Well, there are definitely some Star Wars and Disney things to talk about here lately. And what have I been doing? Ignoring this space because "reasons". Yep, I do a lot of ignoring these days in favor of focusing on other things, but I also know that getting back into the things I once loved is also extremely important. Thus, here I am. In the virtual writing flesh.
Today I want to write about something silly because it makes me happy and because it's Disney related and because NINE POUND LEMONS. That's right. You hear me. Nine pound lemons.
Anyone who has gone to EPCOT with me has been inevitably dragged on the Living with the Lands ride. And - also inevitably - I will seek, point at, and then excitedly jabber about the nine pound lemon trees that live inside the greenhouse. Seriously, I love them. I don't know why. I like lemons. Lemons are great. Lemons are tasty, and they're cool looking, and they make great drinks and desserts and things. But they're all of this to the nth degree when they're nine freakin' pounds (and sometimes even larger).
During our "year of Disney" to celebrate the Nerd Husband's and my 5th wedding anniversary, we decided to take the Behind the Seeds tour at EPCOT. This was such an unexpectedly awesome tour, and I am so glad we decided to take it. It was relatively inexpensive for a Disney tour. The website currently lists adults prices at $25 and child prices at $20, and the tour time is listed around one hour (but ours lasted around 1.5 hours or so because of reasons I'll explain later). The day we decided to go, we just walked up the counter outside of the Soarin' ride, made our reservation, purchased our tickets, and waited for our tour time.
We were lucky that day. There were four of us on the entire tour - all adults and all home-gardeners. The cast member giving the tour seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself because we kept asking questions and were genuinely interested in everything going on. He kept us longer than usual and even led us a little of the beaten path so we could get a better look at things. We got to visit the fish farm and feed the fish (talk about feeling like a child, throwing a bunch of fish food in and then watching fish just go everywhere). We learned about hydroponics, picked up our own plan for a homemade hydroponic garden, and taste-tested veggies from the greenhouse. We learned about weird plants, how they grow things, and how they use the things they grow. We got to see and touch things we'd ordinarily only be able to look at.
And then - oh, then, my good people - we got to the nine pound lemon trees.
I squealed a little - maybe even outwardly. It was obvious I was excited for no really good reason other than ginormous citrus fruits. But the tour guide talked about things, and I listened and tried to remain calm. Then he reached into a basket and pulled out not one but two huge nine pound lemons. "Who wants to hold one?"
I was kind. I let the other couple who was there hold the lemons first, but buddy, when it was my turn, I was so stinking excited. Here I was! The fruit of my efforts (ha!) realized! I had a lemon! No! Two lemons! (The Nerd Husband gave me his to hold, too.) The thoughts that went through my head jumbled around and basically exploded into TWO NINE POUND LEMONS IN MY HANDS LOOK THEY ARE REAL OMGOODNESS.
There's a picture that goes along with this. If I ever find it, I'll post it. Because the look at my face is childlike joy. It's kind of embarrassing and amazing all at the same time.
So today's moral is do the thing. Find your happy. Find your nine pound lemon. Hold it and realize that it's real, tangible, and truly worthy of loving simply because it brings you joy.
Oh, and I bought a nine pound lemon dress. It's actually just a dress covered in lemons, but lemons are cooler when they're nine pound lemons. Love makes you do crazy things.
So today, I raise a glass of nine pound lemonade (I've heard it's tasty from the cast member who gave us our tour) to the nine pound lemon tree of Living with the Lands. May you continue to bloom and blossom and bring me citrusy joy for the remainder of my days.
