M Train by Patti Smith

I asked Patti Smith
to shut up
about all that Nothing.
She replied
If you let me finish.

Dennis found the book at his favorite thrift store
and bought it for Brian.
Brian said I own this book it's Magic
you should read it.
Dennis said OK
and gave it to me.

I fought her for seventy pages or so
then the NYC Water Dept. was a junkie
looking for a mainline
and she spoke to statues
and they replied
and I realized she was Sad
and I let her tell me her story
and I loved it

Summer '19

Groundhog attack.

This year's excuses:

-I don't really like chard
-The broccoli was dead anyways

Strawberry boom.  A week in June where every morning you get a big cup, then a week where every morning you get Two big cups, and then the berries are Gone. The big plant shoots out little baby plants and I gave each one a little handful of compost to grow up in. A way to ensure boominess next year but also a way to say Thank You, Strawberry Patch.

Planted five new blackberry plants for next year.

Built new tomato box (help from TGun).

Baby Levon loves being outside. Rub one of the herbs on your fingers and stick in front of his nose and watch all his senses light up.

The Pointed End of Patience

The garden teaches patience. 

We wait patiently for strawberries.

When they ripen the time is for Action.  No excuses.

If you miss a morning harvest: bugs, rot, rodents.

The berries are gone.

2019 Garden 1

Asparagus - the bed in the alley already booming
                    second year, don't eat too many
                    the big bed not yet
                    but laid fresh Black Earth compost
                    third year no holds barred
Basil - seedling from Cedar Rock Gardens needs a week indoors before planting
Blackberries - single mound with 3-4 canes
                       one real nice one
                        probably needs pruning 
Broccoli - planted 4 seedlings from Cedar Rock
Cannabis - three germinated seeds have sprouted, strain TBD
                  many more seeds in water germinating (hopefully)
Carrots - from seed in the planter by the walkway
               in the bed by the driveway
               and in barrels in the big asparagus bed
               orange and purple
Chamomile - infested the big asparagus bed terribly
                      ripped it up and gave to friends
                      kept coming
                      ripped it up and transplanted to the alley
                      and they took real nice over winter
Chives - before us the big asparagus bed was infested by chives
              many chive plants uprooted
               felt like a murderer and left a single clump
              an homage a thank you to what was once 
               now they boom more than anything but
               we never really eat them
               maybe chopped up on fish once or twice
Garlic- hey look three garlic scapes from last year in the raised bed
Kale - planted two seedlings from Cedar Rock
Mint - stringy lookin' roots so I covered em in compost
Onion - hey look four onions from last year in the alley
Peas - planted in the raised bed
Pepper - bell pepper seeds germinating
Radish - seeds planted in the raised bed
Sage - last year's plant has new buds
Spinach - sowed many rows of seed in the raised bed
Strawberry - transplanted patch looking good in new spot closer to the Cherry Tree
Swiss Chard - planted two seedlings
---
Apple Tree - looks awesome maybe too awesome and needs prune?
Cherry Tree - good looking buds so far
                       need to research how to maximize fruit production
---
Hosta - showing signs of life (year 3!)
Lillies - two varieties of transplants
             one from mom
             one from trudy next door
             can't keep them straight
             one was Japanese right?
Pansy - in the hanging basket above the strawberry patch
             and the triple clay pot my brother's family got us
Parade Roses - after successful winter indoors
                        which produced a winter rose
                        white with red speckles
                        looking like real shite in the front garden 
Rhododendron - three cuttings from a students mom last fall
                           bloomin
                           heard they get big need to keep an eye on these
Snapdragon - already complimented from a stranger/neighbor/passerby
                      line of four (Cedar Rock) facing the street in the front garden
                      learned they were edible

man and cub

we walk in a circle on the second floor
to stop him from crying
past the piano and the wurlitzer
we watch the washer and dryer
outside the coo of a mourning dove
inside the coo of a man cub
his back warm against my belly
seated on my right arm
left arm across his belly
all hands and feet
Time an anchor
slowly dragging the bottom
pulled by an unstoppable force
moving at unfathomable speed
which is also Time

why put yourself through the dark cold winter?

is summer sun sweeter

because of winter snow 

or is that just something we say