Welcome Spring!

It may seem a little early, but with the birth of most of our kids, the onset of warm weather, and my first wild-foraged dinner, it surely feels like spring is here!

Mom as Theme Park

About a day or two after birth, the kids begin trying out their equipment; they leap, cavort, dance, and climb.  Mom's back becomes a playground.

Sleepy Twins

Which results in sleepy babies.  Naps are as frequent as play periods for the first week or so.

A Pile of Kids

And everyone cuddles together in a big, warm pile.  The moms enjoy these breaks in nursing.

Sleepy Babies

I never get tired of fuzzy, sleepy, well fed kids!

Spring kids and spring greens come at the same time.  Nature has it all figured out. In the wild, those babies and mommas would benefit from the natural goodness of the greens. They'll be outdoors enjoying spring soon!  In the mean time, I'm enjoying the bounty.

The Easy Gleanings

Today's short walk yielded garlic mustard, chickweed, stinging nettle, dead nettle, mint, wild onion, some oregano that returned to my garden from last year, and dandelion.

Salad Greens

The stinging nettle and some garlic mustard went into the saute pan, but the chickweed and other raw greens were reserved for the salad.

Sauteed Chicken and Nettles

I started by sautéing some clean bacon, which I removed once brown.  Next, I added half of a chicken breast, cut into chunks.  When it was almost done, I added the damp nettles, chopped wild onion, and some garlic mustard.  I cooked until tender, then finished with some slivered preserved lemons, salt and pepper, as well as the bacon pieces.  This made 2 generous servings.

Natural Chopped Salad

The rest of the greens were chopped, then tossed with preserved lemon, golden raisins and a little blue cheese, as well as two or three crumbled bacon pieces.  Dressing wasn't necessary.  This also made two generous servings (and I have leftover garlic mustard!).  

I could just feel the energy returning to my sleepy winter soul after dinner, and when I finally went to bed, I slept with the window open, and more soundly that I have in weeks.  

Nature is good for us.  Body AND soul.