If Beets Were Blue

Having suffered a tangle of weeds

as the grass shrivels and dies

their shoulders emerge

pink, golden and red.

Breeching the glacier-laid loam

they broaden and grow

sweeter for frost

and the equinox sun.

Come see my beets

like rosy-cheeked girls

in red skirts and pink scarves

reclusive and shy

as the red-breasted finch

that flees from the jay.

But I'm glad beets aren't blue.

Aren't you?

A little fun for the turning of the sun. And for open link night at dVerse  the Poet's Pub 

Food Wanted

I delivered beets today to the food pantry. People were lined up at 1pm with their containers and they couldn't sign up until 2pm. When we turned the bushel over to one of the people working there, my husband said, "these are organic beets." The fella said, "Organic? What's that mean?" Oh well....they were very appreciative and now more educated. We also passed out copies of my sister's Basic Roasted Beets recipe (see below). Thanks Mary Pat.

On a more serious note, my father who remembers the Great Depression says we're in for a real food shortage. I'm afraid he's going to be right...again, and nobody talked much about farming, food safety and inspection and sustainable agriculture during the campaign.

We didn't talk much about the fact that there were so many people waiting for food in our small town where you wouldn't think anyone could be hungry.