Dear John,

The radishes and turnips we planted have sprouted–we should put in more the next time we go to the garden. One of the edamame plants has emerged, the others I’ll assume were eaten by birds. Beans are starting to dry on the vine. The kale that we’ve been eating all season was getting covered in enough bugs that I just harvested it all. The new greens are sprouting. The chard seeds have been put in the ground. They’re spikier than I would’ve guessed! The tomatillos won’t last much longer. The tomatoes, might hold out a bit more. The peppers are dwarfed by the dahlia and the marigold. I cut back the flowers, but not sure it’s doing the peppers much good. I put some cilantro seeds in the ground. Wondering if we’ll eat any this fall, if it will be a spring surprise, or if it will sprout at all.

Little miracles all of them. Larger miracles all of us. And yet still, so incredibly small.

Some ideas to keep us going

• Beet falafel from the library’s Clean-Eating cookbook. Served with kale as a salad instead of in pita as a sandwich.
• Potatoes with dandelion greens. Or saute the greens and use them to top congee. Because it’s been days, well over a week, since I ate rice porridge.
• Lentil squash soup
• Kale + apple + red pepper from the garden + beet yogurt + chickpea croutons
• I looked back at last winter and fall for other ideas of how to use squash with minimal fat. Really, soup is where it’s at, because the roasting wants the oil. Apple, squash, ginger soup from Simply in Season is a traditional easing in to soup season. Tomato butternut bisque (less tempting when I won’t eat grilled cheese). There’s risotto. AKA more rice porridge for me.
• Was also reminded of the beet and pear salad with mustard vinaigrette. I think we’ll be out of greens before we’re through with salad plans this week.

Love you,

Sarah