A Passing Glimpse

value of a moment /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

The advent of the pace our society has created astounds me. We want everything now. Sometimes even that isn't quick enough. Upon receiving it, at that instantaneous second, it's already become old news, incompatible, or a generation or two behind. We wait for little and the idea of working towards something better has become a burdensome chore rather than a rewarding goal. 


She sees the day far clearer and with less obstructions than I ever will. She’s my spark of hope in this disposable world. To her, life matters. Today matters. A hello, a minute together, and a cookie… they all matter. I taught her obedience a long time ago. In return, she teaches me the value of a moment every single day.

picking life from the vine /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

We spent this morning picking tomatoes from our half a dozen or so plants while a pot of freshly brewed coffee waited on us. Despite the soaring heat and very little rain this summer, our plants have been exceptionally fruitful over the past month. With the lack of Mother Nature's moisture however, our cucumbers haven't done nearly as well. Perhaps that's about to change since I finally picked one today.

I love the color that the freshly washed colanders of tomatoes add to my kitchen. With the morning harvest, I wanted to prepare a pasta and fresh tomato dish for dinner this evening. I enjoy the way life has its way of surprising us. Ask and you shall receive. While enjoying my second cup of coffee, I read my friend Tim's blog. His post for the day was just what I was looking for, Bombolini Pasta. Perfect! Along with a fresh green salad using our lone cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced pears, crumbled feta, and a splash of balsamic vinaigrette, we may have a date night meal in the making.

Check in with Tim and his E.A.T blog regularly. He offers great ideas; great tastes, and is one incredibly inspiring man in the kitchen. Cheers to ripening life. Go pick yours.

waiting on the aliens /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

I can't recall the last time I had Thai food. Tonight was the night to correct my memory. After my share of garden salads and ripened tomatoes topping nearly everything I've prepared at home for several weeks, with exception to my morning bran and banana, another dinner option was a welcoming treat. Our dishes of Pad Thai and Pad Kee Mao were damn fine. No, wait. They were really damn fine. Dessert was served a few hours later. I had Steely Dan spinning on my turntable and a resting bottle of Odoul's Amber sweating on my desk, just inches from my laptop.

We also had new furniture delivered earlier today, making this as grand a day as Christmas... minus those embarrassing bad gift moments or any electronic caroling plastic nativity scenes. The soft, comfortable matching leather sofa and sitting chair make the entire room smell like forty brand new pairs of Doc Marten's and the catcher's mit I had when I was a kid. That leather glove always smelled so good. Probably because I hardly ever used it. None of my sketch books, records, or transistor radios ever smelled as good as that old mit, but I also didn't need another person to enjoy them either.
Steely Dan asks, "Where did you get those shoes?" If anyone ever asked me, I'd have to tell them the truth. Thrift store... three bucks! With all the money I've saved over the years, someday I'll be able to afford to furnish our house with fancy furniture and dine at some of the finest restaurants in town.

Now seems like the perfect time to flip the record over, drop the needle on side two, and wipe up the sweat from that gorgeous brown bottle.

fortunes of good graces /  by admin

©2011 gary garbett.com

I had a visit from UPS yesterday. It was a fabulous day. In addition to the driver and I having a really great conversation about living healthy, family, and attempting to outlive the short lifespan of our "passed away far too young" fathers, he also delivered my new Olympus E-5. My two crazy, life loving pups ran around the yard showing off as the two of us stood in the gravel lane and talked for several minutes. After about five minutes and with more deliveries on his route to make, we brought our talk to a close. I thanked him, shook his hand, and returned the favor by sending him away with a package... a bag of freshly picked tomatoes from my garden.

An hour or so later, I received a phone call from a longtime friend who I hadn't spoken with since her husband's memorial service last year. I'd been thinking about her quite a lot lately and it sounded like she's been moving forward with things pretty well since we last spoke. During our conversation, she asked if I could visit sometime to assist her with some computer issues she's been having. Without even looking at my calendar, I asked if today would work for her. I'll be stopping by to see her on my drive home from the office this afternoon. I may even pack a bag of tomatoes for my visit.

I scouted and reviewed the reports on my new camera for nearly a year before finally making the purchase. It really is a beauty and a phenomenal piece of equipment, but with all of my anticipation of it's arrival, it just wasn't the highlight of my Wednesday. It delights me at how the little things like a brown bag filled with garden picked tomatoes or a jar of homemade pickles can soothe the soul. Combined with a few minutes of genuine, honest conversation and you have something far more valuable than any cardboard box could ever hold. Sincerity is simply golden.