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...a glimpse into life on Vancouver Island, needle felting, photography, food, gardening, etcetera...etcetera
"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Monday, April 18, 2011

Chores...

This was the moon last night.
It's been SO bright the last few full moons and when I get up in the middle of the night,
I look out through the curtains and can barely even look at it!
There is silvery light everywhere and shadows abound as if the sun was out.
The weather has finally cleared up and although it's still chilly,
THE SUN IS OUT!
I took the opportunity to hang the laundry out...
One of my favorite things in the world is the smell of laundry off the line.
It's as if you've captured some of the sun's energy and can take it with you to bed.
All of the birdsong, the buzzing bees, the blooming flowers;
it's all there with you in your dreams.
The other chore I've been meaning to do is to pick stinging nettles.
Fresh and dried, these are one of the most nutritious wild foods you can eat, drink or wash your hair with!
Don't forget your gloves and long sleeves though!
If you've ever brushed against this plant you'll know what I'm talking about!
If you've never been stung by a nettle....well let's just say...you don't want to find out!
As long as they're cooked or dried, you'll be fine.
Use it like spinach, or drink it as a tea.
It is high in iron, good for allergies, a great spring tonic all around.
I'm making a quiche with it for dinner.
But before I collect the nettles, I better get Ruben out of my basket...
The chickens are happy to be out in the sunny fields as well...
Isn't he handsome?!
I went to have a look at the beehives and they're busy as well.
 As soon as it warms up a bit, they're all over the place, looking for food and water.
The hives are being cleaned out and getting ready for the new bees being born...


1 comment:

farmlady said...

WAIT A MINUTE! You mean that Nettles is good for something? I've got a ton of it around here and I didn't know it was good for anything except pain. I will research this. Thank you.
The cat in the basket is so lovely and about the sun and laundry...
I have a poem for you.
It's called .

I hung my gown out in the sun.
Tonight I brought it in.
I can not tell how lovely smells,
The gown, from sun, my skin.

I wrote this years ago. There is nothing like the fragrance of things dried, outside, in the sun.
Thanks for a wonderful post.