As you can imagine it makes for a lot of reflection when you have 3 children in their teens, lots of memories coming up to my 21st wedding anniversary to Superman. I have had a deep thinking past 3 weeks. I can see that being a mommy is never the easy path, neither is being a wife. It is a stretching, growing, happy, sad, overwhelming, exciting path to walk.
My littlest one asked me the other day why I am sad, well I am not actually, just reflecting deeply on things. The thought that has preoccupied me over the last month that is relevant to this blog is the state of my veggie garden. I have asked myself:
1) Did I make the most of the season?
2) Did I plan effectively?
3) Did we care for it enough?
4) Was there more I could have done?
5) What more do I have to learn?
6) What were successes/failures?
Honestly, I do not believe that we spent enough time in the garden Spring through Summer. With this semi-neglect comes loss of crops to bugs and over ripening. I also grew things that did not yield well and other crops that were too prolific and not liked by us like Lazy Housewife Beans.
There is still so much to learn, and being an impatient kinda gal, I am first and foremost learning patience with this process of growing food. I dabbled with companion planting this season and what I did correctly worked in our favour. I tried to get into medicinal herbs but just don't have the time so I am back to growing culinary herbs only. So much to learn - so little time.
Last summer we had so many marrows...we ate almost daily and ended the season with the freezer full of grated marrows for winter. This season we have had massive failure! But the last 3 years my tomatoes have failed and this year we have more than we can eat! So goes it....
Time is one of the most valuable things I can put into the garden and time is something that is trickling through my fingers like water...I have asked myself if this is truly simple, this life we are living? I guess not. Our food is simple, our needs are simple but we are a busy busy family in a specific season of life. A precious friend of mine always says to "Live in your reality - and rejoice..." and I am again reminded of this....Live in the season I am in...AND REJOICE! Soon the garden will have more time devoted to it as we switch to autumn/winter crops, but for now I will enjoy what it is giving us for our plates.
Talking about seasons MANGOES are in! Wooohoooo! Here are 3 mango recipes for you:
A faraway soul mate told me how to make this salad about 5yrs ago, it has morphed a bit through the years but it is still a winner.
Cook noodles for your family, chop up some cooked chicken, 2 large mangoes and a bunch of coriander. Add to it 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup plain yoghurt, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder. Mix all together, add salt and pepper and enjoy!
Mango sorbet:
2 large mangoes cubed, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 t port - blend up in food belndr, chill and then add to your ice cream machine to blend.
Mango smoothies...delicious in the morning when I return from my walk.
Blend up 1 cubed mango, 1 cup of blueberries (frozen), , 1 cup yogurt and 1 banana. Enjoy!
1 comment:
happy birthday to you and all your family members - isn't it the way that birthdays often fall in a heap. My garden has gone wild since I was away for three weeks - I was wondering if it did better without me fiddling so much! thanks for the recipes it is mango season here too!
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