Gone Bananas

More thoughts on my relationship with foods for Self Portrait Challenge.


Another fruit today, not so exotic or unusual as my first two. The very mundane banana. We take it for granted that they are always available in our stores here in the US, but we don't really ever think about where or how they are grown, or how very far they travel to us. In college I took a lot of political economy and sociology classes, especially about Central America, and learned about the origin of the phraase Banana Republic (no, not the chain of stores!). Let's just say, we're lucky to have the banana available, and we ought to examine Fair Trade vs. Free Trade in relation to the lowly banana.





Do you remember this cheer from High School?

Go! Bananas!

B A N A N A S

Go! Bananas!

B A N A N A S

I guess I just have bananas on my mind.


I will admit this actually felt really good, go ahead try it, you know you wanna. The comforting weight of the bananas and the coolness of their sking and the shape conforming to your head so nicely. Perhaps it would be a good home remedy for headaches?













I've always marveled at how much like a human hand bananas look. The 5 bananas you get at the store is actually called a "hand". These pictures just highlight that for me.













The best banana I ever ate was picked right off the tree in Jamaica. When we peeled it open it was so very very yellow inside, and the taste just about knocked me over. It was like eating five bananas all at once, really intense. I guess the way the banana trade works, the banana farmers in warmer climes pick the bunches absolutely green, and they ripen up a little bit in transit to our stores here, just not the same as fresh. Like any other fruit or vegie really, just think homegrown vs. store bought tomatoes.


As I was holding this bunch of bananas I realized the curve really fits well against the human body. Plus this is a good background, my vegie flannel nightshirt.