DINNER CONVERSATIONS

My mother was a quiet, soft-spoken woman.  EXCEPT when it came to large family holiday dinners when she issued an edict that there would be no political conversations.

Every year at the beginning of the holiday get-to-gathers I think of my mom and her ability to keep the gatherings a memorable occasion for the right reasons.  Recently I received an email with a laughable message, "The election is over: but--is it really?".   That brought to mind, maybe I should have some resources ready.  Even football game conversations can get spirited.

As gardeners, an obvious topic would be gardening.  But it's too early to start thinking about choices for the coming year. For a truly different conversation you might try a diversion of a well-known movie title that best describes your garden. 

I'm not up to date on recent movies so I would revert to some old favorites.

'Caddyshack' tops my list.  The 1980 movie featured Bill Murray as the groundskeeper at a prestigious golf course and charged with the duty of ridding the golf course of gophers.  We were just into our second year of gardening in Central Oregon with lots to learn, especially about gophers.  The film didn't get a very high rating as a comedy but we thought it was hilarious. 

My personal 'Caddyshack' experience involved walking past a garden bed and watching a plant being pulled downwards.  I had a long handled shovel in hand and like a wild woman started slashing at the soil.  Course, all I did was slash the remaining plants to bits.  Bill Murray ended up using explosives but decided that wasn't a reasonable solution for us.  Instead, I went to Big R for local advice.  

It wasn't long after that and the first Master Gardener classes were offered. We decided we had better sign up.

Several movie titles come to mind.   'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly'. 'Gunfight at the O.K. Corral', 'War of the Worlds' and with a softer touch, 'The Object of My Affection'.  

For all gardeners, 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' would be appropriate.  Will it be the deer, rabbits or rockchuck this time?

Deer are always the culprits on my property.  At this time of year, I adopt the position of observation rather than action.

Recently a deer was feasting on my honeysuckle on a trellis next to the house.  She started to move away but spied lots of greenery in the sunroom.  A feast to behold.  She walked to the sliding glass door, sniffed and sniffed some more.  Then walked around the corner and started sniffing at the large windows still trying to figure out how to get to the dinner table.

Survival is always on their mind.  There must be a high spy movie filled with lots of intrigue and drama that would fit the bill as a first class conversation diversion.

Good luck and create a memorable gathering through storytelling, if necessary.