elainegrey

Wow. Hmm. That is a long gap between writing.

We've gone from the crescent waning moon to the first quarter waxing moon. I've spent some lovely early evenings watching bats flit in the twilight sky across the waxing crescent. And, oh, the mesmerizing dance of the Spring Tree-Top Flasher (Pyractomena borealis) a firefly that seems to delight in our tall trees on the weekend evenings that were over 50°F. Just delightful to watch.

All the plants in pots are in the ground. I have transplants i would like to do before the surgery -- gladiolas, daffodils, and alliums from various places to a little bed that had the parasite dodder in it last year. Apparently, starving the dodder is a reasonable form of control. I assume i got it in that patch last year when i scattered a collection of random seed to see what would take; the dodder seemed to like the zinnias that came up. Moving poorly sited bulbs seems like a reasonable approach.

Dogwoods are opening their flowers. A few branches are offering the white bracted flowers to view from across the yard. The redbuds are fading. On Sunday i picked a bunch of redbud blooms from the one tree that has any in my reach. I assume deer nibble anything lower. The redbud blooms with violets and dandelions garnished the mixed green salad with smoked salad: a pretty dinner, but maybe there's some antioxidants of some sort in those petals that make them attractive to me to eat. Or maybe it's all in my eyes.

I've a kilogram of onion greens fermenting in two quart jars, since i like the first batch so much. It smells strong, and i ran across https://foragerchef.com/cheremsha-siberian-style-fermented-ramp-leaves-%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BC%D1%88%D0%B0/ describing fermenting ramps as "weaponized garlic". If i understand correctly, ramps are far more garlicy than my walking onion greens. My first batch went straight to the dehydrator, with no rinse, so the result after grinding to a powder, is a salty savory seasoning. It has an addictive quality i associate with processed foods, which is probably the salt. This next batch i will rinse before dehydrating in order to reduce the salt. I may try some freshly fermented in sour cream as a spread: adding the powder to sour cream has been decadently lovely. On top of a baked potato, on top of roasted sweet potato and brocollini (both from the garden)

Onion scapes are appearing and i know this year that i can pick them before they become woody and quick pickle them for a pleasurable treat. I've had the onion scape pickles in my packed travel lunches next to boiled eggs with delight. There's a jar in the kitchen acting as a vase to the first batch i picked on Saturday, the green curling tops lovely. If i don't pickle them, i will have enjoyed them visually. Another cooking project is doing SOMETHING with all the chicory that has made it. I saw a dandelion-cabbage sauerkraut i might try.

I am pondering the reading i do lately. I read a long list of comics and the New York Times, and yet i wonder where what i read goes in my head. Admittedly, when i slurp up novels they also go into my head and get forgotten very quickly. I would guess i am reading this short form because they are like a bag of potato chips and maybe i can just have one or two for a pleasurable distraction, and next thing i know i am reading the crumb articles about things i will never really care about.

I had a flare of cankers that are still causing discomfort, but after days of bland soft meals i'm craving more flavor. I did make a "cream sauce" with pureed cauliflower and nutritional yeast. Carrie and Luigi both thought it was yummy.

Christine is having another round of migraines. Work is being intense.