Each day, I continue to be amazed at the incredible, diverse joy of Plant Life.
This post could go on and on, but I’ll end with perhaps The Joy of My Life, the southern Longleaf Pine …
Here’s to Plants!
I loved this small excerpt of a lovely Essene meditation posted by Kelly Curtis on the beautifully inspirational blog, Kelly’s Quest.
“Softness fills my days
In this season of autumn light.
Gentle joy of life returning
To know its roots again.”
As we perhaps slow down a bit this autumn, may we mindfully embrace the quiet, deep and abiding joyful health of our roots.
1. Our cast iron Dutch Oven bottom round roast dinner last night. Whew. That’s a mouthful. Literally.
With carrots, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, fresh thyme and fresh rosemary.
2. The young mother and her one-month old baby who were next to us at the Atlanta Pride Parade last Sunday.
Joyful Love
3. The front door of our old 1870’s home.
4. Knowing, truly knowing, that every breath we breathe is a precious gift to savor and appreciate.
5. HR matching with his food.
May you match up with a fun and healthy weekend ahead!
We saw this interestingly dressed fella at Atlanta Pride over the weekend …
Remember the jacket? Melania’s?
It’s probably better to care.
1. My glasses.
Oh my goodness, WHAT would I do without them?!
2. The Atlanta Braves winning the National League East … again.
3. Lunch with youngest granddaughter Isabelle for Pre-K lunch (at 10:45 a.m.!).
Isabelle hugging Nana and holding a tiny piece of broccoli.
4. Colorful Fall
5. The simple joy of being alive.
Side note: The dead-looking, brownish clumps you see to the right and underneath the brilliant green …
They are not dead at all. They are Resurrection Ferns. And as soon as the next rain comes, they will burst into more obvious life and challenge the green vine’s brilliance.
May we all burst into More Obvious Life this weekend!
Robert’s incredible pizza on his brand new 13-inch pizza stone.
Sorry, Papa John’s. I have a new Papa.
My pizza maker.
What am I seeing? What should I do?
I have always had a love affair with doors, especially eccentric doors.
Doors beckon, or deny.
Here’s one I saw today on a walk with Robert in our Historic District Savannah. It had a storied past, don’t you think?
Here’s to Doors!
I love fall food.
One of my VERY favorites is, well, ANYTHING in the Leafy Greens Family.
Collards, Turnips, Mustard, even Poke Salad. (You have to be careful with Poke Salad—it can be poisonous. But it was my Granny’s favorite, and she taught me how to find it. In the wild.)
Well, yesterday, I found a beautiful bunch of local Savannah collards at our favorite little grocer near us in Habersham Village.
If you have read a bit on my blog, you know that HR (Husband Robert) is the fancy pants chef, and I’m the I-cook-what-Mama-taught-me fellow. Usually in cast iron.
So last night I pulled out our cast iron (heavy!) Dutch oven. (Okay, technically Robert pulled it out.)
And I went to work.
First, you gotta wash the greens, if you buy them fresh. And why wouldn’t you? A time-consuming task.
My Washed-Collards Bouquet.
I cut the thickest stems away from the leaves.
But don’t throw them away! I make homemade vegetable broth with them.
After cooking the ham hocks in water to provide the base for the “pot liquor,” I sauté onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil in the Dutch oven, pour the liquid from the ham hocks in, layer the ham hocks on top, and cover until the greens wilt.
Two hours of slow simmering later …
HR loves my pickled jalapeños, so he had to put some of that “sauce” and pickles on his greens.
The beautifully delicious “pot liquor” …
Oh, and what to do with the leftovers? Well, give some to ex-wife Donna, of course.
With a side of “healthy corn.”
And freeze the rest.
Fall Collard Joy
NealEnJoy 