Of cucumbers and corona

My cucumbers have flowered, so has the bhindi (okra). The cucumber flowers are all male till now. But I am hopeful. If nothing else, I will make pakoras out of the flowers.

I want to live in a small house, with a backyard where I can grow whatever I want to.
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The uncertainty has begun to bother me. I know its wishful thinking, but I hope someone just knew when the world would become normal again.

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I used to shield the boys from Shin Chan because I thought it would be bad influence. Now I want them to watch it because I think it would be a good one :|

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I understand conspiracy theorists a little letter now.

Rants of the frustrated kind

Isolation has never bothered me. Most of my topmost fantasies involve having a quiet quaint life in a mountain cabin, a farm with a big yellow barn, a small village on an island(this one comes from the Country of the Pointed Firs). I actively envy people who homestead successfully. So I am quite okay with being isolated now as well.

But its the larger scenario which is worrisome. Many people are dying, many more are suffering out of fear. Fear of the virus, fear of joblessness, fear of poverty. A society made up of people who are afraid cannot function properly. Even when the restrictions are lifted, the gloom shall remain. And this is a realization that is slowly dawning on us.

I am a little angry and mostly just sad that we have brought this calamity onto ourselves. The root cause of such wide spread of the disease is greed. Hear me out-

There have been far more deadlier contagious diseases in the past, killing a larger fraction of people. But, the spread was usually limited to a province, country or continent. Never ever has it touched everyone. We (or rather the social, political and economic forces of the world) have allowed this disease to fester because it originated in you-know-where. Had such a disease originated in a smaller, less financially strong country (pick any one of the smaller poorer south east Asian or Latin american countries of your choice), that country would have been properly cordoned off by all other countries right in January. Boycotted, borders sealed, maybe nuked.. Believe it or not, but this pandemic is a direct result of globalization and centralized mega mass production of cheap non-essentials.

Stop blaming the food habits of certain people. That is not a new phenomena. Those people were eating anything that moves for centuries. Its the spread which is new.

I also understand that there is nothing that will be done about it. Nobody is going to stop buying stuff that they dont need. Nobody is going to shun manufacturers who produce cheap goods because they can afford to keep their workers starving. Nothing will change.

Sorry.

About the plants

I guess I have mentioned the fate of my Bhindi(Okra) saplings before.

Miraculously, 3 of them have survived.  Even more surprising is that they have sprouted buds. The saplings are tiny, and yet they have sprouted buds. I dont think you can see them in the pic.

Meanwhile, I have succulent sprouts, lots of cucumber and a rogue date palm peeking through. Little V has also planted a potato.

I had pruned the mogra and the curry plant rather mercilessly, but they seem to be thriving nonetheless.

I noticed some aphids yesterday. I plan on using neem oil this time to get rid of them. Shall post about the effects.

Quarantine day 14

We have gotten used to the new "normal" now. Things are great as long as I dont switch on the news. Because then it is horrible. For once, I want to live in a bubble. I know its stupid and immature, but here I am.
Uncertainty does not suit me.
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I need to be more inward looking, practice what i preach.

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Surprisingly enough, house work does not seem like a burden at all. I actually like cooking all meals, planning and prepping. It is satisfying for now.

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I pray to God, please set things right. Please grant us maturity to see where we went wrong and strength to do what needs to be done.