Monday, November 16, 2009

Independence Days Week #29

A thorough cleaning and organising fit on Friday. A full day at my herb course on Saturday and a birthday party for a friend later that night. Cake, dancing, singing. A sleep-in morning on Sunday followed by a bike ride to the farmer's market. Returning home laden with squash, cabbage, kale, chard, grapes and herbs. Heading right back out again on the bike, to the allotments. A light drizzle. Grey sky. So mild I don't need gloves. Digging in the dirt for dandelion leaves and roots. Nothing but the sound of the Alta Vista crows caw cawing overhead.
My garden gloves thick with wet, loamy dirt. Rhythmically banging clods and roots on the ground. Stuffing leaves in my sac. Rain falls harder. Time to go. Back home again at dusk. Boil and strain the grapes for juice. Scrub the roots. Wash the leaves. Make dinner for the ADGMD and I. Homemade mac 'n cheese with pumpkin and sage. Comfort food. So good. Curl up on the couch. Dozing to the sound of the ADGMD doing dishes. Work left to be done. It can wait. I am content. I am at peace. Savour this moment while it lasts. I am at peace.

Plant something:
- nope

Harvest something:
- dandelion leaves and roots

Preserve something:
- comfrey root liniment and oil
- dandelion root tincture
- dandelion leaf vinegar
- parsley leaf vinegar
- made grape juice

Waste not:

- mended a pair of stockings
- wrapped a birthday gift (second hand book) in a cloth scarf

Want not:
- salvaged window screen, to use for drying herbs
- herbal tea from a fellow herbal student who was cleaning out her cupboards and giving the teas away

Preparation and Storage:
- added more local squash to my squash basket (My plan is to store one squash per week for the winter months.)
- crocheting xmas gifts
Exercise: yoga 3 times, 2hr bike ride around the city, bike to farmer's market and garden

Build community food systems:
- local food from the farmer's market

Eat the food:
- currant jam
- J 'chokes and mung bean sprouts
- pumpkin and sage mac & cheese

Take the medicine:
- nettle, dandelion vinegars
- parsley infusion
- yarrow tincture
- plantain syrup
- rosemary tea

2 comments:

scout said...

Mmm ... pumpkin and sage mac 'n cheese ... recipe? I have some frozen pumpkin puree that I made a few weeks ago that's very close to being turned into cookies, but would love an idea for mac 'n cheese. Sounds delish!!

Amber said...

Hi Scout!

The first thing I did was sautee crumbled sage leaves in butter until they were golden and crispy and set them aside in a little dish. Then I made a cheese sauce (Here's a good recipe) and added in the pumpkin puree and sage. I cooked it over low heat until I reached a consistency I was happy with. I greased a pyrex baking dish and filled it with my already cooked elbow macaroni poured in the cheese sauce, sprinkled some more shredded cheese over top and put it in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes or so. I broiled it for the last few minutes until the top was lightly browned and crispy. After it came out of the oven I left it to sit and firm up before serving. Holy cow was it ever good!

Pumpkin cookies sound lovely too!