Toadfish Monastery

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Hey little girl, you with the big appetite

The first time I saw you, naked, squalling
laid on my belly with your cord still pulsing
oh darling, I was overcome with your hunger
you bruised my nipple with your voracity
you knew what to do and you set out for it.
Oh god I loved you from your first stirrings
I loved your kick and I loved your anger
your lust for life, your outraged screaming
your slimy wet nuzzlings at my bosom!
They counted your fingers and exclaimed
at how long they were, how strong you were.
I knew your strength, I'd felt it for months
counting the jolts in my belly and smiling
at our own inner secret, our union, our bond
and you, here, finally outside me, covered
in blood and vernix and all I could think of
was how soft your skin was, how beautiful
your hair. Eleven hours of labor, nothing!
I could do it again, on my head, arms tied!
Your father wept, proudly; like a little girl
was how he described it, like his daughter.
And you, my darling, my pride, oblivious
to us and to all but your discomfort at this
sudden change of environment, you slid
into our world all purple and mad, full of
the rage of the newborn, perfectly righteous,
perfectly formed, perfectly loved, and all,
everything, was in an instant perfectly right.

Since the discussion started here, I thought I'd better post the link to my cheeseburger experiment blog so you can, if you wish, follow my progress. Ahem, excuse me, I mean "progress". There is no real point to this, I'm just doing it for lulz and curiosity.

http://cheeseburgerexperiment.blogspot.com/

It looks like I'm not alone in being a garden enthusiast... anyone want to talk homesteading with me?

My mom was always an avid gardener, and taught gardening classes, so as soon as I had a home of my own I planted fruit trees and started cultivating a garden. This year has been one of my most lush gardens ever, and I think that once the tomatoes are gone I may be able to get some kale in and have greens through winter. I also got chickens this year, which I  adore so much! So far, with eight pullets, I'm getting about three eggs a day. I think two of my girls haven't started laying yet.

I think my yard is a bit maxed out at this point, but most of my young trees aren't really producing yet. When they are, I will have apples, apricots, cherries, pawpaws, figs, and persimmons, as well as grapes, raspberries, and blueberries.

I did get a pretty big apricot harvest this year, and dried most of them. I've got a bunch of tomatoes canned (the Cherokee Purple are incredible this year!) and will have a bunch more to go if we get one more week of sun... otherwise I'll can them green, with chilies.

I don't know what the heck to do with all these cucumbers! The beets at least can winter in the ground.

What's everyone else up to with their gardens?

I'm not sure what to say about myself... I like beading, cooking, gardening, hiking and swimming, and I just got into kayaking this year. I love books but I don't have as much time to read as I used to. I'm mostly a homebody, but I go out with my friends twice a week or so, to workout or have dinner or whatever.

Anyway, hi! I heard this was an interesting, open-minded site, so I thought I poke my head in and wander around a bit.