Cucumbers.
Today I broke down and penetrated the penitentiary jungle, however briefly. The ground teems with Delicata squashes; Butternut squashes, Lemon Cucumbers, and the mysteriously turned-up squash familiar to me from Sicily hang from the penitentiary chain-link fence or have settled wherever they could. The taste of this Sicilian squash doesn't appeal to me. The tender leaves of its vine are known as tenerumi, a word that suggest the fruit's tender consistency. I left the gigantic one on the vine (it now reaches the ground and turns to one side, slithering on), reserving it for its seeds, but I picked two others. There are quite a few more lurking here and there. The butternuts are huge. The quantity of cucumbers is obscene, like bunnies that can't stop reproducing. I also gleaned some beans from under the gigantic squash leaves and plucked four small artichokes. I should have picked these a few days ago. They are still edible, and though small are good. Tonight I will put all the cucumbers but five in a bag, by the driveway, for passers by to take some if the would like to. The squash will be next to the bag of cukes. I'm curious if they get adopted...