Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:12:17 -0400
From: “N.A. Booko”
Subject: A tiny Tiny miracle . . .revisited
I wrote the following over a month ago-
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.
Update: Monday April 7th
Sadly, I report that my 13 year old cat, Maggie died unexpectedly shortly after I wrote that piece.
But back to the little bean- I potted it up and put it under lights and it now is a vine about 25 inches long and have two full size beans on it. My hope is to carefully move it outside and plant in the ground and at least get one ‘mess’ or helping out of it. And of course, save some of the seeds.
Life is grand and sad- I miss my Maggie . .
N.A. Booko
(N.A. Booko lives and picks at life in Chatham County)