The Size and Shape of Corn

Corn is a truly amazing annual plant. It grows at a rate which exceeds almost anything else you find in a garden, and one stock produces as much consumable corn in one season as a six or seven year old apple tree would produce.

In about a month and a half, my corn has grown from just over 12 inch stocks, to over 6 foot stocks on average. Almost every stock has tassels now and they are beginning to sprout the small buds which will become ears of corn.

Here is a picture of Coughlin and I standing in the middle of my corn rows, at the very back.


My current profile picture on facebook shows us standing further forward, which makes us show up better, but doesn't as accurately demonstrate the height and density of my corn.

Here is a picture of one of the stocks with tassels coming out.


Coughlin loves to grab plants and leaves and move them (sometimes trying to eat them as well), he's been especially fascinated with the corn stocks.

As far as my trip is concerned, it will be less than 40 hours until I depart for South Dakota. All my gear is together, I just have to pack up on Thursday afternoon and lay my clothes out for the next morning.

I'm glad that I've been riding to the Bainbridge Island ferry this week to work a different shift, it's given me a chance to wear in my tires. The newer rubber is a little more slick, but I truly put them to the test yesterday while making my way off the island. Just after the day road stoplight someone in a large pickup who was turning left (into my lane) from an intersection, crawled out into the opposite lane as I approached. I looked to him to make sure he wasn't going to run me over and as I turned back ahead I saw that a box truck which was also turning left into my lane, had pulled into the middle of the road (not a turn lane) to attempt to find a spot to merge with the traffic, the large pickup was apparently planning to muscle their own way into traffic around the box truck. If this weren't enough, as I looked up the road, I found that an idiot in a Kia Sorrento two cars in front of me had stopped abruptly to let the Box truck into traffic.

The small pickup between myself and the Sorrento therefore had to stop abruptly and I locked up both wheels for a moment trying to stop. I eased of the brake and rolled forward at a now slow pace, and we all began moving again.

I'll be very happy whenI'm out on the open freeway, far away from assholes who cannot drive. Of course I'll see some traffic around the urban areas I pass through, but on this route, those will be few and far between.

In any case, I feel well prepared for my trip.