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I cut this last melon from the vine yesterday. I could tell it was ripe because the tendril closest to the fruit had browned, and the fragile rind was so tight that if I thumped it too hard it would break. After brushing off the dirt, I tucked it under my right arm, left the fenced off garden, and fended off a very curious dog as I carried it to the house. So heavy, like a small child, but without any arms to cling back to me. I thought about how difficult it would be to a farm worker, carrying the large fruit one at a time to a harvest trailer, how much strength and endurance it would take.
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The seeds are tan with dark, charcoal-colored shoulders and edges; they're buckskin seeds.
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Though last school year was so tough it made me question my career choice, this year has begun so well. My students are kind and funny people, people I want to see each day, and that makes every day better. They've been good days, but long and busy—I'm behind on every other part of my life.
Today, when I should have been grading, I tried to catch up in my garden. I planted the garlic into the big bed I had prepped for it last week. In another bed, before I amended the soil with composted manure, blood-and bonemeal, then planted it full of brassicas, I pulled all the old squash and melon vines. It had been a bad year for squash, but it had been a very, very good year for melons.
6 comments:
That is the prettiest mellon. I bet having the extra weight off has given you more energy to take on school and gardening chores. Congrats on a good class.
My mother puts salt on everything, and then if it leans towards the savory, she throws pepper on it too. Not a tradition I kept up with.
That's how I learned to eat melons, not just watermelon, with salt, always. My husband still thinks it's weird and I still think it's the best way to enjoy a melon. I wish I could grow my own, but it's just not hot enough here to sweeten them up, presuming I could even keep one safe from munching rodents.
Congratulations on dropping the weight! I know what hard work it is to take it off, I took off 15 pounds last year which brings me down 20 from my high a few years before that. I think similar thoughts as yours when I have to carry something heavy up the 40 steps to my front door, or every time I look at a pound of butter (which I have not given up) and think that I used to pack a bunch of those around my middle, my thighs, my rear...
Keep up the good work, on the diet, in the garden, in the classroom - you have so much to be proud of!
Hi, do you think you could update the sidebar link you have for me? It's been over a year now since coopette.com moved to emmacooper.org :) Doesn't time fly!
Thanks
Emma
PA: I have plenty of seeds if you'd like to try growing it next year.
Michelle: Thanks! I haven't given up butter either, just trying to be balanced and well-exercised. It's worked!
Emma: I'm so sorry. I'll get on it right now!
Christina - Your melon is gorgeous! I planted one sole Orangeglo seed I had left from a packet you gave me a little over a year ago. I got one melon (6 lbs) and I harvested it too early!! Just barely turning orange. So sad, but live and learn, as the saying goes.
We eat our cantaloup with salt all the time, but I never thought to put in on watermelon. Yum!
I wish we could grow melons - that looks so delicious! Congratulations on the weight loss - what a major achievement. Funnily enough, it's been a good year for squashes in southern England ... 10 Turks Turbans and eight butternuts from our plot this year!
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