Cynically Optimistic

The selection of vegetables that crosses my palate is fairly limited, both in variety and quantity. Mostly I like the starchy veggies. Hell, I didn't eat a single salad without grimacing until I was in college. Thank you, Burge cafeteria for forcing me to the salad bar. Okra, however, is one of those weirdo southern veggies that I love love love. Except when it's boiled, then it becomes a slimy mess. For me, chop it in cross sections, bread it lightly, and fry it up in an electric skillet. Apply salt. That's good eats.

Last year my dad handed me a small ziplock bag of what looked like black BBs. "Here, plant some okra in your new place." So I packed them in my carry-on and flew back with the seeds. I planted approximately 200 seeds and waited 2 weeks. Three lonely plants actually grew in my garden. I suspected that either the X-rays rendered the seeds useless, or the seeds were duds to begin with, or the birds ate them all. I think I managed to collect enough pods for one lousy meal.

This year I got fresh seeds and wrapped them in tin-foil for the trip through the x-ray machine. I also planted them indoors and kept them nice and warm near the heater by the window. Three days later I have sprouts! Wheeee!!!! There are more than enough, anyone want to plant some Okra in the backyard?

As a completely random aside, this thought went through my head while typing this entry:

Crispity, Crunchity, Peanut Buttery - I, give, my, self, to, you... Butterfinger.... Okay, I don't know where that came from, but I was channelling David Allen Grier doint Maya Angelou from SNL back in the day. I should dig out and post that audio blurb.... I bet it's on YouTube... [it's not, I checked :( ]