by Krista | Apr 11, 2014 | Autumn
“Into the woods–you have to grope,
But that’s the way you learn to cope.
Into the woods to find there’s hope
Of getting through the journey.”
Stephen Sondheim
I like these lines very much, especially as I face some great changes in my life. They’re good and wonderful changes but still scary as I figure out my place in them.
I’ve been going to the woods nearly every day this week, taking advantage of gorgeous Autumn weather to get my daily exercise in a place that never fails to calm rumpled spirits and clarify scattered thoughts. It’s lovely to head out there feeling overwhelmed or uncertain knowing I will return with my priorities realigned and a clarity of purpose restored.
As I leave the fields behind and enter the woods, worries about finances or deadlines dissipate, lost in vistas of lush undergrowth dotted with delicate wildflowers and sturdy mushrooms.
I’m delighted by these sprays of tiny yellow flowers providing cheery spots of light across the dusky forest floor.
It’s so pretty in here at dusk. The light is soft and gentle and it’s so quiet you can hear the thump of a kangaroo hopping by in the distance and the rustle of an echidna waddling past.
Echidnas are also known as spiny ant eaters, and they are the most amazing creatures. Until this week I’d only seen them at a distance before they disappeared into the undergrowth. But this one stayed right where she was, curling up into a spiny ball at first before realizing I had no intention of hurting her. Then her little snout came out and I was even able to touch her, gently stroking her spines that felt like the sharpened quills at the end of a feather.
Luna was delighted by her but then got distracted by kangaroos hopping in a nearby paddock. Apparently kangaroos are much more interesting than a spiny ant eater.
Yes, I love this place very much at dusk, especially when the grass is set aglow by the sun even as gathering storm clouds cast an eerie darkness overhead. It’s pure magic.
Where is your favorite place to go when you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed? xo
by Krista | Apr 7, 2014 | Autumn
“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne
I find myself making any excuse to go outside these days: checking on the garden, hanging laundry on the line, or sitting on the back steps with a cup of tea. Especially since a cool front came in and the sweltering afternoons of late have given way to sheer Autumnal perfection.
This afternoon Luna and I went for a meander around the farmyard, watched by curious ducks and our three goat dogs, Freja, Solar, and Apollo as they rested contentedly in puddles of sunshine.
Luna happily nosed about sniffing everything, nibbling tender shoots of grass, galloping after me when I got too far ahead.
The grass is so green it almost seems fake. Bear and I keep stopping by the windows to exclaim: “Look at that green!” We’re easily delighted around here. 🙂
It feels so good on bare feet and is wonderfully cooling after a few hours working in hot sunshine building fences or planting new seedlings.
The Autumn school holidays are in full swing and we are enjoying every minute of it. Bear has been in his shop sawing and pounding away building a medieval sword box. I love going down there to help because the wood smells so good!! I swear, if Bear had aftershave that smelled like wood shavings, I’d never leave the poor man in peace. 😉
I’ve been reading and cooking and planning dreams with Bear, pottering in my gardens and taking afternoon rests. It’s been so good.
I’ve been on a young adult books kick lately, reading stacks of marvelously fun books like: “The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place”, “The Power of Poppy Pendle”, and the Barnaby Grimes series. They make me smile.
My creativity in the kitchen has returned with oomph since I got on the right medicine last week. I think the best part is not having any more dietary restrictions. After nearly a year of trying gluten-free, dairy-free, low-salicylate, etc, we realized my afflictions had nothing to do with the food I was eating and, in fact, the restrictions were doing my body harm. That’s the funny thing about human bodies. What is healing for one body may be detrimental to another. My body is very happy indeed to be eating fiber-rich breads again and good quality dairy and any fruits and veggies that take my fancy.
Today we decided that Autumn needed to be celebrated so I popped in cds for a British murder mystery to entertain myself, then set about making salads (cucumber and celery salad with fresh mint and cumin dressing, cabbage salad with dill and Thai seasoned dressing), a decadent dark chocolate trifle that started out as a cake but turned into a trifle when the ganache filling didn’t set properly, and Roasted Mustard and Garlic Pork Loin sliced thinly for sandwiches and easy snacking.
We like it alone dipped in mustard or layered on fresh bread rolls smeared with garlicky mayonnaise and good German mustard.
What are your best memories from this weekend? xo
Roasted Mustard Garlic Pork Loin
Ingredients:
2 pork loins (about 1 pound each)
4 cloves garlic, peeled, halved, and sliced
good salt such as Himalayan Pink
freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp grainy or Dijon mustard
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 C (200F).
- Rinse pork loins and pat dry.
- With small sharp knife, make slits all over meat and insert garlic pieces.
- Sprinkle meat all over with salt and pepper.
- Use 1 Tbsp mustard per pork loin, and smear it evenly over entire roast.
- Place pork loins on roasting rack in roasting pan and roast for 45-60 minutes until done. (Don’t overcook or it gets very tough.)
- Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes.
- Slice thinly and use right away or store in fridge/freezer until ready for use.
by Krista | Apr 4, 2014 | Autumn
I’m enamored by Autumn sunshine.
Is there anything more golden, rich, and warm? It doesn’t have the piercing brightness of Summer or the clear breeziness of Spring, no, it’s something different, something that sinks right down into your soul warming you from the inside out.
I’ve spent a lot of time on the back veranda today looking out at this scene while I sip my coffee, write in my journal, chat with Bear, or just rest.
One of my favorite things about our Aussie farm is how peaceful it is. It’s not a silent peace – that would be impossible with chickens clucking and the wind in the gum trees and goats bleating to each other out in the paddock – but it is a soothing peace, a natural one. No matter how crazy things get, I know my peace will always be restored if I can just get outside for a bit.
Especially in late afternoon when the animals are all tucked in for the night, happily snoozing in the last rays of sunshine.
The light is exquisite glimmering through waving gum trees, the warmth caressing as the winds die down and the countryside seems to settle down for the evening.
It’s a good place to rest, to restore in body and spirit so we can face everyday life with renewed courage and hope.
Where is your favorite place to rest? xo
by Krista | Apr 2, 2014 | Autumn
Good morning, luvs! It is so good to be back, especially since Bear’s surgery went beautifully and he is healing up nicely. Such a relief. 🙂
I’m also happy because, after a couple years of tests and doctors and specialists, we’ve finally (fingers crossed!!) pinned down how to help me get better. I started a new medicine last week and I’m already feeling like a new woman. 🙂 It will take time to get back to full health and strength, but I’m on my way and that is worth celebrating.
We also got rain this week – glorious, luscious, marvelous rain that soaked deep into the earth and turned the landscape a lush green that positively glows in the late afternoon sun. The drought is well and truly over and we are so thankful.
Everything is beautiful, everything, and I find myself stopping in front of the windows all day long to take it in.
I love how heavy rains like this turn our farm into a bit of Ireland with vivid greens and lichen-covered rocks.
We’ve been eating lots of nourishing things: fiber-rich breads, hearty stews, and Catalan-style Silverbeet.
Normally this dish uses spinach, but I like using massive leaves of silverbeet (known as Swiss Chard in North America). Simply steam the trimmed silverbeet and while it’s cooking, saute garlic slices in olive oil until they just begin to get a hint of color. Remove them to a paper towel and give them a quick salting (they give a lovely bit of crunch to the dish). In the same oil, saute a handful of sultanas or currants or cranberries or any other dried fruit you fancy, and a handful of pine nuts. Cook until the fruit plumps up and the nuts turn golden brown. Drain and chop the silverbeet and add it to the pan, tossing gently to incorporate oil, nuts, and fruit. Serve warm topped with the crispy garlic or a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
What is your favorite nourishing food this week?
Catalan Style Silverbeet
Ingredients:
1 bunch silverbeet, washed, rib removed
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup sultanas or currants or cranberries
1/3 cup pine nuts
Optional: Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- In large pot, steam silverbeet until tender, drain and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add garlic and fry gently just until it gets a bit of color. Remove to paper towel and salt.
- Add fruit and nuts to pan, fry until fruit plumps and nuts brown.
- Add silverbeet and fry 1-2 minutes, stirring gently to incorporate oil, fruit, and nuts.
- Serve warm with toasted garlic and/or sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
by Krista | Mar 27, 2014 | Autumn
It is so good to sit in our little house, warm and cozy as the rains fall. We’ve gone from drought to flood warnings in less than a week! That’s crazy Queensland for you. We’re just so thankful for rain, even if it does turn our farm into a massive mud puddle for a while.
I just wanted to pop in and say hello and let you know that I will be away until April. Bear had surgery this week and while he’s healing up nicely, docs have given him strict instructions to do absolutely nothing for a week. So I’m stepping in to fill in the gaps whilst he twiddles his thumbs and gets his fill of movies, audio books, and surfing the internet. Yes, he is going stir crazy. 🙂
So while we keep things quiet around here with comfort food and homemade cookies and a whole lot of cuppas, I wish you a wonderful week. xo
by Krista | Mar 23, 2014 | Autumn
I love trees. Love them.
When I was little I would climb the huge trees in our back yard on the Alberta prairies, never quite as brave as my three brothers who scampered as high as they could go, but brave enough to find a good thick branch for sitting on and dreaming from. I loved it up there, hidden behind leafy branches, dappled by sunshine like a little human meadow.
Winter was my favorite time to explore the snow-covered woods at my grandparents house in northern British Columbia. The drifts were huge and the woods silent as my brothers, cousins and I tramped through, dreaming up escape routes from the Nazis and Russians who were surely marauding nearby. We built forts and gave chase and eventually dragged our red-faced, drenched selves back to Grandma’s house for hot chocolate and homemade Danish cookies. It was marvelous.
I’m drawn to the woods wherever I go. The pine needle carpeted forests of British Columbia and Washington State, the birch groves of Russia, the gum and Eucalyptus bush of Australia. Tramping through the Black Forest in Germany to find ruined castles or alpine lakes is sheer pleasure, as is ambling through the New Forest in England, stumbling upon idyllic cottages and catching glimpses of wild ponies.
While walking in a park in Allora this week, I saw this beauty of a tree and was smitten.
I love its sturdy trunk and massive spreading branches, the hollow at its heart that would’ve been perfect for a blond girl to hide in when she was little.
Its deeply riveted and weathered bark begs to be touched and provides the ideal climbing surface for a rogue strand of vine.
Its roots are covered with all sorts of interesting detritus: gnarled branches, fallen berries and twigs, curly-edged leaves in a rainbow of colors. Splendid.
So as I dream of dark forests and mysterious woods, I sip a London Fog, a delicious concoction of strong Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, and vanilla syrup. It’s just the sort of thing to drink on the front porch of a cabin in the woods.
I would normally steam the milk in my frother so that it would be wonderfully foamy, but alas, it kicked the bucket a while back and knocked out the house power at the same time. 🙂 Although I miss the creamy foam on top, the taste of the London Fog is just as lovely with warm milk instead of steamed.
Do you have a favorite tree or forest?
London Fog for Two
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Earl Grey Tea leaves (or two teabags)
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp vanilla syrup (To make your own vanilla syrup, boil together 1.5 cups sugar with 2 cups water for 5-10 minutes until a syrup forms. Remove from heat and stir in pure vanilla extract. Cool and bottle.)
Directions:
- Place tea leaves in tea pot and cover with two cups hot water. Let steep 2-5 minutes. You want it strong for this drink.
- While tea is steeping, heat milk in small saucepan over medium high heat. DO NOT BOIL. As soon as it is hot, remove from heat and whisk until frothy. (If you have a milk frother, just use it)
- Pour tea through strainer into two cups.
- Stir in 1 Tbsp vanilla syrup into each cup.
- Pour 1/4 cup of frothy milk into each cup.
- Serve hot.
I’ve been going to the woods nearly every day this week, taking advantage of gorgeous Autumn weather to get my daily exercise in a place that never fails to calm rumpled spirits and clarify scattered thoughts. It’s lovely to head out there feeling overwhelmed or uncertain knowing I will return with my priorities realigned and a clarity of purpose restored.
As I leave the fields behind and enter the woods, worries about finances or deadlines dissipate, lost in vistas of lush undergrowth dotted with delicate wildflowers and sturdy mushrooms.
I’m delighted by these sprays of tiny yellow flowers providing cheery spots of light across the dusky forest floor.
It’s so pretty in here at dusk. The light is soft and gentle and it’s so quiet you can hear the thump of a kangaroo hopping by in the distance and the rustle of an echidna waddling past.
Echidnas are also known as spiny ant eaters, and they are the most amazing creatures. Until this week I’d only seen them at a distance before they disappeared into the undergrowth. But this one stayed right where she was, curling up into a spiny ball at first before realizing I had no intention of hurting her. Then her little snout came out and I was even able to touch her, gently stroking her spines that felt like the sharpened quills at the end of a feather.
Luna was delighted by her but then got distracted by kangaroos hopping in a nearby paddock. Apparently kangaroos are much more interesting than a spiny ant eater.
Yes, I love this place very much at dusk, especially when the grass is set aglow by the sun even as gathering storm clouds cast an eerie darkness overhead. It’s pure magic.
Where is your favorite place to go when you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed? xo
