HomeGrown

I have an obsessive personality. When I was a child it was sports. In fourth grade, I memorized every single major league baseball player's batting average. In 7th grade I switched to music. It was way cooler to be able to spout off about the next up and coming band than it was to recite Bip Roberts batting average. Also, it is much easier to work music into the conversation than obscure Cincinnati Reds players.

My new obsession is gardening. This is my second growing season with a garden plot and I cannot get enough. Last season all I grew were tomatoes. My wife made a valid point last season that having 10 tomato plants on a balcony that is a little larger than a coat closet was not a good use of space. Growing veggies on a rented plot from the city is fantastic. Above is our second batch of leaf lettuce and zucchinis. We have also planted corn, tomatoes, green/red peppers, carrots and broccoli.

I realize I sound like a food snob but the taste of home grown veggies is unbeatable. I really do not notice much of a difference except with tomatoes. Store bought ones simply do not taste like anything. This is another topic for another day though. I once lectured a complete stranger at the airport about the taste differences because she was curious as to why I was hauling tomato plants around the airport terminal. Her eyes glazed over right as I launched into discussing the importance of crawling around on all fours to examine every tomato leaf. Gardening is not for everyone.

As I wrote this post I was trying to think of how to tie this into music. Here is the best I came up with. Eating homegrown veggies is like finding new local music, it is easier to just listen to the radio or go to the store and buy what they have but there is nothing like listening to a great local act that you really had to dig to find. The stuff at the store will satisfy your needs' but there is nothing like the stuff that is in your backyard.