.: evil jungle prince :.

When I planted Korean pepper seeds in my garden some two years ago, I never guessed they'd be my most successful crop. They produce peppers throughout the year in bountiful quantities -- seen here is a single day's pickings. Being a lover of heat, these peppers find their way into just about everything, from Indian cooking to instant kimchi. And though the red ones aren't quite as tasty as the green, they make for a bold garnish with their vibrant, firey hue.

Seeing this photo, I can't help but think of Ito Jukuchu's Vegetable Nirvana, in which Jakuchu humorously and fantastically portrays throngs of grieving vegetables and fruits gathering around the Buddha for his final departure from this world. My version instead replaces Jakuchu's Sakyamuni-daikon with a flaming-red Korean gochu, seemingly confirming that Buddha nature (Bussho) is present even in the fruits of my simple garden.