Haul manure, bake bread (but wash up well between those actions)

Blessings Darlings!

Still working on hauling manure to the garden.  I expect that this will take a month of work, since I'm out of shape and not hauling much per day.  Garden will be very happy ... eventually.  Until then, my tendonitis will be whiny.

Yesterday's temperature hit 81F here, and beautifully sunny but windy.  Today it is only 49F, and cloudy, but at least the wind is calm. Life seems less surreal with the cloudiness, somehow. 

Went to the store to pick up my meds refills.  Virtually out of all meat and frozen foods.  Out of head lettuce, but did have leaf lettuce.   Almost out of paper towels and toilet paper, probably rationing them but I didn't check.  Staff there said mornings are still totally crazy. 

On the way home I stopped at a park and walked around for a while, then hit the empty area where they hope to build a new library and harvested some purple dead nettles.  I think I'll make crepes filled with them soon.

Today's cleaning project was our bedroom.  Got all of it done, which makes me happy.  Also did one load of laundry and line dried it.  Tomorrow - more work on the kitchen or dining room, along with manure hauling.  Maybe put together the composter or the cheapie greenhouse.  

Started re-reading Byron Ballard's "Earth Works:  Ceremonies in Tower Time".  She did an online Ostara ritual today, which I missed. 

Sorry I'm not doing Thoreau-level blogging, folks.  Not inspired to do that at this time.  Feel I should be doing SOMETHING, but this is kinda it.

Frondly, Fern

End Of Month Eats

Blessings Darlings!

In a recent discussion in a Facebook group, the issue of getting thru' the end of the month on pasta or ramen came up.  And how boring living on those noodles are.

Well.

First of all, you KNOW my view of pasta vs ramen, right?  That pasta costs WAY less per serving, so go for that if you can?  But, onward to making noodles flavorful (and more nutritious) when broke!

First, of course, your herb/spice rack is your friend.  A shot of Sriracha sauce will kick up noodles.  So will garlic and onion - use the powdered form if that's what you have.  

Canned or frozen veggies can be added.  Don't have any?  Well, now that it's well into spring you can harvest what's growing wild.  Today, for instance, I'm adding the greens from wild garlic, for vitamins C, A, fiber, and flavor.  Here's a shot of wild garlic:

I'm also adding wild yellow dock.  This is more of a problem to add - it can be bitter, and the Chubby Hubby is a supertaster of bitter and HATES HATES HATES it.  So after I harvested it I chopped it, threw it in a bowl, and poured boiling water over it to blanch it.  I drained it after it soaked for a few minutes and had CH taste it - it met his approval.  For your viewing pleasure, a shot of yellow/curly dock: 

There are plenty of other plants growing right now that you can add.  Dandelions (again, bitter - you may have to soak/drain several times), plantain is coming up, creeping Charlie (nice peppery flavor), Corn creeper (boring flavor, but very nutritious), chickweed, etc.  Even the young leaves of clover can be used.

And let's not forget to use those pasta, as well as ramen, in soup.  Just add cheap cubes of boullion, and more wild greens (or canned veggies if you have them).  Leftovers, in broth, with noodles, is a grand meal.

So - eat well!

Frondly, Fern