Banana

 

My mind is not really well focused on the topic I started to write about yesterday early morning, so it still sits "stalled" in my queue to perhaps someday complete.  

I have eaten a banana nearly every day since childhood..... so that is a helluva lot of bananas.  And, I have noticed some things that are (to me) somewhat disconcerting about bananas in the last 8-10 years:

• Bananas do not seem as "good" as they used to be. I realize that this is very likely due to some of the issues globally that are affecting bananas.... things like disease (mostly fungal, I believe), and environmental challenges associated with global warming.  
• From what I understand, many "modern" bananas are either a) hybrids between different species/varieties, b) GMO bananas, or c) alternative species than what I have come to associate with bananas for decades.  
• Challenges I find in "modern" bananas include:
• Some bananas we now purchase have a strange (unpleasant to me) texture..... which is overly stiff (even when ripe) and sometimes the texture through the fruit even displays variations in the textures within one banana.... almost like part of the fruit is akin to almost a stalk...... to me very off-putting texture-wise.  
• Most bananas I tend to see these days have a less-than-uniform ripening scale associated with them
• In the above image, we see a non-parametric scale of banana "ripeness".  For me, my STRONG PREFERENCE is to eat a banana when it is between 4.5 and 5 on the above scale.  Before that, the banana is too "stiff" and often exhibits an "alkalinity" that is not pleasing.  And, above 5, the texture becomes overly soft, and the flavors more "old" and "muted" to me.  
• The thing is.... in earlier times.... bananas would gradually work through the non-parametric scale in a relatively uniform fashion from 1 - 7+.  BUT, the "modern" banana SEEMS TO ME to spend the majority of time at either ends of this scale.  It has become common now for us to get bananas that are somewhere in the 1-3 range.... and they STAY that way for often a week or more.  And then, the actual 4-5 range zone..... seems to "zip by" in perhaps 10-12 hours before it kerplunks into the nasty over 5 scores.  IT TRULY seems like the stage I actually enjoy.... now lasts for only a few brief hours.
• It has gotten to the point where when we purchase bananas, we now try to only buy 2-3 at a time (instead of a full bunch of 7-8), because the window of when they are "good" and "pleasant" seems so much more narrow than it used to be.

So, enough about bananas.  Other things:

• The concert last evening went well.  It was beautiful weather, and it was very enjoyable.  One of the things about the philosophy of our community band is that we like to try out a lot of alternative venues.... to get music to folks who would otherwise be unlikely to engage with such an event.  So, in addition to a few "traditional" theater stage venues we pepper through the year.... we actually tend to do more "traveling shows".... often to larger nursing homes and assisted living facilities.... and to some community food drives.... and some smaller craft shows and festivals.   Where we played yesterday was in a small field/park adjacent to the library in our "old town" region of the city.  This neighborhood is filled with (besides the library) a considerable number of smaller homes in in a series of tight-sized blocks in the urban center.  It was fun.... as we warmed up.... folks from numerous houses heard the honking and bleating of our horns and peeked out onto their porches.... and as we started to play actual music.... many folks sat down on their porches to watch and listen, and a lot of folks began to meander towards the library and the park.... including a lot of young elementary and middle school aged kids.  
• Until yesterday, when I wrote a bit about it, I had not really been focused on the TEMPORAL nature of when I ESPECIALLY would enjoy indulging in my pipes and pipe tobaccos.  But, it is rather true.  After thinking about it yesterday, I ended up spending most all the "daydream time" I had the rest of the evening and even as I fell asleep.... recalling how incredibly beautiful and.... SIMULTANEOUSLY invigorating AND relaxing it was when I would peacefully indulge in a pipe while I drove home each evening from the U with my friendly truck.  In looking back on it now, it seemed that the flavors of the pipe tobacco were always deeper, the aromas always sweeter, and the mental relaxation always more profound on that pipe-infused journey home.  I so truly miss that.

Unfortunately, I have eaten my banana and my yogurt now, and I really need to get back to work.  My banana was actually about a 5.5 today.... so that was good.  Probably the other one we have at home will drift into a 6 or more by morning, so I will probably have to eat it later this evening.... or freeze it with all the other ones to make cookies or bread with eventually.

PipeTobacco