Kitchen & Garden

I like to think of the garden as an extension of my kitchen pantry.  I absolutely love to walk out to the garden to pick fresh ingredients for a meal.  I grow my own fruits, vegetables, and herbs in part because I want organically grown produce and it also means my food didn’t need to be trucked across the country or shipped across the ocean. I don’t use chemical fertilizers and everything that is compostable (egg shells, vegetable trimmings, stale bread, egg cartons, brown paper bags) goes into the composter to be added to the garden soil.  This is my own effort to limit my carbon footprint.

You might think it sounds as if I live on a large plot of land, but really I live on a tiny postage stamp of a lot, less than one eighth of an acre about one quarter of which is actually food production. Many people could have access to healthy, local produce right from their own back yards and it doesn’t require great amounts of space.

The added bonus of backyard gardening is that gardening is relaxing and good exercise.  I find that time in my garden is rewarding as well as mentally stimulating.  I learn something new all the time.

The Kitchen

Cooking for me is magical.  I love trying new recipes or putting ingredients together on a whim and experiencing the resulting creations. It is always amazing to me how you can put a handful of simple ingredients together and the result is this complex of complimentary flavors and body.

I have a favorite summer salad that varies on how much time I have and the ingredients available in the garden.  The main ingredients are quartered cucumber slices and diced tomatoes.  To that I add fresh crushed garlic, minced parsley or cilantro or sometimes basil, sliced olives, sea salt and black pepper to taste.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and lemon or lime juice and stir.  The addition of a can of cannellini or kidney beans or a cubed avocado into the salad will make a satisfying, refreshing meal.

This is a lovely summer evening dinner.   It is cool, refreshing, and you don’t have to heat up the stove!

The Garden

I’m a gardener and I would probably spend all of my time in the garden if I didn’t have the other responsibilities of daily living.  My garden is the place where I feel whole and at peace.  Time in my garden is like meditation.  I can sometimes begin to feel the magic life once held.

I have filled my garden with many vegetables, but also with flowers and aromatic herbs.  The herbs and flowers attract birds, insects, amphibians, and reptiles which add to the ambiance of the garden.

The other day as I was picking tomatoes my attention was caught by a deep hum near my ear.  I slowly turned my head to see a ruby throated humming bird hovering inches from my face.  He hovered there darting back and forth, up and down, as if curious about me.  He darted away and left all too soon.  But I treasure such close encounters with the wild, these are what give life meaning to me.

My name is Heather…

Hello, my name is Heather.  This is my first blog.  I’d like to share my quest for knowledge, interests in nature, gardening, cooking, and the outdoors.