Morning on the hill

(Sorry about the quality of images, all I had was my cell phone...)

This is one of the tasty hills on our morning hike. I say tasty because the wild blueberries are ready to forage, and I spent much time this morning plucking the sweet berries from the low bushes, while Lux dug a hole somewhere. This arid zone has interesting growth, cool plants and lots of places for Lux to dig and sniff around for critters. She has never found a critter, mind you, but she still LOOKS for them avidly.


Yesterday I spent the entire day at Earthlands (http://www.earthlands.org/ )in Petersham, Mass, with friends, in a seminar about foraging. It was simply amazing!!! I learned so much. And the 12 of us foraged enough food that we had too much to cook for lunch. Some of the things we found and ate:

Sorrel
Wild lettuce
grape leaves
milkweed flowers for fritters and the leaves for greens
lamb's quarters (which grow ALL OVER the place, in most people's yards!!! It tastes like super spinach!!)
Amaranth
Jewel weed
rose flowers
clover flowers
birch bark for tea
raspberry leaves for tea
fiddle heads from Sensitive Ferns
grape leaves (which we stuffed with millet, lentils and toasted pumpkin seeds)
Burdock root
Yellow Dock
plantain leaves (which when chewed have an intense flavor of mushrooms!!!!)

The highlight for me was this salad I made for us with sorrel, wild lettuces, clover flowers and wild rose flowers with a balsamic vinaigrette. It was stunning. Absolutely romantic and full of rose aromas and bright light green flavors.

We made a huge feast, and it was fabulous! Even this evening, on my walk with Lux I spied a veritable grocery store of things in fields and side yards. I cannot tell you the sense of abundance I feel now knowing all the fresh and wild tasty things I can harvest from the wild. I am so very excited!!!!

Your Daily Dose of Cool Things:

Click here to learn about this Gigantic Pig

Your Daily Dose of Wonderful Design:

Click here for this WAY Keen sewing tape design! How Sweet!

Your Daily Dose of Inspiring Words:

"Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you've got anyway." Dr. Kent M. Keith

Your Daily Dose of Wicked-Good Food:

Chicken with Pineapple
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Two chicken breasts
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 can pineapple chunks
3 tablespoons walnut oil (or olive oil)
1 tablespoon grated ginger (or ginger juice, or powdered ginger)

In a pan, sear the breasts in the oil to seal in the juicy goodness. I use cast iron, almost exclusively, so I can just pop the pan in the oven! Pour in the soy sauce and half can of pineapple. Add the ginger. Place in the oven and continue to cook until done, about 10 minutes. This is also great cold, or chopped up and mixed with mayo for a chicken salad.