www.lowcountryjoe.com: Newsletter

A View from the Marsh:

Mam....Want to buy some Seeds

Spring (spring) 1. The first season of the year in North America 2. To arise by growth, as from a seed or germ, bulb, root etc. 3. Pertaining to characteristic of, or suitable for the season of spring: spring flowers. "TIME" Spring 1957….. "PLACE"…. A small country community not far from Pittsburgh, PA….Knock…Knock…Knock…." a petite lady wiping her hands on a large white apron emerges…."yes Joey…how can I help you"…."Mrs. Komis….would you like to buy some seeds"? ….."just got them in today" I continue and shyly but confidently open the top of the brightly colored Burpee’s seed sales box. "My…. Aren’t those packages pretty" she exclaims…"Yes Mam, really bright and colorful aren’t they….especially those blue Forget me Nots"…the package says you can sow them right after our last frost and in only seven to ten days you will have seedlings sprouting in that flower box right over there on your window….says so right here on the packet"….."Well how much are they Joey?" …Mam…they are only ten cents a pack….and if you buy five packs they are eight cents". "Well lets take two packs of the Forget me Knots, and two of the daffodils…..ahh….just give me a dollars worth and I will plant some around the back porch too"…….Thank you Mrs. Komis….they will look pretty there, and with money in hand I trudge through the snowy yard, into the muddy street and towards the next farm house. "TIME" Spring 2003….."PLACE"….The small general store next to Marshside Mama’s on the South end of Daufuskie Island, South Carolina…..With a large passel of mail collected from our quaint outdoor post office boxes I enter the store greeted by the well wishes of the accompanied locals. They are seated haphazardly around a plastic table, affectionately known as the round table, and make room for me by shooing away the calico cat that had laid claim to one of the accompanying plastic chairs. A cold Budweiser appears as if from out of nowhere and Daufuskie’s equivalent to the England’s House of Commons reconvenes. Somewhere between comments about the slowness of the County to fix our community dock to the demise of Osama bin Laden the conversation turns to our recent run of rainy Spring days. "My order of seeds got in the other day but it will be some time before planting" a disgruntled Islander mumbles….."too wet" ….."You know, I used to sell seeds on the Island when I was a kid" Ronnie, a long time local native chimes in" ……"I inquisitively respond" …."were they Burpees?"….."Sure were" he responds " did you sell them too?"….The rest of the House of Lords take up another matter as Ronnie and I look at each other in bemused amazement as we enter into our own little time warp into the past. I am taken back to times when I was enlightened and thrilled when opening that brown shipping carton filled with colorful packets on a snowy Pennsylvania day and remember how I brought happiness to my neighbors with an early sign of Spring…..and I can see a twinkle in Ronnie’s eye as he talks about walking the dirt roads of Daufuskie bringing a bit of sunshine to the Locals in the form of packets of colorful Burpee seeds…..and when he talked about his dream of selling enough seeds to get the grand prize "a real B B gun" only to come up short, I must admit I got a bit "misty"…..but we both nodded with approval how Mom and Dad pitched into buy out "the lot" so that we could reach our goal and realize our young dreams. Well Spring has once again come to the Lowcountry…..The daffodils and dogwoods are blooming…..the ospreys and eagles are building their nests, the marshes are turning bright green , the pond frogs are croaking…..and I am getting ready to spread a little sunshine. Just like Ronnie and I did in the Spring of 1957 I once again will become a purveyor of Burpee seeds….. The first pack will go to my Bride Mary for being the Spring of my life for 31 years…the second pack goes to my Mom for her help reaching a youthful dream and buying up "the lot" …..the third pack goes to Ronnie for reminiscing with me "sometimes its good to get misty" and a packet goes to you. Send me your snail mail address and plant these Forget Me Nots in your flower box, yard or wherever…. and may they bring a little sunshine and happiness to your life. If you live up North you can sow them after your last Spring frost……. and in 7 to 10 days the seedlings will emerge……Says so right here on the packet…. LC Joe