What smell is this, so strong and good?

December 28, 2005

Shih ching, in C. Birch and D. Keene (eds.) Anthology of Chinese Literature (1965), pb 1967 pp. 37-8.

High we load the stands,
The stands of wood and earthenware.
As soon as the smell rises
God on high is very pleased:
‘What smell is this, so strong and good?’

A text from the Shih ching, (Book of Songs), a collection of traditional ballads and fragments gathered after 600 BCE describing the life of the warrior farmers of the north western highlands of Shanxi (Shensi). This text is being quoted nowadays on websites hocking everything from garlic to hemp.

image: a closeup of kale farci

debra at 13:52 | Comments (2) | post to del.icio.us

Birthday picnic au plein air

December 24, 2005

With a small group of friends we celebrated my birthday with a fresh and freezing garden picnic in the painfully crisp air. Champagne, oysters and a sorrel quiche, in the case of the sorrel, eaten one meter away from the very plant that grew it. New neighbours, new but wonderful friends, all kicking the frozen ground and sipping champagne. We unanimously are longing for summer, or at least the spring planting.

Still, the leaves of the bruxelles sprouts are very sweet and the kale is abundant. In the case of the kale, the plants came from seeds that spilled unto the ground whilst moving the cabane, all so very sweet.

debra at 13:13 | Comments (0) | post to del.icio.us

Winter BBQ practice down at the kitchen gardens

December 23, 2005

Can kitchen garden soil ever really have enough potash? A quick look around the environs and the answer is a resounding ‘no’. It’s fire lighting time, again!