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A Snip Here and There April 25, 2010
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A Snip Here and There
April 25, 2010

What an idyllic morning....fresh sunlight sifting through the fig and crepe myrtle trees, dappling the lawn, highlighting the snapdragons in the field, and the larkspurs purple and white. And near the back porch the David Austin “Heritage” roses, issue fragrance aromatically pink. Such a great spring for flowers of all kinds.

It feels like the farm is in the country side, as fence-line trees, now leafed out, nearly hide the surrounding houses. Rusty Roo and the neighbors’ rooster, daily entranced with their harems and with life, greet the day as a duo, while the hens cackle as they fulfill their destinies. A few songbirds, unintimidated by the starlings, chirp in the oak tree. Only the road traffic from nearby thoroughfares reminds us, we are still in the city.

But on the back porch, we are peasants none the less. It’s finally the Sunday for haircuts. “Mr. Kenneth” is not manning the shears and comb; it is we who snip away at each other’s locks.

As Larry perches on a farm stand cashier’s stool, I think, as I pull the comb through his silvering hair that the stars must not be lined up in favor of this hair cut. I keep getting things uneven. And there is not much room to make bad clips on a man’s hair, so I’m a bit nervous.  Although I’ve cut his hair many times, I tell him, this won’t be my best attempt. But at least the hair will be shorter....

At times I think I don’t get the crops right either. I let the larkspur and poppies shade out the rhubarb, which struggled for height all through the recent darkness of winter. Oh, we weeded out the flowers when they were intruding too intimately upon the rhubarb transplants, but I left the young ornamentals growing in the footpaths as I couldn’t bear to eliminate all flowers. Even if the cost would be financial -- or worse, disappointment amongst rhubarb lovers -- if I didn’t. But actually the problem of slow growth started during mid-winter’s three months with scarcely eight days of full sunshine. That’s not enough sun for robust growth of any plants. Our kale, broccoli and Brussels sprout plants were stunted, and no larkspurs hindered them. But the rhubarb alone got the double whammy. And all for beauty.

Beauty, however, is important in Nature. It inspires us to act as Nature’s agents, to plant seeds, grow flowers and many colors of tomatoes and eggplants, and of course tend chickens known for their style as well as for their beautiful eggs. It is also important on the farm stand tables. Ugly vegetables seduce no one into eating healthily. I don’t know if ugly specimens contain less nutrients; probably that’s not the issue. The real issue is whether someone will eat them or not. Of course, if they are too beautiful, sometimes they wind up as a table centerpiece, dallying in a bowl or platter, as their nutrition seeps away.

But it’s good to nourish the soul as well as the body.

Finally I finish shaping Larry’s neck line. A jig and jag here and there, but at least, it’s all shorter. He no longer looks like a “professor” of arcane agriculture studies. And now it’s my turn. My hair has gotten so long that it needs its own pillow at night. So I asked him to cut off three inches straight across my back.

When he finished, saying, at least it is shorter, I gathered the six inches of hair, stepped off the porch and into the kitchen garden, and laid them around my brother’s memorial angel. Like a sibling to his ashes, they would feed the soil. As I placed them there, I brushed against the pink roses and a shower of petals completed the gift -- a gift, indirectly, to the roses themselves, and to beauty, and to love.

Carol Ann



PS: This Saturday, May 1st, come visit the flowers, the strawberries and vegetables, and renown cookbook author Deborah Madison! Deborah’s newest book, Seasonal Fruit Desserts, from Orchard, Farm and Market,  is a stunningly beautiful tribute to fruit in season. Laurie Smith’s photographs capture the fruits in simple and scrumptious splendor.

Fruit crops look to be good this year, so let  Deborah’s book inspire you -- she’ll sign it of course -- and when the berries, figs and pears are ready, you will be also. Deborah Madison is a champion of small family farms and ranches, of farmers’ markets and backyard gardens. Of eating beautiful fruits and vegetables. Of eating well.  9 AM to 1 PM, Saturday.

Possibly earlier is fine, if Book People can get the books set up....Most of you know you are always welcome early. Just be patient with us, please, as we are still harvesting and completing the market setup.

PPS: Speaking of Book People, our venerable local store, Edible Austin will be debuting the new Edible Communities cookbook. Friday, May 7th. More info soon.

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