Artichokes

My friend and primary supplier of vegetable and fruit delights asked me if I would like some artichoke plants this time last year.  The last time I had artichokes was in California many years ago.  I will never forget the delicate and tasty delight sprinkled with butter and lemon.  The unique challenge of eating the tender leaves by pulling the flesh between my teeth only added to the delight for me.  As in all things, I enjoy the challenge of different ways of doing things, whether it be parenting through adoption or eating artichokes.

I was even more delighted when my friend told me that he could supply me with two kinds of artichokes.  He carefully instructed me in how to plant them, keeping the one kind carefully in a tub as it is very invasive.  We planted both the artichokes according to his instructions.  By spring it was apparent that one of the artichokes was very eager in the growing department.  My husband, the main gardener in our family, decided that maybe we got the instructions mixed up.  It seemed to make more sense to give the eager grower more room.  He too was already savouring those tasty California delights we had enjoyed those years ago.  He put the artichoke in the main garden where it could only grow to bring us more of those fine delights.

A couple of weeks ago we noticed the artichoke we have been waiting for.  One delightful globe artichoke, thistle like in its presentation, sat alone in the middle of the tub.  It did not disappoint us in its taste.  We only wished we had more.

I was encouraged, because standing tall all around the tub were a wild mass of tall tree like shoots, leafy and seemly productive in their size and bearing.  They have grown and were towering over the garden like seven foot tall watchmen.  My only concern was that I could not for the life of me find the globe thistle like fruit that  we were expecting.  Thinking they are hidden like the blessings of the figs amongst the thick greenery, I pulled over the stepladder to check the higher reaches of the plant.  Still no thistles.  Maybe they will come next year.  Still, I called my friend, asking how to find them.   "Roots"  he told me.  "Roots".  They are Jerusalem artichokes, quite different than the tasty globes.

Heavy shovel in hand, the husband master gardener dug up the towering giants.  Our daughter suggested we could use the stems for wood in the fireplace.  Finally we saw them.  Ginger like in their form, they were tubers among the tiny root ball.  Hundreds of them.  Hundreds there will be of these towering giants for years to come I am sure.  Soon we will be passing out these surprising artichokes with the zucchinis.  Except even when the zucchinis are gone, they will still be plentiful.  We have cooked them up with lots of bay leaf to keep their tendency to facilitate the "breezy" qualities of our digestion at bay.  Indeed, they too bring their own unique taste and delight.  Nevertheless, we will curb their growth.  Try to keep them in somewhat manageable numbers.

Roots.  Tubers.  Hidden but powerful.  Like many of the habits and leanings of our life.
This week through some sharp words spoken, I stumbled upon a whole surprise new batch of tubers in my own soul, hidden blessings of challenge that deserve my attention and care to bring them to wholeness in the fabric of my life.  Some things that need pulling out.  Others need curbing back in their growth.  Our kids are like that too.  We think we have dug out many of the challenging habits and propensities from the roots of their lives.  There will always be more.  That is just part of life.  Those tubers will persist.  Welcome them.  Try to find their hidden blessings.  Use them to bring wholeness and healing.  Keep digging out those that are destructive, taking over the good. Nuture the positive.  Surprises both welcome and unwelcome in our lives.  The task of tending our gardens in life is never over.