Eggs for Seeds

I took two pomegranates to my neighbor. We traded my jumbo fruit for two of their fresh chicken eggs harvested this morning from a backyard coop. They have had chickens years before the laws against farm animals in unincorporated Sacramento suburban homes changed to allow raising chickens. My neighborhood consists of predominately USSR immigrants that have gardens and livestock flourishing in our quarter-acre yards. Every since the blow up of the economy many homes have live fowl and gardens. It’s nice the Sacramento government finally approve of people raising their own food.

Three of the eight houses on our cul-de-sac share fruit and veg with other suburban farmers like me. I have a small orchard consisting of nine mature trees. I’ve trained the orange and tangerine to yield fruit  January through March.  You know you are living in California if you can pick a sweet orange off your tree on a crisp New Year’s Day—frost on the leaves and the sun on your back. Tartarian cherry and Bing cherry are ripe May and June.  Blueberries June. Blackberries July. Almonds August. Fuji Apples August through September. Pomegranates end the season in September and October.  My farm is blessed.

I have a black thumb for gardening mainly due to my complete lack of interest in hard work. Ask my cousin Cindy. She slaves over her tomatoes, zucchini, cukes, peppers, onions, watermelons and beans. Not to mention the work she goes through to prep the soil before and after planting. I am more than happy to take the canned vegetables she makes off her hands every fall.

I have learned herbs (which are tasty weeds) and trees are tended by the master gardener— God. I trim trees once every two years, put a hose on the roots when HE doesn’t bring rain, and pick the bounty. I love this arrangement.

Today’s Menu:

Breakfast: Hot oatmeal and almond milk. Tea Earl Grey Hot with honey.

Snack: Pomegranate Seeds

Lunch: Trader Joe’s Frozen Channa Masala (360 calories Vegetarian Gluten Free)

Snack:  Home grown Fuji apples

Dinner: Evangelism Committee meeting at Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant, Madison Avenue.  No calories in church events. Chips, salsa, Seafood enchiladas with black beans. Ice Tea

Snack: Chocolate covered cranberries

Rising from Seiza

Most of yesterday afternoon I spent in the removal of two forty-year-old rose bushes. I managed to pull the dirt around the bases only to find roots as big around as my arm and just as long. Clearing another two feet of dirt, I decided that the only way the plants could be freed was to saw through the main roots. My husband bought a nine-inch branch saw a few years ago that fit my need perfectly.

I plopped down on two knees with my fanny resting on my heels and shoved that saw back and forth over the massive root. After cutting all the way through and twisting out the thorny bush, I scooted on my legs to the next plant and repeated the process. When the final rose gave way, I rotated onto the soles of my feet and stood.

With amazement, I realized that I completed a perfect Geisha seiza-style kneeling posture and managed to stand-up from that position without help, groaning, pain, or use of supporting material. Something I did when I was a child, in my twenties, and even as late as my thirties. I’m thrilled that I handled physical work without my back screaming. I’m excited that I can sit on my heels. I’m surprised at this evidence that I am no longer obese and have regained the physical motion I once had.

My aunt passed away a few years ago with cancer. She was a heavy-set woman. When Mom visited her in those last months, Aunt Kate told her that the fat kept her from being flexible not age then she pulled her leg to the side of her head. I now understand what she was talking about.

Oh yes, I still have the aches and pains the next day from overdoing on home projects. My back will always remind me of the 1980 motorcycle accident that squished my fifth lumbar. But now I find that losing the weight gives me greater range of motion and flexibility.

It is nice to feel younger.

P.S. My next-door neighbor took the rose bushes for his garden.