Courage.

Lately I've been channeling the Cowardly Lion. I am boggled by the amount of courage it takes for the modern American to wake up in the morning, carry all our responsibilities and be all the things we are supposed to be. But the more I think about it, I find that it takes more courage than I ever thought imaginable to wake up and be yourself and accept--no, sprint down--the path your life is taking...I am similarly inspired by this:


I swear to you, the lessons I learn in my garden govern my entire universe. I successfully planted potatoes in late summer--dreamy little blue and Yukon gold fingerling darlings--and couldn't wait to have more. In early December I bought a bag of Yukon golds at the market, cut them into chunks and planted them in every available pot on the balcony (several recently vacated by the end of tomato season). Mostly I wanted to see if I could grow potatoes in the winter, as every garden publication warned against it. This is impossible, said vegetable gardening books in the local bookstore. Wait till the spring, said the garden expert websites.

But nature--the original pioneer--had something else going: Um, no thank you, no, I'm ready for action now. Every pot I planted potatoes in has dear little sprouts like these. Take that, winter of 2010, with your dark mornings and your dew on my windshield and your gloomy nights! I am ready. For life. Now.