evening
Apr 17, 2008 I feel like a legitimate Californian now. But when I come home to see my parents, I remember that I’m a Virginia girl at my core.
It’s early spring and I was just outside, where the air smells like the first mow of spring with a little bit of horse and a little bit of manure and a little bit of crabapple blossoms. The moon is almost full and the geese cut through the pink-streaked sky.
This afternoon, we made fresh lemonade stuffed with mint, and the screen door slammed when I brought it outside. Then it was mint juleps, and now it’s almost dinner from the grill and more time with my niece, sisters, and parents.
I haven’t read Animal Vegetable Miracle yet. I’m stalking it until it comes out in hardback, but I dipped into it at the airport bookstore and read a line that stopped me in my tracks. I don’t have it here to quote verbatim, but it was something about moving back to Virginia, where her family was, and how that meant she could decorate her family’s graves with peonies from her garden.
When I read it, that sentiment hit me right in the gullet.
I ducked inside to write this but it feels wrong to leave the darkening evening and the family, so I’m heading back out.
etc
Reader Comments (3)
A sister-in-law recommended this book to me over dinner at Commander's Palace in New Olreans a few weeks ago. We spent the enitre dinner time describing this and Omnivore's Dilemma to our fellow family diners. I just got Kingsolver's book from the library - poetically honest, with interesting ideas thrown in too. Can't wait to get more into it...Hope you enjoy it, too, when you get a copy.
Jennifer
Thanks Jennifer, and I love that you're a fellow library user. On my flight home the other day, I saw someone reading a book with the telltale SF Public Library stamp across the top and felt an immediate kinship.
In my day job, I got the chance to interview Michael Pollan at a local farmers market not that long ago. He's definitely a hero with his clarity of thought and his article in yesterday's NYT magazine has inspired me to make my vegetable garden more productive. Thanks for your well wishes.
kelly, m:g:g
I'm somewhat late in seeing this post... but it hit home, as I am a Virginian who moved to San Francisco, stayed for 10 years, and then finally moved back to VA again. You made me want to make some lemonade and mint juleps.
I will always love SF, and I do miss it, although I enjoy the change of seasons and how lush & green this wonderful state of VA is. And I'm happy with the recent change in politics, as well. Thanks for your post.