Monday, May 7, 2007

80 Degrees in the Sunset

Yesterday afternoon I met up with my friend Amy who has moved to Pittsburgh.

We had an amazing lunch at Tikka Masala and then headed off to admire CHOMP! - the Carnivorous Plant exhibit at the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park.

The sun was merciless.

We parked along Lincoln and walked among families, drum circles, and resident-free folks to find the conservatory, a beautiful glass structure that's been renovated to house an impressive collection of greenery, some of which is completely surprising to think of as members of the plant kingdom.

There are orchids that have fantastic shapes...seemingly out of science fiction, but here they are...among us, coloured to camouflage or to flounce their beauty.

Some of the trees are immense and it's amazing to align some basic foodstuffs with the plants from which they come.

I was most taken by the rice plant. Such a tiny and delicate plant that produces a few grains.

I eat a lot of rice.

A lot.

And I realize I do none of the work to harvest this plant. It must be gently shaken of its fruit. The grains must be processed...some of it hulled, some of it left with the hull on. It must be sorted and weighed.

All to feed the majority of the world's people.

Amazing.

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