This did not happen in Phoenix

I really love our neighborhood. The people are highly educated, well-traveled, down-to-earth, accomplished, talented, faithful, knowledgeable about Hugo Chavez, neighborly, and really good gardeners. Some are famous. Some are Democrats.

These are all lovely things to be. But, neighborly and good gardeners are the attributes about which I wish to rejoice at this time. The last few months have been a boon to our big, yellow produce bowl that sits on the counter, and consequently, to our bellies, and also consequently, to our grocery budget. Our neighbors have most generously offered to us: blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, grapes, and corn. In abundance. It's really quite delicious and wonderful. 

Just tonight, as I was engrossed in a fierce match-up of Scramble because that's what I do and that's what I do best, the doorbell rang and the kids opened it to see a bag of squash and a lady getting into her car, yelling, "It's just the Vegetable Lady!" And off the Vegetable Lady went, surely out looking for other garden novices like us upon which to shower her zucchini. I have no idea who it was. 

If you come to our house for dinner, we will surely send our kids next door to get a small bowlful of blackberries for garnish on the cake, or to accent the fruit platter. While out there, the kids will surely put in their mouths three times as many as they bring back home and arrive back with sticky purple substances on their shirts and bare feet.

The neighborhood bounty has been an utter delight. The best thing.


Note: We have not yet ventured into gardening ourselves, but if you are ever in need of fresh mint and/or curly leaf parsley, please do not go spend real money on them at the store. Come to us. These are abundant in our backyard thanks to our home's previous owners, and we will gladly share. With you. If I get to call myself the Herb Lady.

Comments

Jocelyn said…
It's almost as if they were all told to "plant a garden." I want to live in Zion and get fresh produce extra blessings.
Carina said…
I might just take you up on the mint and parsley.

I tell you, we convert people to Provo one blackberry at a time.
Suzie Petunia said…
I loved your Macaroni and Butternut squash, which the kids all thought was cheese! Except my kids never eat all of their mac and cheese like they ate that! YUM.

I need to plant a garden.
Anonymous said…
You are indeed blessed. AG
Didi said…
Sounds absolutely heavenly Emily. Glad you are reaping so many blessings from being among those who are faithful to the prophets. It reminds me of how things were for me growing up. We were in Nothern Indiana, but my dad was born and raised in Provo and we had always had a huge garden that we shared with the neighbors. There are all kinds of blessings to having a garden! Someday.....
Jennifer said…
Emily, I'm jealous that a) you have such great, gardening neighbors (not so much here in the dustbowl), and b) of all the people in the world who know how to garden. Every year I say "this is the year," and every year I fail miserably. I just know if I lived in Provo I'd become a greenthumb by osmosis. What a great place to live!
go boo boo said…
Love it. Except you are so nice about your mint, I can't stand ours, it spreads like crazy and the three years we have been here we haven't been able to squelch it, so I curse the previous owners that planted it. And our garden has never been quite as fruitful as we would like, so thank goodness for better gardeners and their generosity.
Andelin said…
Ouch! Reading this is hard on my homesick heart on this first day of Fall (the most Beautiful time of year in Provo!) When we lived in Provo last we had a HUGE, wonderful garden and grew,..you name it, we grew it...the garden dirt/mud was black with nutrients and grew things like crazy!...many kinds of lettuces, spinach, many kinds of tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, watermelons, rhubarb, spinach, squash (all kinds), garlic, asparagus, onions, green onions, potatoes (2 kinds), carrots, radishes, herbs (every kind there is), blueberries, even tomatillos! etc. We didn't have any blackberries, though we had several big raspberry bushes two varieties, (including a golden variety) that did well and we got to make lots of jam. In fact, everything did MUCH better than expected and we had so much food it was coming out of our ears (I canned 45 quarts of pickles, with still too many more cucumbers to count - the Provo food bank was my friend). But, oh, the memories! My boys lived in the "country" down a dirt road right in the heart of Provo! Bare foot and mud and all!

* I know a girl that moved to your neighborhood from Burbank, CA, though not in your ward, last year and she reminds me so much of you and is so great, I hope you get to meet her and add another very cool friend to your voluminous repertoire! (she's got very short blonde hair, two girls and a toddler boy, and is living in in-laws home while on a mission...if you haven't met her be on the look out...'cause she would be a cool friend worth knowing in your cool neighborhood!)
Anonymous said…
From Elinor: I am annonymous because my system won't let me post under my own name. Need some correction and direction. Can you believe we envy you with a bag of squash and a vegetable lady? Zucchini does not grow on the wash of ancient Lake Bonneville where we share space. Rocks grow best, and I thought that was hilarious when an old timer told me that 43 years ago. We learned it was true. They just keep pushing up, and no matter how many are removed they just keep showing up. Alan does get a garden planted annually, and we had potatoes enough to almost get us through to the new crop due soon and for Idaho potato folks, that's mighty important. Carrots are growing again now that the heat is over, and so are red beets, but don't expect a feast from either. It is good therapy. A word to the wise: DO NOT PLANT BLACKBERRIES. They have totally taken over Oregon, and have vicious thorns and spread like crazy. Buy, beg or borrow them but DON'T PLANT. As for mint and parsley - leave the mint totally alone and it won't get out of hand. It just brightens a day however to step on it accidentally. Jim & Cheri's little Megan who just turned 5 said it smelled like fun. Now that's as good as it gets.
Sorry we didn't find you home but we do know how to find you next time. Chalk one up for ward directories. Aha! Hope you meet Calista -pianist, baby sitter/nanny potential, and fun.
lys said…
It doesn't happen in Salt Lake City either. ;)
Anonymous said…
you're funny, Herb Lady.

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