Peripatetic philomaths…focusing on what's really important, eating ethically and cleanly, fermenting, foraging/wildcrafting, practicing herbalism, and being responsible stewards of our land. Sharing our photos, musings, and learnings. Still seeking our tribe.
Periodically, I have a yen for fish and chips (who doesn’t, right?). While I sincerely wish that I could say that a certain fish and chips shop in town could meet this need (or even that there was a fish and chips shop in town), I can’t – hence my quest to find tasty fish fillets closer than an hour and a half drive away, each way. Surprisingly, I did – and it actually ended up being a fishless fillet!
With the cold weather, the lemon balm plants have been looking peaked, so I decided to cut them back. In doing so, I harvested a large amount of leaves that were still green and smelled aromatic. How could I make the lemon balm last? By making some wine I can appreciate at my leisure!
The temperatures have been dropping and we’ve already seen a bit of slush this month. Last night, it began to sleet after dark, pinging off the windows and frosting hard surfaces with ice. This morning, the trees were wearing heavy ice coats like oversized suits of armor. All that weight caused branches to break off trees and, unsurprisingly, caused the power to go out. Here’s how the morning went…
We like our baked goods, so we recently purchased some cast iron pieces that we hope will replace less sturdy and often poorer performing bakeware, like our everything-sticks-in-them muffin pans. This time, we’re using a cast iron loaf pan.
Like it or not, the sheer beauty of the season inspires me to continue writing verse – and the chill in the air is positively invigorating. Rest assured, I’ll continue to post about cooking, fermenting, and the other content you’re used to seeing here, but there will be poetry, too. Just be aware: I also enjoy limericks!
As someone who believes in the value of clear communication, I appreciate the tidy succinctness of haiku; as “mood” poetry, it’s particularly well-suited to capturing moments in nature. Consider this classic haiku by Matsuo Basho (from the Academy of American Poets website):
An old pond!
A frog jumps in—
the sound of water.
Doesn’t it create a very vivid image in your mind? And sound, along with that image? I “see” a still garden pond, with lily pads floating on it, and a small frog leaping from the bank into the water with a splash that belies the frog’s small size. Then – if you run with it – the concentric circles, ripples flowing out from the center of the splash. Yes, the last part is clearly an extrapolation, but poetry encourages you to let your imagination run wild!
May the wonders of the season awaken your muse, too.
Looking for a vegan alternative to egg salad? This recipe uses organic extra firm tofu to create a very convincing “eggy” base, with lots of protein and a dash of powerhouse turmeric.
