My Green Husband

So, a couple of months ago, as we were leaving Starbucks (yes, we have 3 within walking distance of our home – and we actually walk to them!!!) we noticed they had bags of used coffee grounds, free for the takin’.  The sign next to the bags encouraged people to help the environment by sprinkling the used grounds on their gardens and flower beds.  We don’t have a garden.  We didn’t take any bags. 

But, since then, most mornings Brad chooses a potted plant or some flowers in front of our townhome to bless with our used coffee grounds.  I do not have green thumb – or pinky or any other digit, for that matter.  So, I’m thankful that my husband is diligently guarding the life of the poor plants that became my responsibility when we moved in here.  (We have 3 potted plants – one inside and two outside.)

Where we come from (on the other side of the world) they have other methods of protecting plants.  They basically don’t let anyone touch them – even the grass!  They don’t let you walk or sit on grass.  There are signs in every park that read:

Yes, the grass is sleeping, so DON’T walk on it!  I’m not willing to confess how many times I’ve told the “keepers of the grass” that I couldn’t read the sign and therefore didn’t know we couldn’t _______ (play baseball/ picnic/ run on/ walk in) the grass.  – Fortunately most signs are not translated so beautifully into English, so I can usually get away with that.  The funny thing is that the Asianese really says that the grass is sleeping!      

Back to America:  One day Peter saw Brad in action and asked why he was putting coffee on the grass.  Brad responded with, “It’s good for it; it helps it.”  Peter nodded knowingly, and said, “Oh, it keeps it awake.”  Because, ya know, where we come from, grass is usually sleeping!