Fresh Greens From the Garden Kings

The weather was really nice yesterday, a break from this pseudo-spring and fake-me-out warmth. As you know, housematedude Dale and I have a garden out back. Last year was the beginning, this time it’s for real. I walked on over to our “year-1 bed,” the first one we constructed as a sort of experiment. The first go ‘round, we planted everything in the confines of its 4x8’ foot frame. This time though, there’s a system, and it’s starting to work. Coincidentally, “year-1” is in the midst of a naming competition. The winner will receive a container of organic cherry tomatoes, so enter now.

The red-leaf lettuce and Rocket Arugula clamored to be eaten. Green-sheen is one of those interesting springtime colors, one that really doesn’t exist any other time of the year. As the name suggests, the red-leaf possesses a deep ruddy shade of carotenes, those heroes of the antioxidant world. I snapped a few of the largest bottom leaves from both types, put them in my big white Ikea bowl (you know, the Crate & Barrel knockoffs that cost $2.99), and took ‘em in the house for a washin’. After getting all the dirt off, I dumped the wash water into the rainwater catchment barrel. Remember, it’s all about conservation folks. Not that water’s super-expensive, but I like to get myself into habits of not wasting anything that can be used again. Plus, those are Karma points - *ding*. At this point in our story, I feel it wise to admit that the additional ingredients were storebought; the onion and dressing from Glut Co-op just up the road, and the red pepper from uhm...uh...well, okay it came from Sam’s Club. I didn’t buy it though, Pat did, for some conference. I’m sure it was shipped all the way from California and was laden with pesticide residues. Not sustainable at all. If only we had a heated greenhouse.... That's really the only reason I want to be a billionaire - to own thousands of organic greenhouses heated with recycled vegetable oil, but I digress.

Yes, this was good. I’m happy today.