I told my neighbor at the bus stop this morning that I would be blogging about her today. You should have seen her eyes get big as saucers as she gasped for just the right thing to say to throw me off track.
She has been listening to me almost daily, early in the morning and in the late afternoon, as we stand shivering or soaking up afternoon sunshine waiting for the inconsistently timed bus to arrive to pick up or deliver our collective darlings! Of course I have filled her willing ears with tales of cake filling and caramel deliciousness and yeasty trials. She smiles and nods and soaks it all in, she is a great listener!
Two days ago as I stepped into her home to get out of the afternoon rain, she held something in each of her hands. She reached toward me with palms down clasped gently around this gift she was yet to bestow on me. She said, with a little glow...."I want you to have two of my peppers, they are small and seem stunted, but they are good." (or something like that, I am not great with exact quotes.)
You see, as she has been listening to my tales of cooking I have been listening to her tales of container gardening. She has been diligently moving her little container garden in and out of the house as our weather has moved from bitter cold to mildly warm. She has lovingly nursed this particular little bell pepper plant long after its prime, encouraging it to do just a little more and it did!
So there I held in each of my cold hands a green beauty, each yearning to be the size of a small lime, little miniatures of their full potential. I was so touched. How can such a small act of kindness feel like such a huge gift? I placed them gently into my coat pockets as we rushed out into the rain to fetch our babies.
They were just enough pepper to become a part of a chopping lesson for my middle son who loves to have a knife in his hand. He begged for a taste as we were dicing them small. He took a little nibble then thoughtfully said...."hmmmm it tastes just like the other ones from the store, except home grown, so really yummier!" We put them into the beef stew that was waiting to go into the oven, an unexpected addition to add a bit of flavor. Did it change the stew all that much...no. Did they stand proudly to speak of kindness...absolutely!
Yesterday, this same neighbor came out with a pile of cookbooks she had been stacking up for me in anticipation of giving them to me to borrow.
Ooooohhhh, nice pile! Martha and Everyday Foods...wonderful. Next in the pile...The Bread Bakers Apprentice...drooling now! Did I happen to mention that I love books. Yeah, well I do.
Then she pulls from the bottom of the pile a book I recognize immediately.
Here let me re-stack the pile for you so you can see it.
What???? Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
I just ordered this book...remember my post from Monday, Using the Yeast!!
In all of our talking, I never mentioned the title of this book, only regaling her with tales of mixing flours and quick preparation. Aaaaahhhhhh ha ha ha. Isn't that just how it goes!!
Share your life with others in a genuine way. Give small gifts. Tell your neighbor what your cookbook titles are before she goes off and buys the book herself!!! Ha ha ha. I love my life!
And... thanks neighbor (with the fantastic purple streaks in your hair) for your kindness!
Yes, she really does have lovely royal purple streaks in her hair. They are hidden beneath long beautiful locks of deep brown, but catch your eye at unexpected times....just a little something to mortify her 7th grade son and to have a bit of color in her life. I love color!
