Running Late

David's still asleep. His job keeps changing him from one shift to the other - now he's off Thursday, Friday and Saturday because someone on the other shift wanted to change and he doesn't get home until 3 am. Puts us behind - I sit at the computer putzing and I should be outside picking or mowing or something useful but last night someone called late and said they would be here after 7 pm - and since the hour kept getting later and later, well, I finally locked everything and because I had posted veggies for sale on craigslist and the recent craigslist scare, I got scared. I even got the gun out and kept working on my paperwork. No, I don't know how to shoot the gun, but it is big enough to be scary. And I think it was paranoa more than rational - a customer had warned my husband that opening our home to customers was dangerous.

I don't get scared easily or often - my dogs set to barking and that's usually all that will alert me to go take a look. If they ain't barking, I ain't looking and so last night was very unusual - it also caused me to lock the screen door - rolls eyes - so here comes hubby home at 3 am and he can't get into the screen door. So he walks around the house and bangs on the window - upright and aware I've locked out my husband, I sprang up startled and my stomach tied in a knot. That's the real reason I am late in getting around. I don't want to get started yet myself.

But we will spend most of today mowing, picking and we will put our signage out to say we are open to our local neighbors - selling local works so much better for us. One of our waittresses was disgusted with the local tent in Sapulpa - the one that buys all its goods from Conrads or Carmichaels. The one that wanted to give us a pittance on our blackberries last year. The one I won't stop and shop at. The one that now has such a bad reputation with her because those peaches had the word California stuck on them and she stopped to buy Porter peaches. You all watch out for those silly tents - those 20 X 40 tents aren't farmers' markets.

I really believe in today's economy that growing your own is prefered - yes I really do. In fact, I simply don't grow food I don't like so turnips won't be found here - so if you want them, you need to find a grower who grows them or grow them yourself. But there's an income to be had by selling my own homegrown veggies directly to the consumer and I am very proud of my produce. I don't sell it higher because I don't use chemicals, I don't sell it cheaper either. I ask a fair price.

So I guess I've spent a bit of time releasing last nights fear since not a darn thing happened except to impose fear on myself, set up a red flag on those temporary tents where the food may or may not be local and warned ya to doublecheck and let you know if you want turnips - try another farm or grow them yourself - doing it yourself is highly satisfying. It teaches you values, reliability, connects you to our planet, gives you a healthy hobby and smiles - gets you outta my hair - grins.