http://aliterarylunch.blogspot.com/20...
1
Children of the Land
Okay, so it’s March 1st, and it’s snowing. Of course it is. And of course, like many others who live in the Great Northeast, we’ve had it with snow. And brutal, unforgiving cold. And more snow.
Where I live, it can feel even more overwhelming, because from the top of my hill to the bottom is a kind of built-in roller coaster, which is about impossible to drive safely until the plows go through more than once. Even then, with the drifts that blow across the open fields and onto the road, it’s dicey at best.
Plus, out here in the country, many of your neighbors walk on four feet, or use wings, or are rooted in the ground. In the absence of many of those neighbors, winter can feel lonely.
And here’s what I’ve noticed in particular this year: Just as years of teaching has made me extra sensitive to the unspoken signals of other humans, years of being connected to this land has made me sensitive to its particular language.
Children of the Land is the name of my new fantasy novel, and I think it’s true that the landscape we occupy shapes us in many ways. City dwellers find quiet more disturbing than traffic noise. Country folk are nervous when they can’t hear birds. I am a Child of the Land, no less than the characters in my book, and this extra special winter has made me extra specially aware of how deep that connection runs, after 10 years in this place. As if I am as blanketed as the ground I walk in in something cold, and difficult to maneuver.
Well, I suppose there’s something to be said for understanding that connection, because it’s an important one. I feel privileged to have it, because I think there’s lots of folks in the world whose circumstances don’t allow them to move beyond connection with the world of humans and their various technologies. Not that there’s anything at all wrong with human connection. Of course not. That’s crucial, too. But knowing that, in fact, my small life is inextricably intertwined with what happens on the planet, with the circumstances of the land, is also a big deal.
In this season of extremes, I am aware of that in my bones, and in my soul. I don’t just know “I’m part of the web of nature.” I feel the web around me and in me, every day.
I’ve always known that winter is a fine time for sleep and dreams. A fine time for introspection. But the light is coming back, and I miss the earth. Literally, I miss dirt. The smell of dirt. The feel of walking on earth instead of snow. I miss everything green and growing. I’m hungry for enough warmth in the air that I can take off my coat and feel it on my skin.
I’m guessing I’m not the only one who feels that way.
Take heart, Children of the Land. It is supposed to rain later this week, and I’m hoping that dream comes true. Meantime, do what you can to stay connected to the planet, because in spite of all our brain power, all our technology and advanced thinking, our bodies remain a part of the earth we live on.
Children of the Land is very much about love, and coming through winter to spring. You can find it as an ebook or paperback at amazon.com
And now, here’s something green to feed yourself with as you wait for the snow to melt.
ZINGY PEA SOUP
This is pea soup, vegan style. Dried peas remind us that it’s not yet the growing season here. Lemon reminds us that the sun is back. Smoked paprika is waaaarrrrm.
About a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic (good for you!)
1/2 - 1 cup chopped kale (because how much you want is up to you, and you remember the rule: PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD!)
2 cups dried split peas
5-6 cups water, depending on the consistency you want
Dash of Tabasco, if you want
Teaspoon of chopped dill
About a tablespoon of grated FRESH turmeric (Also GOOD for you! But if you can’t find it, just leave it out. DON’T substitute ground turmeric. It’s not the same flavor)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Some lemon zest
A pinch or two or three or four of smoked paprika (again, depending on taste and must I remind you of the rule?)
Put olive oil in big pot over medium heat
Add chopped onions, and SWEAT them. (Remember sweat? Seems like a long time ago, right?)
Add Turmeric, water, garlic, and kale. Toss in salt and pepper.
Let it simmer about 15 minutes, then either pour it into a blender and puree, or use a hand blender and puree it.
Add dried peas and lemon juice.
Let it simmer for about half an hour, or until peas are soft.
Now you can either blend it all, or blend half and keep half whole, depending on what you like for consistency (because you remember that rule about PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, right?)
Children of the Land
Okay, so it’s March 1st, and it’s snowing. Of course it is. And of course, like many others who live in the Great Northeast, we’ve had it with snow. And brutal, unforgiving cold. And more snow.
Where I live, it can feel even more overwhelming, because from the top of my hill to the bottom is a kind of built-in roller coaster, which is about impossible to drive safely until the plows go through more than once. Even then, with the drifts that blow across the open fields and onto the road, it’s dicey at best.
Plus, out here in the country, many of your neighbors walk on four feet, or use wings, or are rooted in the ground. In the absence of many of those neighbors, winter can feel lonely.
And here’s what I’ve noticed in particular this year: Just as years of teaching has made me extra sensitive to the unspoken signals of other humans, years of being connected to this land has made me sensitive to its particular language.
Children of the Land is the name of my new fantasy novel, and I think it’s true that the landscape we occupy shapes us in many ways. City dwellers find quiet more disturbing than traffic noise. Country folk are nervous when they can’t hear birds. I am a Child of the Land, no less than the characters in my book, and this extra special winter has made me extra specially aware of how deep that connection runs, after 10 years in this place. As if I am as blanketed as the ground I walk in in something cold, and difficult to maneuver.
Well, I suppose there’s something to be said for understanding that connection, because it’s an important one. I feel privileged to have it, because I think there’s lots of folks in the world whose circumstances don’t allow them to move beyond connection with the world of humans and their various technologies. Not that there’s anything at all wrong with human connection. Of course not. That’s crucial, too. But knowing that, in fact, my small life is inextricably intertwined with what happens on the planet, with the circumstances of the land, is also a big deal.
In this season of extremes, I am aware of that in my bones, and in my soul. I don’t just know “I’m part of the web of nature.” I feel the web around me and in me, every day.
I’ve always known that winter is a fine time for sleep and dreams. A fine time for introspection. But the light is coming back, and I miss the earth. Literally, I miss dirt. The smell of dirt. The feel of walking on earth instead of snow. I miss everything green and growing. I’m hungry for enough warmth in the air that I can take off my coat and feel it on my skin.
I’m guessing I’m not the only one who feels that way.
Take heart, Children of the Land. It is supposed to rain later this week, and I’m hoping that dream comes true. Meantime, do what you can to stay connected to the planet, because in spite of all our brain power, all our technology and advanced thinking, our bodies remain a part of the earth we live on.
Children of the Land is very much about love, and coming through winter to spring. You can find it as an ebook or paperback at amazon.com
And now, here’s something green to feed yourself with as you wait for the snow to melt.
ZINGY PEA SOUP
This is pea soup, vegan style. Dried peas remind us that it’s not yet the growing season here. Lemon reminds us that the sun is back. Smoked paprika is waaaarrrrm.
About a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic (good for you!)
1/2 - 1 cup chopped kale (because how much you want is up to you, and you remember the rule: PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD!)
2 cups dried split peas
5-6 cups water, depending on the consistency you want
Dash of Tabasco, if you want
Teaspoon of chopped dill
About a tablespoon of grated FRESH turmeric (Also GOOD for you! But if you can’t find it, just leave it out. DON’T substitute ground turmeric. It’s not the same flavor)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Some lemon zest
A pinch or two or three or four of smoked paprika (again, depending on taste and must I remind you of the rule?)
Put olive oil in big pot over medium heat
Add chopped onions, and SWEAT them. (Remember sweat? Seems like a long time ago, right?)
Add Turmeric, water, garlic, and kale. Toss in salt and pepper.
Let it simmer about 15 minutes, then either pour it into a blender and puree, or use a hand blender and puree it.
Add dried peas and lemon juice.
Let it simmer for about half an hour, or until peas are soft.
Now you can either blend it all, or blend half and keep half whole, depending on what you like for consistency (because you remember that rule about PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, right?)
No comments have been added yet.
