The Gardener’s Medicine Cabinet: Authenticity as a Core Principle
Written by biscuit on July 18, 2008 – 5:24 pm -I finally got my ginger and lemon grass plants over here. The ginger plants are looking wan, which is to be expected — they’ve received almost no care in months. Now, however, they’re occupying the prize spot on the back porch: smack dab in the middle of the table. I’m drenching them in water and singing lullabyes to them and shooshing the houndie grrl whenever she gets the notion to jump up and gnaw on them. Ain’t gonna happen, houndie grrl, not on my watch.
I’ve got so much more work to do, but it’s the small things like this that are keeping my head from spinning off into the stratosphere. This, and the profoundly, unbelievably generous offer of a friend to give me a sofa and a bed with a rattan headboard. zomg, I can have people over to stay up late watching bad movies, spend the night, eat dinner, whatever!
You see, I don’t have any chairs right now. My sofa and comfy chair and ottoman all fell victim to the houndie grrl. I haven’t gotten my computer chair over here yet, or my other chairs, which are old high seated metal art school chairs that I painted a brilliant blue.
Of course, in a shed at the old place, there’s all the folding chairs from the old volunteer fire department. But they have smoke damage from when the fire department burned down. They were another gift to me, but I never quite figured out what to do with them. So I left them to the mud-dobbers and carpenter bees.
I won’t deny it — I was never a very good fashionista. I’m an even worse scuppie. And I’ve always worried that progressives would become no better than freepers if they adopted the Mighty Wurlitzer approach.
Even worse [warning: extremely long convoluted sentence ahead]: I’ve always thought the idea that progressivism is naturally laden with factions and battles because progressives are individualistic thinkers and trying to form them into a cohesive group is like herding cats is nothing more than typical middle to upper-middle class spoiled brattism speaking.
I like people who are just who they are, and homes that are comfortable and inviting, and gardens that do what they want to do, with just a bit of taming from the humans.
I like Monkeyfister’s approach to pickled peppers because not only is it good, it’s his. Monkeyfister’s not ripping anyone else in pursuit of scuppie-ism or that good old American 15 minutes of fame. Nor is he following behind in the hopes that that 15 minutes of fame will rub off on him.
I like Armando, too, and Maryscott, especially since their fall from grace and expulsion from Mighty Wurlitzer.
I love that Translator is writing about science here. I love that his passion for chemistry is shining through, and that we get to benefit from it — even though I’m still mystified.
It all reminds me of the smoke damaged chairs from the Cookson Hills Volunteer Fire Department that have sat in that shed for five years now.
It all reminds me of my new home with no chairs — mind you, I’m sitting on a step stool to write this.
It’s like the comfort I feel when I go into an old diner, one that’ll never be featured on HGTV, and see an ancient married couple having some grits and an egg.
We need to allow ourselves to become who we are, and not cave to the disguises that the world (and especially America) dangles in front of us.
Meh. I have to go mow some more. I brought my new mower up from the old place because I let the grass get too high for the manual.
Posted in Economy, Frugality |
At one of the interminable doctor visits this past week, I picked up a copy of “Cottage Living” magazine, which had a cover story about being environmentally aware and the “green” movement.
I didn’t realize that being environmentally aware required you to spend so much money on stuff sold (just coincidentally) by the upscale advertisers in that magazine. It was rather obscene, actually.
Yes, I know. But trendy it is now. ’tis the American way.
If authenticity is dog-damaged and hair-covered furniture, I must be the Authenticity Queen! I’ll never be featured in a magazine..but I have hopes for the Demon Dog.
Comfort - things within easy reach. Surfaces to put things on - these are the principles I have always used in furnishing a space.
I once had a patient who was an interior designer, and we agreed on a barter system - his expertise for mine. So my piano room furniture is really nice, but where I live - in the den - the rattan is ratty in spots, the flannel covered couch is losing its stuffing in places, and the love seat is covered in dog quilts and cotton blankets.
Dog hair - it’s what makes my house my home!
I think some people’s true nature is very neat and tidy, while others’ are covered in dog hair and chewed up slipcovers.
I think it’s better for us to be who were are than adopt the disguises of others.
Part of being “who I am” was coming to terms years ago with two facts: I will never be an extravert, and I will never live up to my mother-in-law’s expectations.
That second one was tough, but once I realized that they were her expectations and that nothing more than my own sense of responsibility made me keep trying to fit into her perfect little box, I was free. And much happier. And our kids were a lot healthier living with a little good dirt.
She was neurotic about the dirt until the end, though.
Argh. Others’ expectations. The only thing worse is when we internalize them and think they’re *our* expectations for ourselves.
Oh, I was a queen at that. Raised to live up to others’ expectations from the time I was a itty baby. It’s just part of the baggage that comes from being the oldest child born to two only children. We’re required to be perfect!
Oh, only daughter after 14 years of marriage. What to live up to. I should be perfect, right?
Possessions no pets at the moment. Still grieving over my cats, unfortunately. I was free in 95-98, then my packrat Mother died and I have everything. Moving in 06, I divested myself of alot, but need to get rid of more since it won’t mean anything to the next generation. I’m actually passing some things to great nieces and nephews, since my daughter and step-son don’t need everything.
One cool thing I’ll pass along. My sorta sister-in-law got an 8″ dense upholster foam mattress for their bed. We did also and it is the most comfortable bed I’ve had in a long time. This cost only $200 in late 06. I have a thick mattress pad on it and flip and turn it every month. I kept the box springs from my old mattress to use. OK, my grandmother’s bedroom set, chest of drawers, vanity & seat, 4 poster double bed. But, you can get extenders for the bed to make it into a queen. Which is what we did and it’s great. Most of my furniture now is antiques from my family. I look around the house and can remember the love. Makes me feel good.
I’m fixin’ to reupholster my grandmother’s couch and chair. I guess 55 years between reupholstery is pretty frugal.
I know that it late tonight, so I will check for a reply tomorrow. I have a ginger root that is spouting in my basket. What do you do to grow it? I assume that it is tropical, so needs to be protected from the cold. Just put it in a pot with potting soil? Warmest regards, Doc.
Just put it in a pot with potting soil and bring it in when it starts to get cold.
Hey, got your comment and have linked the new (and very spiffy looking) blog. How have you been?
Dude! I’ve been great - too busy for my own good, but great.
I read you’re in New Mexico now? What a change!
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