First letter. First post in 2012 A-Z challenge. Best wishes and good luck to all who participate in it.
It also begins my name. I'm not the biggest fan of Amanda. It's an OK name, to be sure, but it always sounds a bit flabby to me and I deeply hate "Mandy" as an abbreviation. Hate to the point that I simply blank it out as something I don't hear at all.
On the other hand, it could have been a great deal worse. My father wanted to call me Cybora, in honour of cybernetics. Mum did not approve, nor did she much like his alternative, Amaryllis. She felt that naming a baby something that meant "little tinkling stream" was a bad idea. Since she was around for the birth and he was not (busy having dinner somewhere - a story which is a microcosm of their relationship), she got her way and went with Amanda.
Mind you, I'd probably take Cybora like a shot now, but I'm glad I didn't have to get through school with it.
A is also for asparagus. Fortuitously, we spent part of this morning planting the crowns. Hopefully they will produce delectable vegetable spikes of goodness sometime in the next three years. It's a slow business growing asparagus. Patience and a deep compost filled pit are required. We dutifully dug what looked like a narrow grave, filled it with manure. Planted the crowns, watered them, hoisted the soil back over the top. Now awaiting results. Asparagus crowns look like diseased sea urchins at high tide. Time, we hope, will turn them from this -
Asparagus can be so delicious, but hell, can it make your urine stink!
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I'm so disappointed at you for using such poor quality images... tut tut - you're letting the side down, young lady! ;)
They do look a bit rubbish. Upping them in size was an error :D Reduced them again.
DeleteThe change in photos must have worked - look good to me --- And now not only have I met a fascinating individual (uh, that would be you, Amanda :} ) but I learned about the challenges of planting and growing Asparagus. I won't be able to view asparagus with a jaded eye ever again.
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly :) Will let you know how it turns out as we're new to the whole growing asparagus thing ourselves.
DeleteYuuum I like asparagus with lots of yummy melted butter on! I like the name Amanda! I had a friend at school called Amanda, except I didn't hear her name right and spent about three years calling her "Remanda" because that would make much more sense...
ReplyDeleteRemanda sounds good to me. I don't hate it as a name, it just doesn't feel as if it belongs to me.
DeleteIt's makeover madness for asparagus!!!! Love the sea urchin metaphor.
ReplyDeleteHey, Amanda isn't so bad. I don't know anyone who truly loves their name. I always thought mine was goofy and common and 1950-ish. But over the years I have realized it's me and I'm kinda used to it. Like my face - now there's something I wish I could change@!!!!!!
Happy asparagus season and Happy A to Z!
Thank you :) Very good to meet you.
DeleteYou're likely right about the name thing. I don't know too many people who adore their names, but I guess there must be some. To be honest, I'm not sure what I'd call myself if I had the choice, so it's probably just as well I didn't have it.
Tale of your name made me chuckle. I don't think I've met anyone who has always like their name.
ReplyDeleteHad no idea it took so long to grow such a tasty veggie.
It grows sooner than that (hopefully), but you don't get a full crop for around three years. After that they sit there quite happily producing aspargus spears for another ten years.
DeleteRhubarb is so much easier :)
Thank you for visiting my blog! I like your name! Much better than Cybora! I LOVE asparagus!!! YUM!!! I hope your new plantings yield lots of them for you!
ReplyDeleteHappy A to Z!
You're welcome.
DeleteLooking at the earthy mound, it's hard to imagine we may end up with home grown asparagus - but it's got to be worth a try.
Cybora! All hail Cybora, Queen of Robots!
ReplyDeleteSeriously. I would write that story.
Also, I am trying to sprout asparagus seeds right now. Does it work? So far the seeds are just sitting in the dirt like a bunch of ingrates as if they do not in fact have the opportunity to grow right now.
Be my guest on the story :)
DeleteI have to admit I've no idea on the seeds at all. We took the easy route with the crowns. Some seeds are like that, very touchy. My venus flytrap seeds are just sulking. In fact I'm not even sure they're in the pot at all there is so little activity. Could be your asparagus is doing the same.
I admire those who have "green fingers"
ReplyDeleteI'm hopeless when it comes to plants. A cactus died under my not-so-green fingers! How is that possible, you ask? I don't know... and my hubby never lets me forget that one...LOL!
Good luck with the rest of the challenge!
Oh, believe me, I've had some major failures. Cacti are astonishingly easy to kill, I've done it many times.
DeleteI love asparagus and wished I lived closer to you so I could beg some off you when they are ready for harvest. As far as the name Amanda..well my little sister and siter in law have that name so you are in good company. My mother and father had different views on my name. My mom wanted to name me Macanda. A combo of Mandy and Candy. She was going to call me Andy if my father would have let her name me that. I kind of wish she had because not thrilled with the name Kim. Great post and look forward to reading more. Thanks for visiting my blog too bt. Have a great night!
ReplyDeleteMy dad is growing asparagus in his back yard. It looked terrible the first year. I told him he should have harvested it already and he explained you had to let it grow all bushy for a year or two and then the next time it came up it would be the stalks that everyone eats.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe he'd spend so much time on a vegetable that I think tastes incredibly bitter.
Really? That's not a complaint I've heard about it before. I've never found it bitter, but maybe I've just been lucky.
DeleteHi Amanda .. I love asparagus .. so if you find an asparagus thief from Eastbourne lurking around next year - you'll know why!!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I'm not that keen on Hilary - but it has its uses for blogging - I'm born on St Hilary's day, and at the beginning of the Hilary term .. and on the 13th ..
Such is life - I think Cybora through school would be a little much, let alone Amaryllis! Cheers Hilary