Phoenix rising

On my way home from walking Doofus today, I stopped by my community garden to do a little pre-fall cleanup on my plot.

I pulled out some mildewed calendula, cut back a few sunflowers that had been completely picked over by birds, and pulled out the bush bean plants that were finished producing. Then, as I cut back a tomato vine that was straining to reach beyond the boundaries of my plot, I witnessed a small miracle.

The artichoke plant that had been so rudely broken off at soil level, victim to a random act of vandalism, is growing back. Yes, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this artichoke plant has mustered enough strength from its young root system, without benefit of any foliage to gather energy from the sun, to push skyward a dense thicket of beautiful, green new leaves.

I am so happy. My small garden has seen justice.

And shortly, I am off with He Who Puts Up With Me to go see "The Aristocrats," a movie all about the raunchiest joke ever told. That makes me happy, too.

What else is making me happy right now? The weather has turned cool enough for my boy cat to become a lap cat again (my girl cat is a lap cat year round, because she's an attention whore). And I have a crockpot full of spicy black beans with chorizo sausages simmering away. Yes, life is good.

See, I'm not always moody!