flax-golden tales: buy love here

buy love herebuy love here

It appears to be a store and not a test, because they find people are more comfortable thinking about it as a transaction rather than a judgement.

The numbers listed are not the true prices, the paper money is mostly for administrative fees and processing.

The real costs are paid in secrets and wishes, unspoken desires and buried emotions.

Step up to the window, empty your pockets and show your soul and make your promises.

They’ll know which ones are true.

Which ones you only wish were true and how much you’re willing to give.

They take all this from you and close the window and debate if what you have to offer is acceptable.

They calculate passions and fears and weigh needs against wants.

Once they’ve decided, the window will open again and if you’ve met their approvals they will stamp a heart on the back of your hand and send you on your way.

But only if they’ve determined that you’re ready for love.

 

About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

vermont in photos

We spent the last few days in Vermont, somehow managing to arrive there in post-snow winter wonderland with perfect chilly sunshine and get home just before this winter wonderstorm descended upon NYC.

We were in Burlington for a few days and then Stowe, and in between we stopped at the Ben & Jerry’s factory, because of course we did. We visited the Flavor Graveyard and everything.

I’d never been to Northern Vermont before and I really loved it, though I should have taken more photos.

snow

 

burlington

 

vermonty python

 

stowe

 

pink bubbles

flax-golden tales: happily

happilyhappily

He says he’ll build us a castle somewhere.

And our castle will be guarded by a dragon.

A dragon who plays the mandolin.

And eats unwelcome visitors.

And in this castle, guarded by its carnivorous, mandolin-playing dragon, we will live happily ever after.

I tell him that I don’t need a castle.

And I already have my own mandolin and he knows that because he gave it to me.

And someday I will learn to play it properly, for love song serenades.

And we are already living happily right here and right now, and we will continue to do so ever after, whatever that means, regardless of location, because that’s how this story goes.

But if he actually knows where to get a dragon, especially one who plays the mandolin better than I can, that might be nice.

 

About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

happy year of the horse!

pony

I was born in the Year of the Horse and I’ve heard a few Chinese astrological sources say that your own year isn’t supposed to be that fabulous but so far I’m rather liking this pony year.

Recovering well from the wisdom tooth extraction, received good news on several fronts, and I have a new tiny pony to wear around my neck. I’m looking forward to seeing what the year brings.

pony necklace

Happy Lunar New Year!

flax-golden tales: untested paths obscured by snow

untested pathsuntested paths obscured by snow

It’s clear to see from the impressions in the snow

That you were walking in someone else’s footsteps,

Wearing someone else’s shoes.

Maybe because it was easier to take steps already taken

Or maybe because of outside expectations that were not your own.

It doesn’t matter.

Now, here, looking back, aware,

You can decide.

If you wish to continue in this fashion

Or if the time has come for you to forge your own untested path.

 

About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

soup!

I am getting my wisdom teeth removed this morning. I may be unreachable for the next while because I plan on being medicated and sleeping a lot but I will do my best to catch up once I’m coherent again.

I spent most of the weekend making soup. I like soups and I am getting better at making them. Potato leek is always one of my go-to soups because it doesn’t have that many ingredients. (I add an onion to mine and basically that’s it: little bit of oil onion leeks potatoes broth boil blend season eat.)

And we also recreated a soup we invented mostly unintentionally while in Florida. It was an attempt to do something with all the random things we had on hand and it turned out so well that I made it again to have while I can’t nom solid foods. It’s delicious again so that first attempt apparently wasn’t a fluke and it does appear to be a good and proper soup.

So here, have a sort of recipe for a soup that doesn’t have a name. I should give it a name. Butternut Squash Golden Beet Yummy Soup? Hrm. I’ll come up with something eventually. In the meantime…

Peel and cube one butternut squash. Peel and cube one bunch of golden beets. Toss all the cubes in olive oil (or other oil of your preference) and salt and pepper, spread on baking sheet and roast at 400. After about 30 minutes, add a cubed apple to the mix and continue roasting for another 15-30 minutes until golden brown and soft.

Meanwhile, slice an onion. Put a little oil in the bottom of the soup pot and toss the onion in and let it cook until almost caramelized or so. Add a tablespoon or two of chopped ginger near the end.

Add the roasted squash beets & apple to the soup pot and just cover with broth of your choosing. Stir and simmer for 20 minutes or so. Blend the heck out of it with an immersion blender which is super useful for soups or in batches in a regular blender.

Season to taste (I added a bunch of turmeric to this batch and it’s lovely) and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of bee pollen or drizzle of honey.

This would be so much better if I had a pretty picture of the soup right here. My apologies. If I have one later in the week I’ll add it, currently the soup is in containers in the refrigerator and very orange but not particularly pretty.

I’m glad I actually really enjoy food that doesn’t involve chewing, but I still hope tooth pulling recovery mode doesn’t last too terribly long.