Garlic Scape Pesto

Today I made time in the garden to harvest the rest of my garlic scapes. I tackled other garden tasks too.

I made a pesto with them. I just place the scapes in the food processor with a little sea salt and olive oil and process until they're a texture I like. I sampled the pesto on a rice cracker, approved and prepared most of it for the freezer. 

Not only is this delicious, but it's beautiful too, don't you think?

That's what I made today. Peace.

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MidSummer Honors

Today I harvested, among other things, Melissa officinalis, commonly called lemon balm.

This first harvest of Melissa will become a Melissa Ale.

Her leaves were stripped, just under a pound, and prepared for the freezer.

She will be delicious.

I also paused this day of MidSummer to anoint my chakras with the morning dew … to read Shakespeare to the trees … to create a tool for myself and a gift for the unsuspecting … I journaled … I spoke my Truth to the rooted ones, to the faint breeze, to the moon, to the sun … I chilled a dusty bottle of rhubarb mead to be imbibed with The Boy as we share a Solstice meal this evening. 

That's what I made today. Peace.

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A Day to be Still

I twisted my ankle last night. A pretty good twist, if I do say so myself. A twist that said, "stay still for a day, will ya?" So I did. Mostly. I brought my arty stuff out on the deck and worked on various projects throughout the day. It was a welcome meditation. I thought of my Daddy, who I miss, even though I often feel him around me. Sometimes I even smell his pipe tobacco. I made burgers for dinner in his honor. He loved burgers.

I thought of my father-in-law, too. He was such a good friend. We were fishing buddies. We drank beer and brandy together and laughed a lot. He could dish it out, and he could take it. I love him still.

All in all, it was a blessed Father's Day. A day of rest, recollection and healing. Peace.

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Infused Violet Oil

Among other things, today I strained my first batch of viola leaf oil. A couple weeks ago I leveraged a dry day and harvested a bunch of violet leaves. I chopped them, placed them in glass jars and covered them with coconut oil. The first few days they stayed in my dehydrator, heating to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple hours on, a few hours off. Then, in the remaining time I heated them for a couple hours each day. I like this infused oil for my soap making. Violet leaf is so silky and skin softening and it makes a beautiful, soft-green bar of soap. I have another batch in process and will be making more too … with olive oil.

That's what I made today. Peace.

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Sweet Ploy

Today, the rose elixir I started last June returned to its dispensary shelf with a tickle to follow-up in a month. Yesterday I added the honey to the double-maceration I started a year ago, first with fresh rose petals from the abundant rosa multiflora, followed by a second maceration with dried, organic pink rose petals. It smells dazzling and now, with the honey added, it smells divine.

I've placed the jar in plain sight, so that it doesn't disappear from view again. There's no need for the plant matter to sit in the grain-n-brandy this long. Yet, all things happen with reason.

Today, like yesterday (and tomorrow), will be focused on projects and tasks that are started, in place, yet not fulfilled. This full moon verve has set a razor-laser-intention front-n-center and I'm sensing a month of rediscovery and finalizing as I face those things within my sphere of influence that await my influence in order make manifest. This is a mighty reminder of the vital connections shared in dreaming, doing and manifesting.

I look forward to this path … and its capacity to curb my wonderment at what lies beyond the horizon. Sweet!

That's what I made today. Peace.

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"Good" Coffee

This morning I made coffee. This may not seem like a big deal to you. In fact, it's not really all that big a deal to me … and yet, it is.

You see, a month or two ago I decided to drink tea as my primary, stimulating, morning brew of choice. I was delighted at how easy it was for me to make this transition (despite the naysayers with their negative enforcement of what could/should/would be). Even The Boy gave it a self-induced go and now we both sip tea in the AM at least five days a week.

My reasons for this may seem odd to most folks. And why not? I seem odd to most folks. Without rising to my soapbox … the short story is … by switching to organic and fair-trade teas (which was the household standard, anyway) for our primary morning jump-start-brew, we could support fair and sustainable coffee farming and easily afford the choice of organic and fair-trade coffee … from a locally-owned business, no less, who roasts your beans for you, upon ordering. And whether you are local or not, you can get delicious and justice-centered coffee, tea, cocoa from Coffee-Tea-Etc. Nice people, too.

If you want to learn more about the less-than-virtuous history of the coffee trade/industry (and other stimulating botanical accounts), start by taking a peek at Dale Pendell's PharmakoDynamis ~ Stimulating Plants, Potions & Herbcraft. It's a great read … which is a rare quality for such a fine "resource book."

The more you empower yourself to learn about the history and current state of things you ingest and imbibe, I'm confident you'll begin to make changes and choices that empower you, your family, your community, the world. Viva la revolución!

All this ~ and more ~ in a cup of "good" coffee. Peace.

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A Farewell to a Young Sugar Maple

Behold the only casualty from yesterday's storm. A young Sugar Maple I've tended for the past 10 years or so. This loss reminds me of how all life consumes life to live, and I see in this loss firewood, mulch, tomato stakes, maybe a new arbor and a walking stick or two … or more.

Peace.

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Time to Smell the Peonies

I invested the early hours of the day relaxing with The Boy. It was his day off. I tended to a few ToDos before heading out to pick up my five pound bag of fresh roasted, organic and fair trade coffee from Coffee-Tea-Etc. No sooner did I pick up my coffee than the sky opened up and rain fell heavy for about five minutes before turning to a light drizzle. I drove to a friend's house to drop off some herbals and visit a bit. By the time I got there the sun was shining bright again.

When I got back home I changed into work clothes and set to cleaning up one of my shade beds. Finally. One more (main) garden bed to tidy up, a flat of vegetable plants to get into the earth, as well as a few more seeds, and I'll be ready for the loving maintenance and harvests of summer's plenty.  I rewarded myself with the first peony bouquet of the season.

I relaxed on the deck, listening to distant rumbles. Rumbles that grew closer. And closer. Until, yet again, the sky opened up and rain fell, sweet and gentle at first … then heavier … until hail the size of marbles began to mix in … and I moved indoors. The sky went dark like the coming of night. Even the dog seemed to ask, "where did the day go?" Thunder and lightening, some immediate, added to the drama. The winds picked up and reached that place that inspired me to wonder if I should head to the basement. But I love storms like this. I find them invigorating and balancing. I was riveted to the performance that Mama Nature was offering on this intimate stage.

The storm passed. The rains turned to light drizzle and I stepped outdoors to honor the storm, the verve, the beauty, drama and blooms of the day.

Peace.

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A Semi-Garden Salad

Dandelion greens, italian arugula, chopped chinese leeks and johnny-jump-flowers added to a salad of grocery-purchased romaine and celery complemented an otherwise sweet pre-summer dinner.

That's what I made today. Peace.

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