We had just finished dinner and my husband Steven and son Alex were helping me clear the table when I looked out the dining room window and noticed something growing in our fire pit.
“Is that corn?” I asked in disbelief.
Alex and Steven laughed as they took the plates out to the kitchen.
When they returned to the dining room I was still standing by the window. “Guys, I’m serious!” I pointed towards the fire pit with the plate still in my hand. “That really looks like corn!”
Alex and Steven stopped to take a look. “It does kind of look like it.” Steven admitted.
“Didn’t we cook corn on the cob in the fire pit awhile ago?” Alex asked.
I was confused as I looked over at Alex. “But that was last year!” I shook my head. “It was ears of corn and we ate them. It’s not like we dropped kernels of corn in there.”
“So, maybe it’s not corn.” Steven said.
“I know one way to find out.” I took the plate to the kitchen, placed it on the counter, and headed for the back door. “I’m just going to look it up.” I took my phone out of my pocket and went out the back door.
Steven and Alex were following behind me.
“I love this plant identifying app I have on my phone.” I looked over at Alex as I crouched down to get the plant centered in the photo. “How many times have we used this?”
“We’ve used it a lot.” Alex nodded in agreement as I snapped the shot. I stood up and we all watched as the photo on my phone began buffering.
Finally the identifying plant appeared.
“Wow!” Alex laughed. “You were right.”
We were all looking at an image of corn. “Also known as maize, sweet corn, Indian corn or flint corn.” I read then looked back at the plant growing in our fire pit.
“So, the farmers say if the corn’s knee high by the fourth of July it’s going to be a good crop.” I laughed. I looked at Steven and then Alex. “What do you think they’d say if it’s knee high by Halloween?”
“I’m pretty sure you’re not going to get a harvest on that one.” Steven pointed to the plant.
“What do you think Alex?” I asked
Alex shook his head. “I think it just proves how long it’s been since we’ve had a fire!”
“True.” I laughed as reached over ready to pull the plant out of the ashes. “Maybe we should have a fire tonight.”
“Wait!” Alex stopped my arm from going any further. “Maybe we should give it a chance and see how big it gets?”
“Really?” I stood up straight and thought about it for a moment. “I guess you’re right.” I looked back at the plant as it’s leaves gently swayed in the breeze. “If it tried so hard to grow in the ashes of a fire pit we should give it a chance.”
Steven looked at both of us. “So you’re saying no fire pits until after the first frost?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s only going to be another few weeks. Besides aren’t you the one who’s all into gardening this year?”
Steven laughed as he headed back to the house. “I’m going back in to finish clearing the table.”
I looked at Alex who was still standing next to me then back at Steven as I watched him climb the steps of the back porch. “We’ll be in as soon as we finish tending our new crop!” I called to him.
Slice of Life 