Kohlrabi

Some months ago, I learned about a vegetable that was totally new to me: kohlrabi.

It’s this softball-sized orb that sits atop a thin little stem and is sparsely covered in really theatrical leaves that resemble decorative plumage. It’s like an ostrich made of cabbage and I absolutely bought a packet of seeds. Matt asked what it tastes like and I told him I have no clue because the taste isn’t the point to me. The point is: it looks ridiculous.

I’ve made a lot of my life decisions based on how ridiculous I find the potential outcome and, hey, I made it to 37 and I’m still alive so I must be doing something right.

Join me as I take you through a high speed fast forward through my kohlrabi’s life:

Which brings us to... TODAY!

Eff yeah! I harvested that sucker! (And a couple of his siblings)

Lookit my little crop 😭

I put my phone camera’s panorama feature to good use:

I’ve been informed kohlrabi tastes like broccoli? And it’s best eaten... raw? I think? It’s ok, Matt and I’ll look up some recipes and figure it out.

Matt and I spent the day floating on the river to celebrate his 35th birthday. He’s my favorite guy. He’s the best ridiculous thing I ever did with my life (Fall in love with a man when you’re a lesbian? Be in a 3.5 year long distance relationship with someone on a tiny island halfway round the world in a completely opposite time zone, so he’s going to bed when you’re getting up? MARRY this person you’ve spent less than six months total in the same physical space together? Become full time business partners and coworkers with your spouse???)

He’s hilarious and intelligent and curious and kind and devious and thoughtful and creative and dedicated and hardworking and so, so, so handsome. 15 years together and he still makes my heart skip a beat with his soft English accent and silver hair, his beautiful smile and beautiful, beautiful eyes.

Woops, sorry. This was supposed to be a post about my kohlrabi.

I guess it’s about the ridiculous things I’ve pursued, the unique things that caught my eye and delighted me, that I’ve watched develop and grow from youth to maturity. Here’s to the strange and the beautiful! Those entities that capture your attention with their creativity and brilliance. Here’s to the things you nurture and cultivate, and that nurture and cultivate you in return.

Here’s to the things that enrich your life in whatever form that may take, whether by jumping in blindly on an ill-advised adventure with a hot British boy while you study abroad and wind up building a life together with the absolute best person you’ve ever met or by painstakingly tending to a new crop of seedlings for months and months on end simply because you think some day they might look funny and then you can try to eat them but you very well may not even like how they taste.

Here’s to the ridiculous!

May we all have something ridiculous to live for in our lives ❤️