Horticultural Hubris and Herbal Bravado

The bravado caused by the resuscitation of my Venus flytrap (or pitcher plant?), for which I take full credit, has lead me to spontaneously germinate an avocado tree. I’ve eaten a lot of avocado during the past five days. This is the week where I decided that I like avocado, and I am celebrating by eating avocados. I’ve had it by itself, in salads, in pita bread, on sandwiches, and I’ve rubbed it on my skin. I read about how to slice them and eat them online. I viewed an instructional video about how to plant the pit and grow an attractive potted avocado tree for your home.

Last night, I saw the collection of pits accumulating on the window sill next to my dead bamboo plant. I remembered that edifying clip, the enthusiastic narrator, and the energizing eighties workout music to which it was set, and began to sprout a pit. That is to say, I have it suspended with some toothpicks in a glass on my windowsill beside winged stone cat. In about a week it should sprout eight white tentacles.

While I was at Sensibiliteas today I decided to be brave with my choice of leaf. The last time I was brave with my tea I tried something called “Mate Carnivale” at Alice’s Teacup in New York City. It contained cocoa, sunflower, rooibus, cactus, cornflowers, and almonds. It tasted a lot better than it sounds.

This time, I tried Holy Basil. For those who don’t know, this is basil that is blessed by the Pope on Good Friday and left sitting for three days in the company of a bishop. It has medicinal properties that not only cure blindness and leprosy, but also kills fungi.

I sampled a hot Styrofoam cup of Holy Basil with lemon, which the fellow who works there has successfully used to season a chicken (and kill cure its leprosy). It mostly just tasted like lemon, but I could almost feel the fungi flushing from my system, if there was fungi to be flushed. I purchased a bag of a Holy Basil blend tea called “Shanti,” a term I recognized from yoga that is usually in the company of several ommmmmms. I just finished a cup of Shanti and I approve.

As today was the first continuously sunny day in a week or so, I photographed some bracelets I made while I was moping indoors.