"Well, Who'da Thunk It", as my Mom used to say.

Cappy called early this morning. He said he was so touched that he was near moved to tears. Since the Hurricane rolled over the River last Fall, he really hadn't been going up and down her, but rather had been visiting oil fields out in the back bayous. When he did happen to go down the River, lately, it was at night and so, couldn't see anything. On his travels he has become familiar with some of the people along the banks, although he has never spoken with any of them. He relishes watching them and talking about them, the life they must have, according to the stories he imagines they live; nice people. As he drives the boat, I too, can almost see what and who he is describing. Sadly, most of what he has relayed to me of late, is that of destruction and not a whole lot of recovery. He hadn't seen any of the folks since last Fall. This sweet Cappy obsessed about each family and prayed for those whom he no longer sees, and wonders if they 'made it' through the Storm. Today, as he was about to enter the locks at Algiers, to get into the River, he was able to spot one of his 'couples'. He was just thrilled. They are an older Vietnamese couple, who have, "it's gotta be two acres, Peg, at least!" garden. He decribed "Paw Paw" workin' his compost pile with a huge hoe, and "Mamasan" in her big straw hat,picking something, maybe some kind of vegetable, and putting them in a five gallon pail. They have all kinds of things growing in their huge garden that he's unfamiliar with, like perhaps lemon grass. He said they are up in the garden working at 5 a.m. and work til around 9 or 10 a.m., then go inside and come back out and tend the garden some more around 4 p.m. til around dark. He so much enjoys their enterprise and the fact that they are an inseperable team. Here Cappy doesn't even know these people personally, he thinks so very highly of them, and sincerely cares about them. It was seeing them today together, their garden, tho ragged around the edges, has sprung to life and is producing exceptionally well.
Then of course, he asked me how our 'back forty' was doing. It was around nine this morning. He asked if I had gotten out and picked our beans yet. NOPE. But I did after that...I was going to anyhow. I may have mentioned in past blog entries, that when Cappy suggested we put in a garden, I thought, "Ok, sure". But then when he put in this tiny boxed in area, 4 feet x12 feet, filled it in with good soil and called it our garden, I truly was wondering about the man. When he had me help him put plants in each and every marked off square, I just knew it was going to be a snarled mess, with everything fighting for space, sunlight, and nutrients. I've been around gardeners all my life. My Dad, my Mom, my grandparents. They all had huge gardens, not unlike the Vietnamese couple. Well, about this square foot garden. I held my tongue the whole while we planted and things started growing. I finally let go of my tongue long enough to say, "Wow!!" After a couple of years now, I'm totally sold. Look at the big pan of green beans I picked this morning. It's the second picking. There are a whole lot more growing that were still too small to get today. And then when I told Cappy, he said, "And the season isn't really going full blast yet...I'm tellin' ya, you gonna be busy with those beans and tomatoes this year." The tomatoes...they are still green...today anyhow.
And before I head out to mess around in the yard weeding, etc., here's another 'update' on how Cappy's grape arbor is growing. Oh! And the grapes are really in there. Pictures of them to follow mayhaps soon. Have a great day! We Love Ya'll!