AUTHOR • ARTIST • ACTIVIST • GRANDMOTHER

In a few moments, it will be Monday again. I hope that your weekend has been wonderful. Easter. Passover. Gorgeous weather. Growing peace in the midst of faith rocked to the core. Or even a bit of precious time to do something on your list, rather than all the other lists in your world. (Sometimes realism is useful!)

I spent my Easter moments planting seeds. Arugula, lots of lettuce, parsley, collards, kale, hoping against hope that whatever ate most of the last crop of collards will be somewhere else this year because I don’t do bug spray! Misting the seeds and a bit of composting, and a couple of cups of tea filled out my morning.

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I have a secret.

When I get really stressed—when the chaos in my world gets too big or too close, I iron.

Please don’t call me Martha Stewart! It’s not about impressing the neighbors. Nor do I believe it’s impossible for normal humans to feel loved if their pillowcases are not perfectly pressed, monogram and all.

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How was your Saturday? If it was anything like ours, you were probably pretty busy!

First there was the matter of a 26-quart stockpot full of what is commonly known around here as “pig soup.” Bone broth, to much of the world, in this case, pork bones. (Stay tuned for forthcoming info on the process. For today, let’s just say it was one of the more dramatic, nose-to-toes adventures I’ve had!)

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Unlike most families—at least according to TV—my family did not dread meatloaf night. My mom made good meatloaf with some creative input from my dad. Always, always with baked potatoes and frozen lima beans! You see, my city Grandma, Elizabeth’s, lima bean recipe called for a tablespoon of sour cream, so the rest of it worked for baked potatoes, which baked at the same temperature as the meatloaf. Perfect!

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Well, I’ve still never been to California without being cold! Five days in San Diego and it was mostly chilly and rainy. All of which is a blessing for them, but not quite what the Chamber of Commerce promised!

I spent so much time locked in a hotel meeting room, learning cool things about publishing, that the weather didn’t really matter all that much. Food, however, was a bigger challenge!

No meals were provided with the meeting, and not many breaks, which meant mainly grazing my way through the hotel. Trying to stay in my normal, mostly organic, local food, I know the names of the hens who laid my eggs mode didn’t work very well!

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In honor of my trip to San Diego tomorrow—and the fact that nobody has been to the Farmers’ Market and it’s sleeting—here’s what we’re eating tonight!

First, some notes: younger, smaller greens are always better! Kale (all varieties), Swiss chard, beet and turnip greens are all interchangeable for our purposes. Arugula and escarole will also work very well with even less “cooking” time. And we’re approaching one of the best parts of spring—dandelion greens! (If you don’t have any in your yard, you can buy them at markets or get some seeds and grow your own. Really!!!)

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Since January 29th, I’ve been participating in the 30 Days of Writing challenge. On many days the prompts from Tyler Knott Gregson and Andréa Balt at writeyourselfalive.org have been instrumental in moving me past the overwhelming terror generated by too little sleep and a blank piece of white paper. Other days I’ve worked on my own projects, mainly getting this blog going and an upcoming (!) book.

Today the muses have, as the old saying goes, quit preachin’ and gone to meddlin’!

“What aspects,” inquires the prompt, “of your physical health or wellbeing are you neglecting or not actively caring for, and why?”

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