Breathing and Fava Beans
I pushed the tablecloth out of the way and dumped the bag of fava beans onto the table. I looked at the clock. This shouldn't take long.
The chair was pulled away from the table, but I didn't sit. I hunched. I snapped the tips and pulled the fiber like a zipper. I ran my thumb down the crease. Sometimes it was smooth. Other times it was not. Breathe. Sit down. Relax.
I breathed. I sat down. I relaxed. I looked at the clock.
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Fava Beans
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She told me about a lovely dish. Small potatoes. Onion. Fava beans. Wild fennel. So simple. The way it should be done.
With some cheese and bread, this could be a meal. A respite from pasta.
Even better at room temperature. I'll pile it on the bread, no doubt. Making a mess. Salt on my lip. A tiny cube of ice floating to the top of my half consumed glass of red.
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Dirty Nails
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It was already too late when I noticed. The work of shelling fava beans beneath my nails. The door was locked. My arms loaded with bags.
I noticed again at the light. I wondered if others would notice. I didn't care.
I ran my thumbnails beneath my fingernails. This will have to do.
Beautiful piece...in terms of photos and your writing.
ReplyDeletelovely lovely lovely fava vignettes
ReplyDeleteterrific writing, Tracy.
I've been saying the same thing about my fingernails
for years.
I know what you mean about the staining of your fingers from broad beans, new potatoes do the same thing too, oh and mint. I look like I never wash my hands just lately. It's worth it though.
ReplyDeleteNice. A fava bean meditation.
ReplyDeletebeautifully written. isn't it great that the very act of shelling the favas offered respite from other activities and enabled you to consider the process? these days, I find myself so damn busy all the time, that the opportunity to do something that demands my physical but not my mental attention is a welcome break from the every day (not that i'd like to spend my entire day shelling beans, of course).
ReplyDeleteThey are such a special bean. I really like what you've mentioned here -- the fava, potato, onion, fennel dish. An inspiration!
ReplyDeleteLovely writing. My nails are currently sporting much strawberry gunk from jam making. Hours, and hours of strawberry cleaning.
ReplyDeleteOh... lovely photos, lovely words...
ReplyDeleteI can see the breath in your photos!
ReplyDelete