Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Ultimate Reading - Seeds

When we go in search of reading material we start by looking at those genres we enjoy the most.

I've been reading a cross-genre piece these last few days.  It is a combination of fantasy, fiction, romance, horror, thriller, science fiction and action.  Hard to believe all those can be listed together in one read but please, read on to learn all about this fabulous work.

Each year my heart springs forth with eternal hope... I'm reading seed catalogs. 

Each page is filled with fantasy and fiction.  Beautiful images of flowers and plants that supposedly I can grow in my area and match their wonder under my care.  Yeah, right. 

There is romance with the plants I love; tomatoes, sweet corn, gladiolas, dahlias, alyssums and the list continues.

Horror? Thriller?  Very easy with memories of last year's fiasco.  I grew sweet corn and hovered over it as it sprouted and finally matured to tassle out at the top.  My mouth started to water at the prospect of yummy corn soon to be on a platter and ready for a slathering of butter.  Life has been a robust exercise in attempts of trying to keep the birds and small chipmunks at bay. I used techniques which included holographic eyes, hot pepper sauce, cayenne, black pepper sprinkled on the corn to protect the young cobs. Ah, but in the dark of night, when you least expect, THEY strike. RACCOONS. Those pesky critters destroyed my whole crop in one orgiastic night of frenzied feeding on the highly spiced corn.  In the morning's light, there was nothing; the fiesta was over.

Science fiction?  Have you seen some of the things you can sow and grow?  There is a green bean that is over three feet long and curls unbelievably.  There are super warty gourds in shades to make you wonder. White beets with red centers.  Strawberries that taste like raspberries. Why?  Pink blueberries... uh, if they're pink, can they be blueberries?  If you live in the proper climate you can grow your own Venus Fly Trap -- just what every person wants in their flowerbed.  Already this year I have seen ads for ruby red sweet corn... not white, not yellow, not mixed white and yellow.  Red!  I'm not sure how the melting butter would look on it... uh, would the butter turn pink and appear like dripping blood? Plus if you don't think six and seven foot high growing sweet corn is high enough, there is a twelve foot variety of sweet corn with upwards of five, six or more ears on it.  Should I mention there is not only white cauliflower but also purple, green and orange.

As to the action aspect.  Whew!  Try reading through all the lists of garden tools and gadgets without working up a sweat.  Now that is action at its best.

In truth, let it be said that garden seed catalogs are truly some of the best writing around.  Nobody can sit and read it without the itch of wanting to try this or that.  Even Christmas sugarplums don't dance this well.  My wife and I discussed what we would grow in the garden for 2012 - IF WE GREW A GARDEN IN 2012 - while 2011's failures were still fresh in our minds.  I am already pushing for modifications to the plans.  The plan was simple: sweet corn with an electric fence to be added to the mesh and wire fence already in place; this is to keep the raccoons at bay this year. I wanted to direct wire in 220/240 but my sons convinced me to use the normal lower voltages -- I didn't really have to shock the critters into the next community!  Of course there would be a couple of tomato plants, perhaps 2 hills of each: cucumbers, squash, watermelon and cantelope.  The plan was solid.

Wouldn't some lettuce be nice?  How about a couple of pepper plants?  Carrots, I love carrots.  And we can't forget radishes.  And... and... and...

Shall we start on flowers now?  Don't even get me started...  The plan was utter simplicity... petunias and alyssum in flower boxes.  Raised flower beds would be covered with mulch and await the blooming of the fall mums.  But... but... wouldn't geraniums look pretty there?  How about some marigolds and zinnias along the low wall?  How about some roses in front of the high wall?  And just think how daylilies would look out by the road!!  And... and... and...

Why am I talking about seed catalogs?  I'm a writer and I can only hope my writing to be as exhilerating as a seed catalog.  Imagine being able to tug your reader to such actions?  Of course I'm happy just making sure the reader keeps turning the pages until the end.  I've been told I accomplished that with my novel "2012: Timeline Apocalypse" which is in both ebook and paperback at Amazon or signed copies at my website.

Well, back to my reading and dreaming; seed catalogs.

Until next I ramble...

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