Years ago, I began teaching myself to do magic tricks. I think it had to do with having daughters, that I felt a few magic tricks was a skill I should have. My pal Offut sums up my abilities this way, "he's too clumsy and rushy." Rushy, the quibbler will say, is not a word in Websters, but Offut has me pegged. I'm too fast, I want to get to the moment where - hey, presto! - there's a coin behind your ear.
The reason I bring this up is that Nancy and I planted okra. And it all died. The reason is the same reason I'm such a lousy magician. We rushed it. The ground wasn't warm enough, and the okra died.
We couldn't help it. We make the same mistake every year. We rush it. But, to repeat myself, we just can't help it. We plant stuff too soon, and then we have to plant it all over again. But can you blame us? Gardening is the ultimate magic trick.
Hocus Pocus - Yellow Crocus!
