Where Has Seda Been?

Well you might ask. I kind of wonder, myself.

I feel like I've been in a perfect storm, but in fact I've simply been home by myself. K and the boys are away, visiting her mom down in California. So, a week to my own devices. Freedom. Lots of time to do whatever. Right?

Yes and no.

I kinda didn't realize how many critters we've accumulated over the last year or so - two sets of bunnies, chickens, a rat, a fish. The fish doesn't take much, and I take care of the chickens anyway. I tried to let the bunnies out for a graze, and one of freaked out and kicked around and almost got away and made deep bloody scratches on the back of my hand. Then I tried to feed the rat some cheese, and she decided to take a bite out of me instead. I jerked my hand back, and the rat came with it. She flew through the air – Splat! On the floor. Poor thing. While she stumbled about drunkenly exploring her broken teeth (not really), I grabbed her by the tail and put her back in.

Then there's the garden. K set up all kinds of irrigation systems to make the watering easier. It's a good thing. If I had to handwater everything like last year, Kristin would come home to a desert. As it is, it feels like all I do is go from hose to hose, switching water around from here to there…

But I get to harvest it, right?

Too right. Endless strawberries, raspberries, peas, the lettuce and chard are bolting, fields of favas – I've eaten fava beans four days in a row, and it looks like I haven't touched the crop yet – and that counts the two bags I gave away. The very act of harvesting the bounty is overwhelming. There is simply no way I can keep up with it. Even the slugs are overmatched.

So tonight I made a salad for tomorrow's lunch. Three kinds of lettuce, steamed fava beans, and hard boiled eggs – every bit of it grown in our own backyard.

When I look at what Kristin has accomplished with growing food this year, I'm impressed. When I try to keep it going, I'm exhausted.