I could have cut the first of the Grace Roses, and made an arrangement, but somehow I am not in the mood for colour or extra beauty in the house. Maybe the change in the weather from warm and sunny, to very windy and cold was the catalyst...after all nothing has much changed over the last few weeks.
This morning I was determined not to post, and instead go out and clear the extraordinary amount of leaves and twigs, dead and alive littering the garden. However it was too cool, and the task daunting. After a few chores I just went to check for any messages. I had a short and sweet question to my post from Ann, also a regular contributor to this meme, on my Six on Saturday Post, which included Alliums and a violet.
Alison C also a contributor to IAVOM had suggested we made head garlands, and I was all set up to make one with my Grand-daughter, but she decided not to do one with me via zoom or some such like. My contribution towards Loving your Garden day on Sunday...was to eat some dainties. They all went into the lunch time salad: Lettuce, dill, tips of chocolate mint, winter savoury flowers, nasturtium leaves, coriander and parsley, chives and their flowers, and Ajuga Burgandy Glow leaves and flowers.
We had been out for a walk and seen the field awash with the flowers of Ajuga, and having looked up the herb, found out that it was edible and fine for salads.
So what is the link that makes Anna's comment the little thing that got me moving and motivated this morning?
"What a sweet white violet Noelle. I must divide the chives at the allotment and bring some home so that I can snip them at short notice. Such a pretty flower. Have you ever eaten them?"
My mushy mind was wondering whether Anna was asking about eating the flowers of chives or of Violets? I got me looking into violets...both flowers and leaves can be eaten, so many thanks Anna for leading me into something else I can forage for. Maybe it is the weird times we are in that are activating the foraging part of my brain. Elderflowers too have been featuring in the kitchen over the last week.
As for chive flowers, when they are young and tender they are delicious, and worth adding for a splash of colour to salads. I find they are nice split up into the tiny little flowers. The next salad will include a leaf of two of violet to try.
As I went out by the side door this morning, amongst the debris I started to clear up was a little spring from a conifer tree growing somewhere over the wall out of sight. It quite sums up my current self preservation mood of trying to find beauty in the most ordinary. Both Anna's question and the little sprig have given me a little lift today. Many thanks to all my blogging friends....
I was feeling much the same yesterday, Noelle - I used the term "grumpy" in my own IAVOM post but "flat" would also be a good description. But the garden worked its magic, as you garden and friend Ann seem to have done for you. You've reminded me to try some violas in my salad before they're gone too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tempting salad - and who would have guessed ajuga was edible? Or that it grows wild? I was looking at elderflower 'buds' today, and thinking that when they opened perhaps this was the year to do something with them - what have you been doing? I like it when some innocent prompt results in a vase (or anything else for that matter) and your little bit of spruce (?) makes a delightful little vase. Thanks for making the effort to join in, despite your mushy brain - perhaps you need to go and lie down in dark room for a while... ;)
ReplyDeleteI've been adding the elderflowers with sliced lemon to the second ferment of my water Keffir. It tastes like the fanciest elderflower presse. Might even add some gin for an evening drink, which had been making me think of making an elderflower and lemon infused gin, to enjoy later in the year.
DeleteMoodswings are, I think, quite natural in these times. I have given up trying to analyse how I feel and am just focussing on one day at a time. I really love your little sprig of spruce. And your lunch looks tasty too! ;-)
ReplyDeleteOh I was wondering whether you had eaten the chive flowers Noelle 😄 I find them rather spicy so they will not feature on my plate often. I didn't know that ajuga was edible so there's one for me to try. Your lunch time salad sounds most delicious. I felt rather melancholy on Monday but put it down the weather.
ReplyDeleteI only use the chive flowers when they have just emerged, Anna, otherwise they are rather papery and strong as you say.
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