Of Mud - “I rose from marsh mud algae, equisetum, willows, sweet green, noisy birds and frogs.” – Lorine Niedecker

Of Abundance - “When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” - Anthony Robbins

Of Sweetness - “The pursuit of perfection, then, is the pursuit of sweetness and light.” – Matthew Arnold

You can access the entire Weekend Highlights series to date by clicking on that category in the sidebar at left.

*************************************************

Mud season in Vermont. Each season brings its own challenge. Those who garden and tend various animals or a farm must keep a schedule and adapt, all at once, on the spur of the moment. There is no other alternative. There is always something to do: keeping a routine so the animals feel secure, fixing, starting over even. Perhaps we start over a little bit every day, even under the sun; sometimes a lot.

On a spring day, years ago, I walked out near a pond we had in the backyard and my foot sank deeply in the mud. The rain was pouring on a downright depressing day. And now this. The only way to retrieve my foot was to abandon my boot. But wait, there is more! When I returned home, in an attempt to remove mud from the base of my pants before changing them, I stepped in the shower to use the tap from the tub… but it was set to shower, so I drenched myself completely… and laughed and laughed!

As a Vermonter, I tend to forget that this season spreads far beyond the Green Mountains.

*************************************************

It’s always good to tour the “farmy,” with Miss C. This is what Cecilia, at The Kitchen’s Garden, calls her homestead. It is mud season where she lives.

“I squelched my way through fields with my arms out like wings trying to keep my balance,” she explains in a recent post she titled, The Mucky Murk or is it The Murky Muck. “That kind of mud sucks in your gumboot and keeps it while you lurch forward unaware…”

Sometimes, it is as we brave the elements yet one more time that we experience sudden moments of levity. Like the look on the sheep’s face in Cecilia’s picture.I think it is saying, “What?! Don’t laugh Miss C. This is not funny.” And miss C smirks on the other side of the camera, because she loves this muddy, wooly beast.

When levity sets in, even for only a few minutes, your entire perspective changes and even drenched fields that change the usual routine of the week seem like just a passing moment that is very much bearable and a part of life. [Go to The Kitchen's Garden]

*************************************************

Well, while we have our feet in the mud, we might as well discuss digging our hands in the soil.

“It seems that every year, more and more people are coming back to the art and joy of gardening.  Not just because they love the feel of getting their hands in the soil – but because they ultimately want to feed their families better tasting and healthier food while saving money… you can maximize those gardening efforts into a virtual year-round pantry…” begins a recent article at Old World Garden Farms. It is titled, Growing A Garden For Canning – How To PLAN TO CAN and Save Big!

If this year will be your first foray into the delicious and simple art of canning, this very thorough article from seasoned gardeners will provide the perfect blueprint for success. If you simply think you want to refine your existing process, this is for you as well. We can always learn a new trick or perspective and what better way to learn than from each other?

The article is divided in four segments. The last segment begins with the words “Thinking outside of the box.” Precisely, and very well thought out too. [Explore]

*************************************************

We’ve walked around the farmy with Cecilia (in the mud no less) and talked about the many, many jars we can fill with an abundance of wholesomeness this summer. It is only fitting to pause for a sweet treat at this time. To this end, we stop by Bits & Breadcrumbs‘ kitchen for a Quick Loaf: Cranberry Apple Walnut Bread.

This, I believe, is a perfect way to bridge two seasons, enjoy a wholesome treat at the end of a busy day or create a special moment, which I am sure you have earned many times over.

Our days tend to be marked by routine; some more than others. Our routines include all the stops we make on the way home, the places where we get lunch, and those special sweets that only a particular shop carries. Returning to these flavors our days. It gives us a sense of freedom and it adds silence and sensation to our otherwise busy schedules.

Our favorite foods become part of a rhythm. When something changes, a little something is lost… unless we find another way; a new, delicious rhythm.

“For many, many years I used to run up to the local health food store and get one of their delicious muffins… the health food grocery closed their little deli section…” recalls the author. And this is the beginning of the inspiration for the treat she shares with us today. I’ll let you go make some too. Enjoy. [Go]

*************************************************

Thank you for reading this Weekend’s Highlights. Please take a moment to leave a few words and click the LIKE button on the Blogs you enjoy. Thanks.