Digging Potatoes While Nude

Digging Potatoes While Nude

I have found the very best way to dig potatoes on an early Saturday morning is standing in front of my picture window with a hot cup of tea in my hand while in my all together.  This morning on one of the last days of September on a Saturday, I was awaken by my husband watering a few plants on the patio that insist on blooming.  We have a few stragglers with our peas as well as the Delicata squash with a one squash still on it. Meanwhile, he waters. His attitude is if it is blooming, he is watering. Having finished the watering, he moved on to the potatoes, or where the potatoes had been as the vines had all died back.  I tapped on the large picture window to let him know that I was awake.  I was still unclothed but content in the slight chill of the morning in our house with my cup of tea firm in my hand.  My man turned and smiled when he saw me standing in the morning light.  I could see that he already had quite of bit of potatoes in his white harvesting Tupperware bowl.  I left for a nice hot bath.

As I soaked in my bath, the voice of my man rang out.  He was telling me, “These are big boy potatoes.”  When I finally got out of the tub, wrapped in my towel, I padded into the kitchen to see his gatherings. He was right.  We had been blessed by some very large purple potatoes.  All of our potatoes are volunteers.  We find them in the bottom of the cupboard. Depending on whoever is growing we end up with either purple, red or white potatoes in the fall.  Often, they are growing in the patio pots in early March because we have missed a few in the harvest.  They are one of our small joys. It is a sign of spring. It is a reminder winter is coming when the vines die back.  I wonder what winter harvest my soul has for me.

The little birds are returning to see if the feeder has been filled.  The blue jays have made an appearances.  We had a true blue jay as well as the Stellar blue jays show up yesterday.  I reminded my man his birds needed their peanuts so he dutifully headed to the kitchen to gather the peanuts for the blue jays.  They are greedy.  One will hop down from the fence to fill itself with peanuts and will not leave until all of the peanuts are gone. It is a small gift and well appreciated by the beautiful Stellar blue jay.  Something we can all remember as summer leaves us with only the comfort of our homes and joy of companionship with friends and family if we are so lucky.  Perhaps I can work on the not being greedy part.

A week has passed since I started this bit of writing.  The jays are still greedy while I am thinking of ways to slow down, to enjoy.  In Melissa Eisler’s ebook “12 Secrets to Feel Younger & live Longer” she states “Okinawans practice “Hara Hachi Bu,” a Confucian mantra said before a full meal that reminds them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full.” I am thinking a mantra in the morning before I crawl out of the warmth of my bed would be good.  Something along the lines, “Survival begins in moments” which would be good convincing myself the chill of the bedroom is only for moments.  My feet just might be willing to lead the rest of me out of the warmth to begin the day as the day of the digging of the potatoes. I was caught up in the moment of watching my husband in the morning sun.  There was quiet beauty in sunshine striking the dew left on the grass, the leaves of fading roses and I could relax digging potatoes while nude in my thoughts only.