Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 12:55:04 -0500
From: “N.A. Booko”
Subject: Tiny miracle . . .
I am a saver of seeds. I have saved seeds of beans grown by my family for 75 years or more. Last fall I collected the few remaining bean pods before frost. I dried them on the window sill over the kitchen sink. At some point I remember accidentally knocking them over and them scattering. I picked up what I could find. That was more than a month ago. I have a double stainless steel kitchen sink. The one on the left, I use only to hold the dish rack, drains the dishes after washing. Since I use very few dishes, I seldom put clean ones away. I use the same ones again, that is, until I break one and then I replace it. Breaking is far more frequent as I age.
About four days ago, I reached to get a clean plate out of the rack- As I lifted the plate, I could see what appeared to be a bit of green lettuce or something on the plate still in the rack. Upon close inspection, I found that it was a bean had fallen into the sink trap, sprouted and grew up into the drying rack. The dry bean was small enough that it could have fallen all the way into the drain pipe, but I believe it lodged catty corner and once it got wet, it swelled up and would not pass through. The roots were quite long going down into the drain.
I immediately consulted the other side of my brain, a well known professional authority on domestic issues. A long pair of medical tweezers did the trick. The tender plant was rescued amid cheers from onlookers. (Maggie, Danny and Max- my four legged children). Carefully nestled in a container now, in a sunny window, the unexpected baby bean is awaiting potting up and providing me and mine with mouth watering fresh green treats.
Ain’t life grand?
N.A. Booko
(N.A. Booko lives and blunders in Chatham County)