210521 Food Covid Geese.
May 20
It is 30 degrees! I took Fig to the stream. It is flowing very lightly since we have had only 6 mm of rain in almost a week. But so green - the trees are in full leaf suddenly! The ferns are rapidly developing everywhere . They are a dominant plant type in these woods. There are even groves in direct sun in the meadow. There are fragile pale green ones coming up outside the kitchen window and a thousand tiny one-frond babies everywhere in the woods. Fig and I were surprised to hear a pair of Canada geese honking aggressively as we reached the crest of the ridge pond. There they were with four little goslings corralled between them. They didn't stop their noise until we left, which we did before they got brave and came for Fig, who, without hesitation, trotted down to stand in the water and drink.
Yesterday and this morning four wild turkeys visited the meadow below the house. I was so pleased to see them! They seem like ancient creatures, dinosaur-like with their slow careful walk and long naked necks. I hope they'll stay and nest. The babies look more like dinosaurs even, than the parents, on long legs with trimmer bodies. One had a large white patch on its back - a mutation? - and another, too, had some white on him. The hummingbird was here yesterday again, although I haven't seen him today. I wish I knew what plants he is visiting. He's often near the front door where a small pin cherry tree attracts bumble bees in the early morning.
Last night's dinner was leftover mixed-bean falafels with all the vegetable fixings, and chopped parsley from the potted plant Rain gave me and chives from the garden, for garnish. Preparing dinner for a family of five or six with a variety of tastes and dislikes to contend with can be challenging (sometimes disheartening!). I often resorted to take-out on Fridays - burn-out day. But K likes almost everything I make and if he didn't there is always peanut butter, bread and fruit. I am able to cook the nutritious and delicious diet I have adopted - I was going to say, over the last 6 years, but the germs of it go back to my childhood. That may be a pun since part of my awakening sense of nutrition is learning about the human gut biome that nutritionists talk about now. As I have changed my diet in the past 6 years with an aim to healthier living, my taste for healthy foods has developed, while the cravings for sugar, chocolate, white breads, oil and butter have stopped. Last night's meal was completely plant-based, without oil or added sugar. Except for the pita bread and tahini, everything was prepared from individual ingredients previously unprocessed. The pita bread has one chemical ingredient - calcium proprionate, besides wheat, water, yeast, salt and vinegar. But the tahini is 100% sesame seeds. Oh, the tomatoes are canned but only contain tomatoes, citric acid and calcium chloride. The two calcium combinations are considered GRAS - generally recognized as safe - the most wonderfully banal acronym words I have ever encountered! GRAS is an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) designation. Soon local tomatoes will be available and perhaps I can freeze some for the winter. Rain can tell me how, since she does it in the fall. And the pita bread - although it is whole wheat which is a must if I want bread - is hopefully on its way out. Local bakeries make whole wheat breads without chemicals. I would like to start making breads again using whole wheat and alternative flours, but it is necessary to look at the processing of the flours. There is a South American bread called an arepa which is a quick make that they eat at every meal, but they use a cooked and processed corn flour which makes me doubt that it fits my whole foods diet. Pita bread or tortillas should be easy to make with organically processed whole wheat.
This week I found red kale and Tuscan black kale at the grocery store! They were both a little wilted but that didn't deter me: I know that a couple of hours in a sink of cold water will revive them perfectly. You just have to cut the stems at the leaf line. I prepared the red kale last night and when I drew it out of the water I smelled a lovely strong fragrance like freesia! I checked the smell of the hand soap and dish soap to determine that it was not residual soap in the sink, but no, they were very different. I found no references on-line to such a thing, but the kale was excellent with the falafels. The Tuscan kale makes good kale chips, so that is a thought for tonight. (I overdid them: sad face)
There is a covid outbreak right in our small town. It is very worrying. So far the area around Potton has been pretty good, although the Estrie as a whole is in a red (or reddish) zone with visits, even outside, forbidden on private property, and restaurants are not open.Most stores are, however. The stores are small and keep to the strict guidelines for numbers and hand sanitizing and masks. But people everywhere are so tired of it. Imagine the five years that Europe and Britain endured World War II. We are only a few months past one year. We are a long way from the end, even with vaccinations, since the variants continue to evolve in the many countries that are behind in vaccinations. Canada and the US are at just under 50 per cent for numbers with one dose. but the US is far ahead of us in fully vaccinated people. I don't mind wearing a mask at all and I wonder if it will become a fashion/lifestyle accessory. I did not get the flu, maybe because I got the vaccine, but I also did not get one cold or stomach bug all year. With the grandchildren bringing them home, I usually have several colds each year. I guess my concern is that viruses are good at what they do. People continue to travel for food transportation and migratory work, not to mention those fleeing war or climate catastrophes. The poor, who continue to provide essential services, must travel daily to work while their children must attend school or day care. We are some of the lucky few who have the luxury of isolating! We should be glad to wear masks, to put off non-essential errands. I am very conscious that my mask and hand-washing protect the store owners and workers so that they can continue to sell me groceries. I have a growing list of hardware needs but I can't bring myself to go to Rona (Hardware).
The sun is behind the ridge, the frogs are singing and the Vermont hills are misty. I am going to bed soon: I like to be up when the sun rises. Be well. Take what you want and leave the rest.
Mumma Yaga
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