Harvest Stew

November 24, 2014

Good Morning,

Yesterday, was one of those bonus days that come late in the autumn season. The temperature rose to 55 degrees and the sun was very warm. It was a good day to finish up the outdoor chores before the snow arrives. The garden statuary was moved indoors, the flower pots were cleaned and stacked, the leaf-filled rain gutters were cleaned, and the lawn was mowed for the last time. There is comfort in feeling prepared for the long winter.

The local farm stand is still brimming with local produce. Autumn has been kind this year, so a big autumn stew was in order. After a long day working out in the yard, it is a treat to come indoors and be greeted by the smell of a hearty stew cooking on the stove.

Each season has it joys. This is one of mine.

                                                                  Recipe

This is a very simple and healthy stew. It can be made with whatever you find at the farmer's market. The more, the merrier. Once the vegetables are sliced and diced, the rest is simple. The key to success here, is to use a delicious broth. It can be made vegetarian style or with chicken.

Ingredients:
3 TBS. olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks, or the vegetarian protein of your choosing
1 red pepper, cut into large strips
1 yellow pepper, chopped roughly
12 - 14 small potatoes halved  (try a variety of white and colored ones)
2 cups carrots ( the baby ones in various colors are fun)
1 large onion, sliced
2 - 3 shallots, chopped
1 bunch of scallions, chopped (4 - 5)
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 and 1/2 cups of chopped celery
2 -3 cups of kale, torn into small pieces, stems discarded
1 small sliver of ginger (not too much, it can be overpowering)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (adjust amount if fresh)
several springs of fresh rosemary
Chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Other options: spinach, Swiss chard, tomatoes, etc.

To prepare:

Place 1 TBS. of the olive oil in a large pot. Scatter the chicken chunks in the bottom of the pot. Layer all of the vegetables on top of the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add enough stock to almost cover the contents. Drizzle with the remaining 2 TBS. of olive oil.
Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook approximately 20 - 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings and stock, if needed. Serve with hearty bread.

Enjoy!

Winter King Hawthorne in the Late Autumn Rain

Good Morning,

November 18, 2014

Aging With Grace

                                                                             Minnie
November 16, 2014

Good Morning,

Every year, in late autumn, I await the arrival of a big pile of seaweed, fresh from a local beach. It is used as mulch for the roses. It provides excellent winter protection from the frost and thaw cycle, with the added benefit of leaching essential nutrients into the soil.

It is delivered by friends who are in their eighties. They arrived yesterday afternoon, with a full load, pitchforks in hand. Beach sand was still clinging to the tangled tendrils, and the smell of the sea wafted up off the truck bed. They were glowing after their day at the beach. They talked about the people they met, the large Belgian dog walking beside the sea, and the cold wind blowing off the ocean.

A few weeks ago, I called them to check in. With great excitement, they announced that they had just picked up four new sheep and settled them into the barn. They were elated. It had been about ten years since they had sheep grazing in their fields. They said that they missed having them around. She is a spinner and skilled knitter. In the spring, the coats of these sheep with be shorn, carded, and spun on her spinning wheel. The result will be skeins of off white and brown wool. It will be hand dyed in a large pot on the wood stove, and hung from the kitchen beams to dry. This will be accomplished with much attention to detail and a great deal of joy.

Every morning, on my way to work, I drive by their farm. The sheep are grazing on the hillside, wood smoke is rising from the chimney, and a few of the last roses of the season are blooming in front of their antique cape. Those stalwart roses are the result of the nourishment provided by the seaweed placed around the roots last year.

It is important for us to have people like them in our orbit. They are a constant reminder of how to live life fully. They show us that life's joys still exist in one form or another, even when our bodies are less cooperative. They remain active, despite the challenges they face, and they continue to take on new ventures. They remain open to new ways of thinking, and continue to be active politically and socially.

Recently, there has been discussion in the media about, what is called, "aging in place." The Center for Disease Control defines it as "the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level." You can learn more about this on their website (www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/terminology.htm). The focus of this initiative is to identify what is needed to age in place and to develop laws, policies, and procedures to help assist those choosing to age in place. There is now a National Aging in Place Week and a National Aging in Place Council. Action plans are being created to address the future needs of older adults and to ensure that the necessary services are available.

Reading the research currently available, you might get the impression that the concept of aging in place is a new idea. Earlier in our history, families all lived together under the same roof or in close proximity. They took care of one another. Communities were more involved in meeting the needs of their neighbors. Our ancestors had this down to a science. This wasn't discussed, it was practiced.

Every year when the seaweed delivery arrives, I am reminded that our friends, even in their eighties, continue to live with intention. They serve as excellent role models. I find their strength of will and resolve to live life as fully as possible, both admirable and inspiring. They are aging in place and thriving.

Rooster Song

It is Saturday morning.
This is my favorite
morning of the week.
I am up by 4:30,
not wanting to miss
even a moment
of this dark quiet.

I make coffee from
beans that have come
halfway across the world,
to be ground in the
little black machine
that now whirs away
on the kitchen counter.
The water heats,
while I eagerly 
await the first sip 
of that dark pleasure.

The dog snores loudly,
as I water and feed the
houseplants, moving
slowly from one
plant to the next.
The geraniums are
blooming again;
a raucous happy pink.

One of the ferns
is looking peaked.
I move on to the
fancy begonias.
Their burgundy and 
silver leaves shine
in the lamplight.

Corelli joins me
this happy morning.
The notes dance 
across the windowsills
and leap to touch
the far corners  
of every room.

A new rooster 
has moved into
the neighborhood.
He keeps me company.
His joyful crowing
suggests that he enjoys
Saturday mornings
almost as much as I do.
I would invite him
over for coffee,
but I feel sure that
he is busy, valiantly
guarding his harem.

The sun is beginning
to show itself.
It is a burning slit
of light on the horizon.
This morning, the rooster
and I are one.  
We are part of the
brotherhood of early risers.

                                                             J.C.W.

Autumn in New England

November 2, 2014