Words & Images
By Cynthia Staples
It happened on a Saturday. I was at home, hungry, walking toward my last pot of nasturtium. I planned to pick all of the dark green leaves for a final salad. A tasty conclusion to my summer experiment. You see, throughout the summer, I had grown nasturtium plants from seed. A first time endeavor for me as an indoor gardener.
As the seedlings had emerged from the earth in their tiny clay pots, I had carefully spread them out into larger vessels. The sharp bite of round leaves had dressed up several summer dishes.
Lots of leaves, few flowers. In fact, there was only one pale blossom early on in the season. I lost all expectation for the distinctive bright hues and unique taste of petals. But now in the midst of autumn, as I put away my summer gear and tried to prepare myself for winter, I stared down at the last pot of nasturtium and to my surprise saw the beginnings of a bud. What to do?
Well, I decided to practice what I preach to others about patience and simply let the plant be. My salad could wait for sure. Would the bud become a flower? If it started out pale, would it darken?
How would it taste on a slice of ruby red tomato? So many questions to ponder as I waited and watched and watered sparingly. And as I waited, and occasionally snapped a photograph, the bud blossomed into a beautiful flower. I have not eaten more foliage nor have I eaten the flower, all of which continue to reach for the sun.
I may feast in due time. Until then, I will watch that plant grow and delight that I have the opportunity to do so. Perhaps some more buds will appear. •
© 2015 Cynthia Staples. All rights reserved.
1/3/15