I have lettuces!

Sunday last, I filled a large-ish flat with potting mix and planted a couple rows of lettuce seed - one of "mesclun" mix and one that is two different heirloom varieties. The seed packets said "7-14 days to seedling emergence" but it looks like most of the seeds emerged in 5 days or less. Yay. I'm going to grow these totally indoors under the fluorescent lights because it will soon be too hot here for lettuce (it gets bitter and it bolts).

If this works well, I may plant crops of lettuce every 3 weeks or so. It's certainly cheaper to buy the seed than to buy it at the store - and I will know that my lettuce is truly pesticide-free.

and now, for the Friday Five

1. What was the first band you saw in concert?

Umm...when I was very small, my parents had a subscription to Blossom (a summer music festival in the Akron, Ohio area). It was mostly classical music but I vaguely remember going to hear the Carpenters. Actually, the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom was probably the first "band" I ever heard. I remember falling asleep on the blanket my parents brought (we had lawn seating).

2. Who is your favorite artist/band now?

I'm not really a big fan of much pop/rock music. And I don't really have a favorite orchestra, although I like "The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields" just because of the name. Of individual performers, I like Yo-Yo Ma. Among jazz/older popular musicians, I like Stephane Grapelli, Charles Trenet, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughn.

3. What's your favorite song?

My favorite classical pieces are probably "Sheep may safely graze" by Bach (which I was disappointed to find didn't have religious allusions; it was from a piece he did from Greek mythology), the Bagatelles by Dvorak, and Bach's "Sleepers Awake" chorus. Of jazz/popular music, maybe "Douce France" by Charles Trenet or his "Hop Hop".

4. If you could play any instrument, what would it be?

The violin. Someday, when I have time (retirement?) I'm going to see about taking lessons. I'd also like to play the piano.

5. If you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why?

Probably Charles Trenet. I don't know much about him but I really enjoy his music. He was most popular in the 40s and 50s in France. He died in 2000 and it was a little jolt to see the tiny little obituary in the Dallas paper and realize "hey, I know who that guy is (and probably most people in America don't)"

It would also be interesting to meet Antonin Dvorak. From his music I get the sense that he was someone who loved home and family very much (but then again it might be a disappointment to meet him - one of my other heroes, Anthony Trollope, was reportedly a grouch and sort of arrogant).