Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Spuds

Dear Alice,

Did you know that it is the International Year of the Potato? I love potatoes...and while complaints of how many times we had them in a week (when the children were small and budgets stretched thin) still ring in my ears, I love it when potatoes are on the menu! Imagine my surprise and delight when this morning I discover that Ted Kooser, former poet laureate of the US, has this gem in his little book, Valentines!

A New Potato

This is just one of the leathery eggs

the scuffed-up, dirty turtle of the moon

buried early in spring, her eyes like stars

fixed on the future, and, inside its red skin,

whiteness, like all of the moons to come,

and marvelous, buttered with light.


This, shared with the World in the CS Monitor today.


Last spring I had high hopes with the blue potatoes I planted, but was Oh! so disappointed when the squirrels, too, thought they made a lovely dinner. I lost almost half my seedling potatoes to them. A dry, droughty summer made for a final crop that was almost what I planted in number. So, I have left the potato growing to those whose focus is not fiber of the fuzzy kind, but instead pays more attention to his crops in the field.

We bought 100 pounds of potatoes at the Traverse City Farmers' Market at the end of the season. 20 lbs. of blues, 10 lbs of a nice white for smashed potatoes, 20 lbs of red-skinned, and 50 lbs of Idaho bakers. Oh! and 10 lbs of Yukon Golds. As I recall, Mr. Westmaas threw in the whites for mashing for us to test. I must put potatoes on the menu for tonight!

Snow again, but at least it has warmed up to a balmy 14°F!

I'll be checking with you later today to see how the appointment with the doctor went.

Stay warm!
Nancy

3 comments:

DollyDumpling said...

Nancy thanks for kind comments. Now that I've got a pattern I have to source some interesting chunky wool. I like things to be quirky and like yourself, love colour. That's my task for tomorrow. there are few wool shops now, so I'll have to go online.
Was intrigued by "blue" potatoes. Never heard of them. In Scotland we have Maris Pipers for French fries and roast, King Edwards and Kerrs Pinks for mash and in early summer, tiny Ayrshires which are scrubbed clean and boiled- absolutely delicious.
When we lived in Troon on the coast, we could grow any vegetables, but not carrots or potatoes. Don't know why, as the soil was really fertile.
Now I grow everything in gro bags. yesterday I picked spring onions which have survived the winter and also herbs which have been outside all winter. Must be something to do with global warming!

Mary

Nancy JC said...

Hello again Mary! At dinner tonight I heard that you got busted. Tsk, tsk! You ARE supposed to be a good girl until you are well! However, rest assured that I would probably have done the same thing, though w/out the aid of an accomplice!

Did you really pull some spring green onions? We have "walking onions" (they drop their blossom heads down to the ground and start a whole new bunch. I would LOVE to be able to pull some, though just now there is probably 10 inches of snow over them all. I have a "garden quilt" over my French lettuce, so when this weather takes a turn more toward Spring, it will have a head start!

This morning at 3 a.m. I took a peek out the bedroom window and there was a white-tailed deer munching on the Viburnum! Needless to say, I shoo-ed him away! They are eating everything in sight since it is harder to find a good munch.

Now, I don't mean to tempt you further—just take a look at Ann R's (she's in U.K.) beautiful red hoodie. This is such a pretty sweater that I caved in and bought the pattern. http://tiny.cc/768D0 I really need RED in January and February!

Hope you got some yarn! Now get to work! You will want to wear your creation before you go back to school!

Best regards.

DianeSchuller.com said...

Nancy, great to see I inspired you to spread the word about the lovely spud and it's special year! What a great poem you found too. What a great ditty!

Diane
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