Angelkeep gardening evolved from bare excavated clay into multiple types of uses. It constantly changed. Surprisingly, one form came as a dream.
Rotisserie sleeping evolved into flip-flop slumber once the elder ages arrived. In a semi-unconscious state, an alarm clock’s time-check took place with each flop to the right side. Dreams often continued, interrupted only by a flip or a flop. One case in point involved a consideration to return to teaching Horticulture 101, a university level of study.
Flips routinely occurred near the half-hour time slot, flops amazingly and routinely within five minutes of the hour mark.
Semi-awakened thoughts included what should be included in the synopsis. Should it be general or an Angelkeep garden focus? What did the University Dean of Horticulture desire? The flop view of the clock approached midnight. Amidst the slumber of someone already retired and of late-70s age, the dream recalled a feeling of both opportunity and despair.
On the next flip moment of semi-awareness, the higher educational level had diminished to the potential of high school’s pre-college-level instruction. Perhaps the inclusion of cooking both produce and natural vegetation from the garden would excite this younger crowd of knowledge seekers. The dream struggled with how to convert a good portion of the curriculum into cell phone activity.
On the flop side of that sequence the dream included the potential for historical edification. Local pioneers utilized the horticulture practice of planting corn in hills, not rows. Added to the hills were climbing bean and squash seeds. The beans climbed the cornstalks which served as the trellis. Squash (pumpkins are squash) vined between the hills using every available space. The leaves’ shade helped keep the weeding to a minimum. Pioneers named it a Three Sisters Garden.
Angelkeep never planted corn. Chipmunks planted corn. That occasionally grew in strange places. Semi-awakeness at flip-stage rationalized the futility of historical horticulture. Yet the urge to jump from bed and research horticulture delayed the return to full slumber and the horticulture dream world.
Angelkeep flopped again and realized at 2 a.m. an entire night of ongoing dreaming involved a saga of returning to employment in the educational field. Challenging gardeners a half-century or more younger would be difficult. What excites youth today? Perhaps field trips to an Angelkeep garden should be considered. Veggie and floral beds by November predominately contained weeds. Would they challenge students through the sense of taste? Eat a leaf of dandelion. A violet bloom. An insect. Eat whatever grew available.
At the point of the half-hour flip the continuing dream sequences seemed like something from a Charles Dickens’ novel. Were the ghosts of years of past teaching haunting well after Halloween? Angelkeep attempted to recall the previous day’s food consumption. Was over-indulgence causing a dream to convert into a nightmare? Slumber resumed prior to the completion of the meal and snack inventory.
At the 3 a.m. flop the nearly awake insanity of the thought of returning to teaching employment forced the morning into full cognition. What was that all about?
Was it time, as in the case of Charles Dickens’ Ebenezer, to throw open the window and shout to the next passerby as to the correct day, time, and level of emotional stability? Was it rational to begin thinking about what to fix with the turkey for next week’s Thanksgiving Day-long feed? Dream sequences remained lodged in the back of the mind.
Angelkeep living often involves food followed by a nap. More food. Sleep. Snack. Slumber.
Creating a pie or two from local garden products would be a challenge.
A Marie Calendar’s Southern Pecan Pie would be purchased. Two? No dream could alter that determination. Flip.
Pie every day until Thanksgiving. Flop.
Happy Thanksgiving Angelkeep friends.
Eat dessert first.
Mr. Daugherty is a Wells County resident who, along with his wife Gwen, enjoy their backyard and have named it “Angelkeep.”
