To the casual observer, you wouldn’t even guess that it is coming.
A sunny, crisp, clear fall day. Chilly, yes, but with the day-lit warmth and a light fall coat, it is a pleasure to be outside.
But to those of us whose lives are spent in the field, we know it is here. There is an urgency in our movements and a worry in our eyes as we scan our crops looking for who might be the most vulnerable. It’s coming and we know it.
A thin crescent in the night sky, working by headlamp and tractor light, preparing for an anticipated invasion until everything that can be thought of is done. A final, tired huddle in the darkness. There is nothing to do but wait. An uneasy sleep at best.
As the warm air fades without the solar support.. surrendering valuable ground, the cold icy fingers begin the assault.
Stealthfully carving a path between the blades of grass, easing over the mounds of turned soil, curling around the base of the plant. The bitter chill makes its way up the tender stems, caressing the ill-fated broad leaves. Maliciously, it just lays there with a smirk waiting on the sun.
“You want the warmth of the morning orb, little plant?” Mocks the assailant, “Of course you do… but aren’t you going to thank us for being here when you were left all alone.”
It is only as the anxiously awaited solar saviour crests the horizon that the true damage is done. Painful cries of mercy can be heard as the water expands and bursts the thin fibrous walls.
In just a few minutes, it is all over. Only the carnage remains and the deathly fingers are laughing as they evaporate into the thin air.
~shudders~
A horror story for sure, but not our story as of last night. Our fields remain full and we eagerly look forward to the many folk who are coming alongside to help us bring a bountiful harvest in for safekeeping.
A great share for you this week.. the very last of the tomatoes and the beginning of the turnips. Linh is minding the store today and if you are in the mood for a drive and perhaps want to see what else there might be available to you, don’t be shy 🙂
Enjoy!
~Michael