Lumpy, Bumpy Greenmarket Thanksgiving Pumpkins AND THE WISDOM OF BIRDS

There are an array of greenmarkets all throughout New York City where I live, and one such market at Tucker Square takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays where, in by-gone years, have purchased Rosmarinus officinalis  AKA Rosemary  from a grower who participates in this particular market. And I've often gotten cheese from Bobolink, a cheese-maker that I have featured on Blogger in the past, including a post which you may refer to by clicking here.

In any event, this past Thursday, November 15th 2012, I went to the Tucker Square market with coupons for "freebies" in my hand as I was in search of pumpkins and gourds to photograph for my line of autumn and Thanksgiving cards. What I discovered was some pumpkins which were "lumpy and bumpy" (seen in the back row of the image above today's blog entry), and I immediately thought of them as a "visual" way of describing how the lumps and bumps that I have all over my body (as a result of being born with the neurological "disorder" known as Neurofibromatosis Type-One or NF-1) appear.

I asked the grower about these "odd" looking pumpkins and she referred me to an Internet source where I was informed that this lumpy/bumpy appearance "is not a hideously disfiguring disease that's suddenly stricken one of America's favorite autumn staples – these pumpkins have been genetically engineered to look that way. It takes at least 10 generations of cross-breeding to produce a pumpkin that's adequately covered in warts to be sold under the Super Freak label, according to Roy Pearman, director of sales and marketing for Siegers Seed Co., based in Holland, Mich., which "puts the genetics together" to create seeds for the bumpy, heavily wart-covered pumpkins and gourds."

This info leads me to believe that there is no political correctness in pumpkin patches when it comes to describing "favorite autumn staples," which is not surprising, given the type of verbal abuse I have experienced re my lumps and bumps; and an innocent pumpkin cannot defend himself against cruel remarks such as being considered a "super freak" and cannot get legal representation against such injustices!

As for me, I procured a lawyer to speak for me when a well known New York City museum dismissed me from a low-level job, stating my lumps and bumps were contagious and co-workers were "afraid to use equipment I had touched"! NF is not contagious but insensitivity towards it (as well as towards other "afflictions") is quite contagious!

I have written about this before here on Blogger, and it is not my intent to make it a band wagon issue, but from time to time, I feel "obligated" to raise awareness re Neurofibromatosis (NF) community as we tend to be a forgotten group; and to that end I have written a manuscript re the emotional consequences of growing up with NF told in the voice of a child. This past June I queried Jane Brody, who writes about related topics for The New York Times, and if you'd like to read my query, please click here.

Meanwhile, having NF is not something I dwell on; rather I try and learn a lesson from my visiting birds: each has a physical difference, making it something to cherish and not deem as being "freaky", as evident by some awesome photo-ops of my feathered friends enjoying my garden (and weighing in with their sentiments on people passing remarks about another's "affliction"), as you can see below.

This Mourning Dove nor His Finch Friend Mind His Pink Feet
Now if they were humans . . . 

This Blue Jay Doesn't mind its Big Blue Beak
(It matches the hue of his feet and to him, he's no freak!)

This sweet tree swallow, will not allow,
remarks unkind, in paths she tends to follow!

Two Red House Finches (upon hearing the lumpy bumpy pumpkins' "fate" )
Sing Three Dog Night's Lyric:
How can be people have no feeling these days?

"Oh PUH-LEE-Z-UH," chirps the chickadee when asked about the lumpy bumpy bit

Off Spring of My Blue Jay Learns From His Parents!
He doesn't let being different by having blue feet) interfere with his self esteem!

"Life's too short to be hurt by what folks say," chirps Cam
  (when told of the lumps and bumps scenario)!
"Besides why sweat that "stuff" when you can be happy playing with a feather?"

A Sweet House Finch Spits out Her Food at the Idea of Cruel Remarks! 

A Still Unidentified Bird Hums Chimes In and Reiterates Three Dog Night!
"How can people have no feelings?"

How ABSURD (Cruel Remarks)!
THAT's WHY WE EACH ENJOY BEING A BIRD!

And last but not least:

Hearing Unkind Things Being Said Has Often Caused me to BURY MY HEAD!

My visiting birds hope you enjoyed seeing (and "hearing') their various reasons they take homage when folks are insensitive, and we have much more we could include, and perhaps we will at some other point in time, but for now we will leave you with these selections and a wish that you and yours are somewhat "consoled" in the event that you have been the target of unkind or unfair treatment re any difference you may have!