31

According to the Book of Discipline, a young adult is someone who is "approximately" 18-30 years of age. Which means that I am now, officially, young only in an approximate sense.

I do, however, give thanks for all 31 completed years, and for celebrations yesterday, which included cobbler, cake and a choco taco. (Plus a full moon, good company, and the rest of Weeds, Season 2. I'm hooked on Weeds, which is, I suppose, how a show about a drug is supposed to work. I should be glad it's not named for a more addictive substance. And, since we're never going to have Showtime, I'm attempting to cultivate patience as I wonder what will happen to dear, deep-in-trouble Nancy. It's all clever social commentary. And has that addictive "Little Boxes" song that Pete Seeger used to sing. I would not, however, recommend showing it to small children.)

My folks have been here this week. I just took Mom to the airport, and am working at my transition back to regular life. It's fun to show them my life, but, as one might guess, life is different when they're here. Oh, the impossibility!

My neighbors of the Garden Club have been coming by in search of access to a little piece of ground where they can plant whatever they want; I've been too busy to come out and play. Maybe tonight. Or tomorrow.

word on the street

To Matt, she said:
Yo, your house is phat juiced up.

I take that as approval of our new paint scheme. Rock on.

more beautiful things

i'm just excited because i got to see sinead o'connor sing last night.


and, as grace would have it, it's giving me things to ponder as i read contemplate how to preach Jeremiah again this week.

one thing i love about sinead is her resilient and bold inability to play to audiences. mad props to sinead for dedicating a song to britney spears, speaking up for a mother who's being trashed in the press. "keep your chin up," sinead offered her, along with a rockin song. it feels similar to the line she keeps walking between giving voice to powerful lines from scripture while distancing herself from the churches that use them.

she talked about how she's been talking to lots of christian press folks as she promotes this album. and how they're not all thrilled when she says that god doesn't like war. (she used different langauge for the "not all thrilled" bit, as i remember it.)

amen, sister.

on color and things i find beautiful

I found someone near me who has chickens--17 wonderful, varied chickens in her backyard on the canyon. And, she sells their eggs. They are a beautiful collection of wondrous colors. (As are the chickens themselves. They looked very happy.)

I'm glad to have a local source of well-raised eggs. If you're in the area, and would like to know where to get some, let me know. I'd be happy to connect you!
And, this morning, I'm pondering how long it will be before I change my profile picture. My house doesn't look so much like that any more. It's more colorful now.
I don't know if it's the new color of the house or the growth in the garden, but it seems like many more people are stopping to tell us they like our garden these days. A family came by a few weeks ago, and asked after the too-dry-for-sweet-corn ears of corn then standing in my yard. I shared some corn, and they came back that evening with fresh tamales!

Last night, the littlest member of what shall henceforth be known as the Garden Club (that is, the kids who live next door who are keen on helping in our garden) was helping me pick grape tomatoes so I could take some to book club. After finding five or six in the midst of what's become an overgrown region of sprawling tomatoes, leafy rhubarb, out-of-control strawberry plants and more bermuda grass than I'd like, I was ready to give up. Little D, though, kept going--finding so many they wouldn't all fit in my bowl. With a mischievous 3-year-old smile, he'd lift up his arm and say, "Another one!" There were plenty for snacking in the garden AND for taking to book club.

help with the yardwork

I made friends last week.

Two girls who live next door--one in the front house and one in an apartment in the back, off they alley, came over and knocked on my door.

"We really like your garden. We think you look nice. Will you be our friend?"

So now I have two new friends. One who just started 7th grade, and one beginning 4th. (Plus, her little brother who's about 3.) They want to help in my garden.

Last week, I didn't work outside very much. (At least, not after they'd already come by.) But this past weekend, we planted some things in the back yard: calla lilies from a church friend, and papaya seedlings that grew from seeds from a fruit enjoyed this spring. Oh, and we got to play with the worms that live in the backyard's dirt.

What could be better?