absence made the beans grow longer

Leaving a vegetable garden for a week and a half in mid-August constitutes a considerable sacrifice for the gardener, and possibly for the vegetables as well. In the case of this gardener, however, my recent absence was beneficial for both parties. You see, I am a chronically early harvester. I get so excited about the barely-orange tomatoes, the skinny dark-green beans, and the sweet baby carrots that I can't contain myself. I pick them. I know better, but I do it anyway. That being the case, a week without their over-enthusiastic gardener was exactly what my veggies needed.

As with everything that happens in a garden, I am sure this little drama plays itself out on other stages of my life. But those are deeper thoughts for another night -- for now I am content to keep my mind in the garden.