avocados: eating joy

I used to see veggies as a chore.  I liked frozen peas sometimes.  Cabbage in some stir fry.  Snow peas or snap peas.  Carrots had their place.

Then growing our own veg, it became a vibrant beautiful treat.  Seeing the tree collard's leaves every day, outside my front door.  Seeing how it's doing, then grazing on it.  So beautiful.  It's trustworthy--I know it's not all pesticided up.  It's had me loving it, and Ming too.  It's a joy.  Of course I want to eat joy.

What's the difference between a fruit and a veggie?  I think it's about sugar.  They're both fibery and planty.  I know there's a botanical definition involving what has seeds in it.  But I mean how we actually consider them.

I used to think avocados should be considered a veg.  I thought--they're green, they're planty, they're not sweet.  They have fiber and tons of nutrients, including fats. 

Avocados are part of my health plan--I try to share one with Ming every day.  When I eat them, I feel nourished--I can feel the health in my body.  Is that real, or imagination?  Not sure, but I'll take it.

I almost think avocados should be considered nuts.  They're not crunchy like that, but they're nutritious and fatty.

I know this for sure: Ming brought home three avocados from Smart and Final a week ago--they were so gorgeous and big.  "How much did they cost?" I asked Ming.

"I don't know," he said.

I always wanted to get the best bang for my buck, with avocados and almost anything, but these were priceless, really.  I see the error of my ways.  These fruits were worth anything.

We were waiting for them to ripen.  They ripened at the same time, in the fruit bowl, and Ming put them in the fridge.

I cut into the first one.  Wow, it was the best avocado I ever had, bar none.  So rich--almost too rich.  Like cheesecake, but more rich than that.  And without cloying sweetness.  Unbruised, heavy, perfect.

And they were so big, there was a feeling of abundance.  The shape felt so sensual and almost human.  Like a breast, or some other curved amazing thing that's easy to love and hold in the hand.

The second avocado, I knew it was going to be good.  I had faith it would be amazing.  I was right too. 

And the third avocado--by then, I was ready to kiss my fruit, so Ming took that picture, which I sent to a fictional character I know who also loves avocados.

I'm a hippie--I can't help it.  You bet I'm asking Ming to go back to Smart and Final and find me more of these amazing heavenly treats.

When I was a kid, my mom liked to eat avocados.  She would make guacamole at times, but mostly we would cut one in half, sprinkle it with salt, and dig in with a spoon. 

I learned about hass vs bacon.  Fuerte too.  There was a pizza place I liked in Santa Barbara that had avocado slices as a topping option on their pizza.  I loved that.  Cheese and avocado is such a decadent combination!

I had a friend who was an avocado rancher in Carpinteria.  His parents were both avocados ranchers and married, creating a huge ranch.  I went with him to an avocado festival, more than 20 years ago--they held one every year.  In this tent, I saw example fruits from many cultivars.  I loved that, especially the huge ones.  But it was a hot day, and we didn't stay long.

I was looking at budget apps recently, trying to find one that I thought would work for me.  I was reading through an app's whole intro, how to use it.  In an example, avocados were the luxury item that the example shopper had to do without, that week.

I was like, no way.  Avocados are first on my list.  A life without avocados is not worth living, kind of.  I'm not a shoplifter, but I would consider it.

So maybe I should go to the coast and become an avocado rancher.  Maybe if shit gets more apocalyptic, Ming and I can find an abandoned one and start an intentional community centered around avocado ranching.  I used to dream of doing the same with an abandoned chocolate orchard in Mexico.

Thank you for listening to my fantasy.  I hope you have something / someone you love as much, as I love Ming, trikeriding, avocados, zines, tree collards, dreams, sunshine, Sanskrit, ritual, touch,  birdsong, and silence.  I love you.  Please enjoy life.