Blinded by Science
Taking a break from the snow pictures for a while ("a while" in this case probably defined as 24 hours), and encouraged by the -20F temperatures, I decided to try a scientific experiment. Most of us know the effect of garlic on vampires, right? And many of us frequently tie cloves of this aromatic allium around our windows. I always wear a necklace of fresh garlic to repel these creatures as well as to attract the local beauties. (It seems less effective in achieving the later, but that's a different experiment with different variables.) But how many know the results of vampires on garlic? Not many, thought I. Everyone knows that the vampires run (or fly) away, shielding themselves with their capes from the effects, but I don't recall one instance of anyone checking to see how the garlic made out after these confrontations. Poor follow-up, it seems to me. So knowing vampires to be in the vicinity, I placed a clove on a plate to see what would ensue. Remarkably, as you can see, not only did vampiric symbols suddenly appear on the plate in the form of black eyes and long pointed teeth but the garlic sprouted as if given new life.
"Hmmm," said I, in empirical fashion, "I wonder if this means that this particular clove of garlic will have eternal life? And is it possible that the existence of garlic is only due to the presence of vampires? Do I need to do a representative sampling of garlic cloves asking how old they are and hope they don't lie? And if vampires, and thus garlic, disappeared, what would celebrity chefs do? Would they vanish, too?" (One can only hope...)
So many questions but, on this subject, an eternity to discover the answers. In the meantime, I'll be keeping my mind and eyes open for other fascinating areas of investigation and discovery providing insight and enlightenment to share with you, my loyal followers. Since garlic also repels mosquitos and mosquitos are bloodsuckers as well, I'm seriously beginning to have many questions about this bulb and its historical relationships. But all experiments of an insectivorous nature, fortunately, will need wait until summer.
Blinded by Science
Taking a break from the snow pictures for a while ("a while" in this case probably defined as 24 hours), and encouraged by the -20F temperatures, I decided to try a scientific experiment. Most of us know the effect of garlic on vampires, right? And many of us frequently tie cloves of this aromatic allium around our windows. I always wear a necklace of fresh garlic to repel these creatures as well as to attract the local beauties. (It seems less effective in achieving the later, but that's a different experiment with different variables.) But how many know the results of vampires on garlic? Not many, thought I. Everyone knows that the vampires run (or fly) away, shielding themselves with their capes from the effects, but I don't recall one instance of anyone checking to see how the garlic made out after these confrontations. Poor follow-up, it seems to me. So knowing vampires to be in the vicinity, I placed a clove on a plate to see what would ensue. Remarkably, as you can see, not only did vampiric symbols suddenly appear on the plate in the form of black eyes and long pointed teeth but the garlic sprouted as if given new life.
"Hmmm," said I, in empirical fashion, "I wonder if this means that this particular clove of garlic will have eternal life? And is it possible that the existence of garlic is only due to the presence of vampires? Do I need to do a representative sampling of garlic cloves asking how old they are and hope they don't lie? And if vampires, and thus garlic, disappeared, what would celebrity chefs do? Would they vanish, too?" (One can only hope...)
So many questions but, on this subject, an eternity to discover the answers. In the meantime, I'll be keeping my mind and eyes open for other fascinating areas of investigation and discovery providing insight and enlightenment to share with you, my loyal followers. Since garlic also repels mosquitos and mosquitos are bloodsuckers as well, I'm seriously beginning to have many questions about this bulb and its historical relationships. But all experiments of an insectivorous nature, fortunately, will need wait until summer.