Friday, May 21, 2010

Reaching for the Light

It is positively amazing to me. The energy of plants is imperceptible and yet so powerful. A willowy blade of grass pushes upward through hard packed soil and finds the sun. A wild garlic defies my landscape cloth and pokes right through it to the light. And a potato sprout travels clear across the basement floor to find a tiny splash of sunny reward for its efforts.


On my hands and knees this past week, I was musing on whether plants have intelligence. Scary thought. Pulling weeds in the Swiss Chard and beet rows, though, it often looked as if certain weeds which resembled the coloring of both these “wanted” vegetables had settled in their midst, hoping, by their similar coloring, to escape being weeded out. I know that’s unrealistic, but it was uncanny how often I found Red Roots starting right next to a red-stemmed Swiss Chard…and nowhere else.


Please don’t tease me about my slack-jawed awe in the “Ain’t Nature grand,” vein. It IS grand! It IS amazing!  But, it seems as if the human race spends most of its time trying to destroy it,  by--as only one example--creating what I believe will come to be a cliché for all unconscionable and more to the point, totally preventable disasters: “a BP.”


When will we realize and begin to protect Nature’s grandeur ? What does it take to get people off the couch to care?


On that rather pessimistic note (sorry!) here’s hoping your weekend will be what you need for rest and relaxation! If you get a chance, email the White House and let them know that people not connected with the disaster, care, too. 

Out here JOTOLR, we’re supposed to be getting rain again, but the coming week, we are told, should offer a little respite from the moisture. Perfect for transplanting the tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, peppers and onions to the big garden. The Wabbit is finally fenced out, and the peas are starting to re-grow!


And, thank you so much everyone, for your lovely comments…


Julia, I hope the new town clock keeps accurate time, despite its more functional appearance!. (See Ruta’s comment for the wonderfully quirky personality of a public timepiece! Thank you, Ruta!!) Barbara, thank you for all your comments, plus your delightful blog! I love stiles. Marlene, thank you for your lovely comments! Your quilt descriptions are beautiful! I, too, love wool! Thomas! Good to hear from you, again!! Thank you for your always insightful comments! Carla, you’re an inspiration. Beth, I so enjoy your thoughtful conversation! Thank you.  Hope I didn't leave anyone out! Forgive me if I did!


Have a delightful weekend! See you Monday! (Where did this week go??!!)

3 comments:

  1. I was weeding my herb garden this morning and noticed how much a particular grass resembles the chives it was growing next to -they're just trying to survive I guess and disguise might, in some cases, do it! blessings, marlene

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  2. Elora -- The mystery of nature. What dimension do they work off of when weeds emulate the veggies and flowers that we let grow -- yet pull the "bad weeds" around them? I love weeds in balance with my little garden. Yet, I have always been stymied by the "forgery weeds" your post is about -- weeds dressing the part of your garden plants. Which one do you pull. The weeds are hoping their actions will give them a reprieve from being yanked. Oh the mystery of nature. -- barbara

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  3. Can't explain that one. All my weeds here tend to be big and obvious,(who can miss a thistle in the middle of the lawn?) but at least I'm keeping ontop of them this year. I would love to be able to grow veg, our next home will definitely have to have good soil. Here I can only grow food for the soul and plenty of herbs though my beautiful trailing rosemary is finally going to get the heave ho this weekend as the diseased areas are still spreading.

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