don't know who that is."
Write about: connections.
Enjoyed a quiet day off, now feeling ready to get back out in the garden to tackle those pesky weeds.
Thankfully our internet connection decided to start working again tonight or who knows when this would have been posted.
Mine:
"And how about this one?"
I look at the card the nice lady is holding up for a moment, then return my eyes to her face. She seems as though she really wants to help me and I don't want to let her down. And she has spent so much of her time with me. So I look at the card again.
There is a man pictured there, a close-up of his face. Middle-aged, needs a shave. Dark eyes, thick lips. It seems like he's about to smile, at least I think so.
I turn back to the nice lady. Those lines on her face have returned. Like she's concerned. About me? I hope not. I don't want to upset her.
"Sorry, miss," I say with an apologetic shrug and a gentle smile. I hope the gestures will ease her disappointment with me. "I don't know who that is."
Saturday May 25th, 2013
The exercise:
Write a four line poem about: promises.
The sun shone for the entire farmers market today (though it was still fairly chilly), so I am feeling grateful for that. I'm also grateful for all the people who came out and bought our plants and rhubarb (and one of my cards), making for a better week for us than last go around.
Kat brought Max up late morning and we had a lot of fun introducing him to friends and customers. I think he liked it too.
Next weekend? Next weekend we might have some strawberries to sell.
Mine:
You keep telling me
To never say never,
But your promises
Are as empty as ever.
Write a four line poem about: promises.
The sun shone for the entire farmers market today (though it was still fairly chilly), so I am feeling grateful for that. I'm also grateful for all the people who came out and bought our plants and rhubarb (and one of my cards), making for a better week for us than last go around.
Kat brought Max up late morning and we had a lot of fun introducing him to friends and customers. I think he liked it too.
Next weekend? Next weekend we might have some strawberries to sell.
Mine:
You keep telling me
To never say never,
But your promises
Are as empty as ever.
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