today, this week, this month...

....and this year, this life.

Thank you for choosing me to share it with you. I hope this too will be a good one, and there shall be many more.

Love you forever.

a gift from the earth

I ate the first tomato that came off our tomato plants in the backyard.

What a gift to the senses!

It looked all bumpy -- in fact it actually looked ugly, not at all pretty to look at, not like the ones we see in the supermarket. But of course I've seen these "slightly imperfect" looking vegetables at local farmers' market.

M sliced it for me, and sprinkled a bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. It smelled like the afternoon sun, and it tasted like sunshine.

Mmmmm. Joy. Delight.

It is a gift from the earth, gift of agricultural history, gift of love, gift of nature, and it is a gift of God.

and so it goes

In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along

I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
My silence is my self defense

And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose

But if my silence made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can have this heart to break

And this is why my eyes are closed
It's just as well for all I've seen
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows

So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break

And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows.

----- Billy Joel

happy birthday america

What a great country this is.

fresh off the cornstalk

I'd like it uncooked, in my salad, please.