One must continue one's practice

Finally, on April Fools, after a winterless winter, I saw my breath as I went the barnyard rounds, and inches -- actual inches -- of snow fell on the mountains to my east. I confined myself to the potting house and doggedly planted seeds in flats that may find soil too cool when they're ready to plant out.

But I'm almost past caring. Who knows what weather will do any more? It might be so hot in May as to bolt the greens, so I might as well start the beans and corn.

Perhaps some great storm will come and level the garden -- or even the house. One must continue one's practice, and mine is to cover seeds.

At this time of the garden year, which has been historically called the hungry time, there's little in the way of food in the garden itself, but one has still some potatoes in storage, and dried foods and canned fruits and so on -- and one can forage.

I go out with scissors and basket, and take what takes my fancy. Today we have maple flowers, lilac flowers, broadbean leaves, dandelion, cat's ear, bedstraw (cleavers), and deadnettle. I can't really make a cold salad with these as I digest fresh greens poorly, so I typically start rice or potatoes in a bowl in the steamer, then add the greens in the last seven minutes, and perhaps an egg. Maybe a little oil and salt to taste. Good with curry or brewer's yeast or both.