It's July

I had one of those Blogger moments, just now, when the last five minutes were wiped out in one quick and simple Ctrl V command. Apparently, copy and paste will erase your old information...and Blogger's automatic saving means what was there is now obliterated for all eternity.

It wasn't that good of a post.

We're without a television in our home, which is a novelty. The LCD screen went bad, and so while we wait for the new box o'fun to arrive, I can see myself and my father struggling with what to do with ourselves. Four weeks and I've become soft, addicted to mindless entertainment...

Which is a wonderful excuse to relive some of my favorite childhood summer memories. And at the top of that list is tromping through our 100 acres of woods and fields. As I type, my fingertips are stained a deep mulberry red. I went for a berry picking excursion for lunch, our black cat trotting alongside, giving me a quizzical eye when I stop to remove my shoes and feel the cool grass and moss under my toes. He walks around barefoot pretty near everywhere; but I haven't forgotten how delicious it is, especially after a rain.

Something I miss about living in the city is the ability to walk outside and feed myself. In the spring, summer, and fall our Indiana woods are awash with edibles: dandelion, mushrooms, mulberries, raspberries, blackberries, honeysuckle, violets, sassafras leaves, and so much more…the garden is stocked with tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, zucchini, corn, asparagus, greens, beans, etc… As the USAmerican food culture becomes more and more adulterated (I actually understand the FDA is approving cloned animals for food purposes?!), it’s refreshing to know exactly where that sandwich or salad or steak came from. And there's something deeply satisfying about the whole process of gathering. Humans just seem to have a connection to the ground. Call it a result of our hunter gatherer roots or an innate longing for Eden...

It's too bad I can't keep plants alive.