Brief blueberry season

Romaine Salad

   romaine lettuce

   cannelini beans

   blueberries

   mandarin segments

   wild rice

   almonds

   vinaigrette

Cucumber Salad

   japanese cucumbers

   painted lady beans

   blueberries

   mineola segments

   wild rice

   avocados

   vinaigrette

Hi Steve and Winnie,

Were you guys ever aware of Helen and Scott Nearing?  They were an iconic couple who represented the philosophy to return-to-the-land for self reliance. They were very well educated and wrote many books together.  Their background and lifestyle were fascinating to say the least.  They created a homestead in Vermont for a couple of decades starting in 1950, and then in their 70's they moved to the coast of Maine and created their last homestead -- Forest Farm in Harborside, Maine.  They built their own houses, cultivated their own large organic garden and educated people through writing and lectures about a lifestyle of great freedom but also great responsibility and hard work.  One of my favorite books was written by Helen -- Loving and Leaving the Good Life.  A very interesting book about development of a philosophy and focus and how to die with great dignity.  Scott died at 100, and Helen died at 92 due to a car accident-- who knows how long she would have lived.  Both were staunch vegetarians.

The Nearings I am guessing would have grown blueberries in their garden on the coast of Maine.  Blueberries showed up at farmer's market this week.  I love blueberries, and I know the season will be very brief.  Of course your state of Maine is famous for blueberries.  Steve, I remember that you "raked" blueberries to earn money when you were a young man.  I think this may even have been in the wild patches of blueberries in Maine.  You were not very old when you did it -- maybe high school?  You said you raked until the sun almost went down, and you would go home with a sore back and blistered hands.  It's not very common that we work that hard for our food, but I do think about the work involved in gathering and harvesting and cleaning the food that our farmers bring to the market.

Thinking of you.  Donna