One minute it’s Winteresque and feels like the snow on the North slope will never melt, and the next it is lush and on the cusp of Spring overgrowth! We mow a little less so that I can forage in certain places (non-chicken spaces) and so that magickal goodness has time to grow and flower and fruit. I just whipped up a Foraged Kimchi with loads of Daisy buds, Dandelion, Violet, Red Clover, Evening Primrose leaves, and Fiddleheads (we leave the foraging of the latter to the pros and buy them across the street from local purveyors). There are still enough Violets, Dandelion flowers, Pine Buds, and Apple Blossoms (and maybe just enough Forsythia – maybe) if I get my act together to do any wines or syrups. In another 2 weeks there will be Lilacs and Wild Rose and maybe even Honeysuckle to do more if I decide. As for other edibles on the property; the Grape leaves are unfurling, the Milkweed shoots are popping up, slender stalks of False Solomon’s Seal along with the new Asparagus shoots we planted from seed, and a great find of Yellow Morels in the Orchard. So many goodies everywhere!
Over this last weekend I signed Duende and I up for a Zoom cooking class sponsored by Cabot Cheese to make Strawberry Cheddar Hand Pies. Of course, I did not clearly read the starting time (it gave both times for West and East coast) and found it didn’t start until our wonderful guests were to arrive (Dave & Pear) so instead – 2 ‘almost 11 yr old’ gals got to do the class together – AND IT WAS ADORABLE!!! And delicious. Duende and Josh (separately but he could certainly join hers) both have their own cooking class scheduled for Thursday.
What’s on the horizon? The finishing of many projects – the new studio room (which means the front room can then get ready for its own remodel), another round of planting and finally getting the last of the garden prepared for direct seeding of many flowers, and then the big outside push for excavation. A little pond, a pergola, and a bread oven. Hopefully we will have some tree removal work done and if I’m really lucky the new kitchen floor will go in this Summer, too. There are always lots of little projects and many more plans to keep us busy.
I hope you stay busy, too – it likely keeps you out of trouble.
Rock Bottom Homestead 