Broccoli for Breakfast.

or, We Have Peas!

Hot here, in the 70s and 80s overnight, with a storm predicted to cool us off tonight or tomorrow.

Still, with all the early rain and cool temps we've had this season, the garden is showing no signs of wilt. But you know me, I like to get out there in the early morning, keep an eye on things, and water sparingly as needed.

This morning, in the pea patch of the residential plot, we have sugar snap peas! I consumed about 10 of the larger ones, and noted the white flowers and smaller ones to come. These are seeds started in my backroom, and transplanted into the ground in late May at about 2 or 3 inches. The adjacent rows were started from seeds in the ground, at differing intervals.

I also spotted: a green caterpillar (not the moth, but the butterfly type) on the tops of the celery stalks; a small critter jumping out of the base as I watered the pea stalks (turned out to be a frog, not a mouse as I initially thought seeing it dart out, and then back in again. Betcha he appreciated the extra watering trickling down to him at the roots, shaded from the heat as he was.)

The bad spotting? A cabbage moth in the making (a green worm that had laid plenty of green eggs on the outer leaf) that was squished between my fingers, hoping I got him before he spreads to the rest of the cabbage plants...

Still, the spinach, chard, broccoli and now peas, are coming in fast and plentiful. I usually have breakfast out there, in the raw. (The rain waters are clean enough here that you don't have to rinse, plus it's been plenty dry above ground that you're not consuming much dirt on the lower leaves either.)

You know, some people say good health is a matter of "luck". Being born with good genes, as if good looks and health aren't a resulting factor of lifestyle choices and sacrifices in other areas. "Your health is your wealth."

Don't let them fool you with such nonsense. It's work, a daily ritual, keeping your body running good, much like an old car can keep on performing up to 6-cylinder power, if you take care of it and practice preventative maintenance.

Not saying no luck is involved, just wondering why if we Americans preach the sanctity of respecting private property, we don't consider our very own personal bodies -- and how we take care of them, or not -- to be something "hands off" as to having to involuntarily contribute to the costs/needs of those who seemingly have lesser in the luck department.

Someday too,
probably when the total impact of the coming financial crisis hits us in this country, we're going to stop treating sick and unhealthy people as victims that society needs to care for, and start treating only the poor and indigent who would otherwise go without care. Where this policy came about that if a sickly or disabled baby is born to even an extremely affluent person, the rest of society has to step up and share financially in their misfortune, is beyond me. We don't force others to fund those who have made poor financial or career choices, why do we have to pay for those who have seemingly "had it all in life", yet eventually come up short in the health department?

Riddle me that, and I predict we're well on our way to helping solve/prevent so many of the costly social problems that continue to grow in this country...