You might think, with a name like Please Pass the Peas, that this website would laud the lowly pea now and again. But I recently realized that I’ve so far posted just one recipe featuring green peas — and then only in a supporting role.
All the while we’ve been eating peas on the regular, mostly paired with pasta and doused in a luscious but oh-so-simple cream sauce….
Lately, the little one and I have been going through strawberries at a rate of about one pound per day.
This takes place mostly at breakfast when we eat them over yogurt (me) or speared on the end of a tiny fork and paired with a chaser of milk (him). And, in case you are wondering, at 22 months his appetite matches mine berry for berry.
A week ago we bought a big flat of strawberries at the farmers market and then, last weekend, we went to the fields and picked some ourselves.
Picking strawberries has always been a favorite springtime ritual and I was excited to share it with E., who wasted no time filling his bucket with ripe, red specimens.
I expected his haul to be full of either under or overripe fruit, but he took his job very seriously, carefully pushing aside leaves to seek out the best berries then calling out “nice one!” before freeing each new find from its stem.
In the end, we picked nearly 10 pounds of berries. Even our berry-laden breakfasts aren’t enough to make it through that much fruit before spoilage sets in, so I pulled out the jam pot and got to work….
Last week our family grew by three.
On Thursday, we welcomed three little chicks into the fold: two Buff Orpingtons and an Easter Egger. When I brought them home they were only a day old and looked just like Easter decorations. Just little downy orbs with tiny feet and beaks.
Already they seem to have doubled in size, with discernible wings, longer legs and necks and more adventuresome personalities.
I’ve wanted to raise chickens for a long time, partly as pets and partly as a source of eggs. I like the idea that E. will grow up knowing something about where his food comes from and I hope that he will have fun with the chickens too. He loves animals and is very gentle with our cats but after almost two years they have yet to really warm up to him.
It’s also important to me to know that any eggs that are part of our diet come from animals that are well cared for. Ours are in a brooder box for the time being, but will soon move out into a spacious and well-protected backyard run and will also be allowed to free-range (with supervision) in the yard….
Paul has this idea that we should only eat dessert once a week.
It’s not the most fun idea he’s ever had, but it’s a sensible one and I usually try to play along.
The problem is, that while he is pretty good at sticking to the plan, I am miserable at it. Let’s just say I’m more committed to the idea in theory than in practice….