Honestly? Prior to moving here I had never heard of an herb called borage. I found it in abundance in the kitchen garden and had to inquire about what it was. To this day I call it BOR-age, as if were two clear syllables. And French. I have since learned that herbalists (around here, anyway) pronounce BOR-age to rhyme with porridge. In any case its Botanical name is Borago officinalis. It was thought by some to originate centuries ago in Assyria. It has made its way to several continents, and no wonder. This is a strong, vital plant none too fussy about the soil in which it grows, in no immediate danger of extinction. It keeps itself going quite well, self sowing, with very little assistance. Women have been using it in their kitchens since ancient times. These are the plants that intrigue me the most.
Gerard says:
'Pliny calls it Euphrosinum, because it maketh a man merry and joyfull: which thing also the old verse concerning Borage doth testifie:
Ego Borago - (I, Borage)
Gaudia semper ago. - (Bring alwaies courage.)
Those of our time do use the flowers in sallads to exhilerate and make the mind glad. There be also many things made of these used everywhere for the comfort of the heart, for the driving away of sorrow and increasing the joy of the minde. The leaves and floures of Borage put into wine make men and women glad and merry and drive away all sadnesse, dulnesse and melancholy, as Dios corides and Pliny affirme. Syrup made of the floures of Borage comforteth the heart, purgeth melancholy and quieteth the phrenticke and lunaticke person. The leaves eaten raw ingender good bloud, especially in those that have been lately sicke.'
According to Dioscorides and Pliny, Borage was the famous Nepenthe of Homer, which when drunk steeped in wine, brought absolute forgetfulness.
John Evelyn, writing at the close of the seventeenth century tells us: 'Sprigs of Borage are of known virtue to revive the hypochrondriac and cheer the hard student.'
~A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve
Borage buds
I gave a cursory research a couple of years ago of borage and it was enough for me at the time to discover that women used to put a flower in each ice cube they made which fascinated me so that I immediately did it. It was fun, but I must confess that guests whom I served some summer drink with borage flowers in their ice cubes were suspect. And isn't that the way with new things, especially plants in the garden ending up in our salads and drinks? Further research, however, shows that borage is very commonly associated with refreshing drinks, both the leaves and the flowers. They are continually described as similar to cucumber and as a refreshing additive to both water and wines. It is said that the English used to include it in Pimms. I'm thinking that a bottle of ice water with borage leaves or flowers would be a nice addition to summer days.
Borage leaves, when young, are also traditionally cut and used in salads or stir-fried, much as you would spinach. You can even include with spinach. Two words of warning, however. Borage, while nourishing, is not to be eaten in abundance, as it contains a very mild toxin you would not want to overly ingest, particularly if you have liver problems. I have just spoken with a local respected herbalist, Donna d'Terra, who says, "It's always good to err on the side of caution." She does not recommend borage for the very young, very elderly or pregnant women. She points out that when the plant is just emerging it is most likely to have the alkaloid in question, as a kind of self-protection to avoid foraging animals, therefore if one waits until the leaves are a bit larger--say larger than the size of your hand, she says, this alkaloid will be less in abundance. She also says the plant will be better for consumption if it is not stressed, say from lack of water. Fascinating! Please note that if you are to include leaves in your kitchen be sure to pick prior to being very mature leaves, which bear white hairs that will irritate your skin upon touch.
A noteworthy fact about borage is that it has been used traditionally as a companion plant to tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries! There are those who are certain it discourages tomato worms. These old traditions often strike a cord within me, a cord that says, yes, this is right. Let's try this.
Those who nourish borage in their gardens will also find an abundance of bees of all descriptions, upon which borage is dependent to be pollinated. As it is longlasting your bee visitors will also be about frequently. This alone makes the growing of borage worthwhile, to make a bee happy. While I have not tried honey made from borage I'm assured it is delicious!
Another lost art is to candy the borage flowers! Here's a recipe. I'm imagining this would be a lovely thing to do with one's grandchildren this summer. So easy! So charming! And they will never forget.
To Candy Borage Flowers
Pick the borage flowers, each with a small stem, when they are quite dry. Paint each one with lightly beaten egg white, using a watercolour paintbrush. Dust them lightly with superfine sugar [in Britain one would use castor sugar] and set to dry on waxed paper in a warm place like an airing cupboard or in a very cool oven.
Love and kitchen garden blessings,
Kathryn xoxox
Footnote: In response to Julie's question re: proportions I've done a bit more research and following a recommended lead from California School of Herbal Studies comes this:
Borage Flower Tea: handful of fresh leaves steeped in 1-2 quarts of water, add one or two sprigs of spearmint. Makes a refreshing summer beverage. More .
Book News: Recently visited Gallery Bookshop in the village of Mendocino and was delighted to find my book face out just underneath one of Julia Cameron's books, in the Inspiration section. Kinda teary, touched and very grateful.
I might have, had I imagined, known that the Steller's Jay and I had not yet reached the limits of what our new friendship might hold. But I missed it, as, while I have years of experience raising and caring for canaries, and finches, and chickens, and a duck named Peggy (which ended very badly a long time ago in Sausalito and let's just leave it that it involved a raccoon, boo hoo hoo) all of which I found amazingly enriching, but even though I befriended the scrub jays and fed them for years, I have never, ever, had an experience with a wild bird like the one I'm having this spring with my Steller's Jay friend, whom I've now named Pretty (and, actually, had last year). It's endearing and almost a little unnerving, so unexpected is the level of contact and communication, and we are so not at the end of this, God willing.
I think I noticed the shift at the beginning of the week, when I was alerted that I was not alone on the front porch as I sat in the early morning sun doing a bit of meditation, taking in the sun's warming rays while I focused inside, grounding and centering in preparation for the day's work. No. Something was moving about. What? I laughed when I opened my eyes and found the Steller's Jay, Pretty, sitting in a nearby camellia bush, but not passively. Oh, no. Actively trying to get my attention. Hop. Hop. Hop. From branch to branch and all the while watching me. Clearly a calling for delicious peanuts. What have I done?
I abandoned my perch and obediently went inside to husk a few treasures for him, knowing full well he would not abandon his endeavor, but, most likely would be in the back garden, anticipating my return. Indeed.
But, come on. This needs to be a two-way street. So if I'm going to be at the beck and call of a brave and bold Steller's Jay, I want something in return. Photo shoots. A subject. Oh, yes. So I did not come with simply shelled peanuts. I came with my Pentax, opened and ready to go.
I had begun experimenting with putting peanuts up higher now that Pretty was more familiar with me, because it was the most practical way of getting closer shots without my having to, oh, say, lie on the ground. So he already knew compromise was afoot. And he had been cooperating. He was a bit wary, but his love of the peanuts and the growing trust won out.
I was stunned by his coloration when I viewed this.
I was especially fond of this one, as he took off with his catch--so ethereal.
Feeling that I no longer need be so cautious, I decided to experiment with backgrounds and surfaces once again. How about the picnic table? He had to consider for a moment.
But not that long!
I am finding this exchange inordinately wonderful, a true blessing. I will treat as gently and carefully and lovingly as I can, and learn what I may and pass along as the story unfolds. I enter knowing that all such interspecies exchanges are tenuous, especially with birds, but I also know I'm witnessing the (current) end result of a creature whose history lies within the dinosaur kingdom, many many millions of years ago. We are just the next on stage in this lovely dance.
Love and garden blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Book News: I had the most lovely surprise this week when I received a tweet from a gardening blogger in Georgia whom I had thanked in previous days for recommending the indie bookstore BookPeople in Austin, Texas, where copies of Plant Whatever Brings You Joy have just gone on sale. Garden designer Nancy Wallace and tweeted me thusly, which I found very kind: @KathrynHallPR a post about your book video trailer & how your book got to BookPeople #gardening
Honestly, this story begins a full two years ago, even though it culminates in the last three days in these pictures. It began with a single bird talking to himself somewhere near my large back garden, though clearly not in my garden. The chattering reminded me of the same kind of talking on and on that English budgies get into, clearly a joy simply in hearing oneself talk. Anyone who has had budgies will know of what I'm speaking. But just to make it crystal clear, if you will go , and listen solely to the Male Song, you will hear what I heard. I was actually a bit alarmed as I truly thought someone's budgie had escaped. But no amount of searching gave me a peek at the songster.
The next year the same thing happened. However, simultaneously I began spotting a large blue jay back in my apple tree to my huge delight. Initially I never put the song I'd heard and this new blue beauteous addition together. But I began to research him and discovered he was a Steller's Jay. Eventually I did see him singing his song and was amazed he was the singer, as I expect the sounds of jays to be rather raucous. I looked forward to his occasional visits and made a point of making it clear to him I could be trusted, speaking gently to him, sending him a deep love and appreciation for his showing up in my garden!
Anyone who has followed this blog over time might well recall that there are an abundance of scrubjays in Mendocino County, and I have written about them and my experiences "taming them". (Though one might say they have tamed me, as they forged relationships with humans long before I was around.) The more I explore the jay families and their habits the more I have enlarged my view of their larger family, the cordivae, which includes the crows and ravens, who are also in abundance in this very rugged county, and in so doing I have gained more and more respect for their kind. I'm certain they appeal to me not only for their strength and ingenuity, but also for their charming willingness to trust their own judgment and elect with whom they will be friends and with whom not. And, most of all, to remember. As in for years. And this has been documented. They, indeed, remember who has been kind to them and they are loyal to the connection, though I am not naive. I know their primary interest is in Who Brings Food. (I do.) However, there is another layer to this, the fact that the cordivae family mate for life. And Steller's Jays have been known to live for up to 16 years, that we know about. Loyalty to their mates intrigues me and makes me wonder about that evolutionary choice. Regardless, I like it. It endears them to me.
You might imagine my delight when this year not only the male Steller's Jay showed up. He had a mate! I was thrilled when I spotted them through my kitchen window tugging at a camellia branch, which only meant one thing. A nest was in the making! I wished very much it would be in my garden, a discovery I have yet to make. Nevertheless, they are here, close by, and our connection was accelerated rapidly over the last few days, as you shall here see.
Those of you in the Pacific Northwest know we have received a very late gift from Mother Nature--a profoundly delayed winter full of rain. So my initial foray into seeking out the pair this week was in a gloomy morning in the far back of the garden under the apple tree, the most likely place to find them. I whistled. I was quite surprised (and thrilled) that out he came, straightaway, onto a lower branch nearby.
I carefully placed peanuts on a nearby sidewalk, hoping I might entice him. Suddenly the second one emerged from an adjacent bush, but he scolded her and she flew back into hiding. Hmmm. Would I lose them both? No.
Peanuts are tempting. And delicious. And I apparently pass his test. Lucky me!
Suddenly the female emerged and grabbed a peanut or two. Imagine my surprise to see she also bore a crest on her head and looked nearly identical! Somehow I'd assumed she would be less flamboyant, as is so often true.
I was grateful for these initial shots (and the warming connection).
The next day I gave it another try. It had been raining now for days. Inches of rain. So I was not sure what to expect. Again, after a brief calling, out he popped, this time from a different direction. Poor thing. A bit fluffed up.
But willing. And far less afraid, even though I was much closer this time.
Wow. We're really getting somewhere!
Success!
So you can imagine that today, with the sun finally shining, I had to give it another go. I called mid-morning. No one came. I left peanuts on the ground, and an hour or so later they were gone, so, encouraged, I went out one more time with another round of peanuts and my camera. By now I thought there was enough trust I might actually be able to get a much closer shot and just dragged the chair onto the sidewalk and sat and called. Bingo.
This lovely new friend now approached numerous times, with succeeding confidence, until each peanut had been garnered.
I am so fortunate to have him in my animal family. I look forward to learning all that I can.
May you be so blessed in your own gardens.
Love and birdie blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Book Notes: Biggest news this period is that Plant Whatever Brings You Joy is now available both as a and as a on Barnes & Noble, who has elected to discount the book. Get your copy today!
Also, good news for Austinites. Plant Whatever Brings You Joy is now available at Book People, one of Austin's finest indie bookstores!
To view trailer for Plant Whatever Brings You Joy, visit !
Luna
Today is the 14th birthday of my Maine Coon cat, Luna, and it would be all smiles and glory if we had not been on a very intense healing journey for the last three weeks. The mere fact she's still on planet Earth is well worth celebrating. That is for sure! And many more details to be happy about. But the thrust of this post is to share this unexpected journey, as I am learning that while I personally had never heard of this turn in the road, nor had anyone I spoke with, there are those out there who are, in fact, learning of this possible chapter, and having invested many hours into this process, I want to share my findings, incomplete as they may be, for those who find themselves on this same journey. Maybe it will be of help.
It began as a sudden retching cough, though only once or twice a day, so that in itself was a new experience for me. What cat coughs once or twice a day and otherwise seems fine? Hmmm. So I watched for other symptoms to appear, began research and finally took her to a vet, like any responsible cat owner would do. However the vet listened to her lungs and pronounced them "fine." The nurse, however, had noticed a tooth that looked aged and a problem, so they whisked her off and pulled not one but two molars. Gosh. And home we went.
Within a week Luna made a dramatic turn and stopped eating. As in, completely.
Honestly, what ensued was so emotional for me that the next steps are a bit of a blur. Apparently when I'm grieving my left brain does not work as well. But what I can tell you is that I made two or three more trips to the vet, to pick up a plastic syringe for "syringe feeding" which I didn't even know existed, and a course of antibiotics, which I requested upon seeing respiratory symptoms finally emerging [runny nose] and finally, a few cans of a kind of catfood prescribed by vets for post-surgical cats. It's apparently super high in protein, fats and carbs. When I mentioned to folks they all said the same thing, "Like Ensure for cats." I guess so.
And there we were.
Little by little, cats become the visible soul of the house.
Jean Cocteau
It began to dawn on me that while I had for 14 years always been responsible for the feeding of this animal for her well being, this was a whole new demand. I was literally responsible for getting food down this cat, or she would die. Oh, dear.
Thank God for YouTube, where I did find a number of videos that instructed me in the art of syringe feeding a cat. However, every one of them featured a docile, obliging cat being slowly administered catfood in large syringes by adoring pet owners happy to show how easy it could be. Our experience didn't exactly match. Part of me was on the verge of tears. Part of me wanted to laugh hysterically.
Fortunately any cat who has ever lived with me knows that if I grab it by the back of the neck (as any mother cat would her kitten when she wanted obedience) that I Mean Business. (In this case it was either that or starve, trust me.) Gradually as we both learned together that we were in a Whole New Chapter of our conjoined lives, and after she delivered a scratch or two, she relaxed into the process and while I still need to keep a firm grip and to continue to place her where I need her to be, she now recognizes the shift and the need and a bit of appreciation is being expressed in a very faint but steady purr. (Praise the Lord.)
Now here are some of the things I am learning and have learned in case any of you ever find yourselves in this predicament!
While you might remember what a cc is, I did not. So here's the skinny, and you would need to know.
1cc=1ml
5cc=1 teaspoon
15cc=1 tablespoon
This was critical for me to know since syringes are all based on the metric system. And here was the overwhelming part. I learned that a 10 pound cat needs at bare minimum 80 cc's of food a day. EIGHTY. That's 5 1/2 tablespoons of meat protein (mostly) delivered about 1/2 cc at a time. Yikes. That's a lot of squirting. That's especially a lot if you are needing to water down the catfood (or high protein prescribed catfood) in order to deliver and have it be swallowed.
Are you imagining this??
So that was the fundamental reality I found myself facing, processing, accepting and learning how to do.
I'm certain by now some of you would be thinking, "Fourteen. Why not put her down?"
And I might have if she had not been getting better each day. Antibiotics kicked in. Not only the respiratory stuff got healed, the Mystery Cough went away! And she started making an effort. She tried with all her might to get back into her normal routine. She gallantly ate 1/4 t. normal catfood with her constant companion, Sweet Pea. It was all she could do without those back molars to get it down. She hated it. But she tried. Oh, my goodness, she tried.
I began taking her out into the garden on the sunny afternoons that were emerging and she was so excited to see grass! She wanted so much to eat it. She couldn't, but she wanted to. So be it.
Probably most telling to me was the fact that for two weeks Sweet Pea [rescued deaf Siamese, whom some of you will know from my book] left Luna completely alone, heretofore unheard of, as they are almost always together, usually wrapped in each other's arms. And four days ago they suddenly commenced to be inseparable again. Only they know what was the turning point, but I took it to heart.
Luna on the occasion of her 14th birthday, with Sweet Pea
So while I am learning all this structure and adjusting to this new reality and only GOD knows how long this will go on (found a man online who has been syringe feeding his 18 year old cat for a year!) my creativity kicked in. I got inspired. I found myself thinking Luna might enjoy an even better diet now than she did for the previous 14 years. So here's my armory thus far, just in case you ever need this, or know someone who does.
First of all, a word on syringe feeding. Watch every vid you can find. I'm a visual learner. It really helped me. Every cat will have slightly different needs, so get a vet to help you, but I can tell you this. Squirt from side of the mouth, never from the front. Aim small quantity at roof of cat's mouth. Do not squirt into throat. Food can go in their lungs. Let cat swallow and breath before going for next squirt.
And here's what we are using so far:
*Pumpkin puree and/or baby rice cereal for fiber
NOTE: the catfood they sell you from the vet for post surgical food for cats may be rich in protein, carbs and fats, and God bless them for anticipating this need, but it does not have enough fiber to meet your cats needs, which results in, well, you can imagine. A mess. So after much research (online and at home) I have learned to mix a teeny bit of baby rice cereal into the watered down "critical care" food. [I'm using Hills A/D, fyi.] Or, as I always have pumpkin puree in my freezer to use on occasion in my dogs' morning breakfast, made when pumpkins are in season, I pulled out some of that and am adding just a small amount, using the finest puree I can find (otherwise it will block syringe and might gag my kitty).
*I'm giving her a teeny dose of powdered golden seal root and Manuka honey mixed in water daily. Don't try this without researching. Golden seal is good for the mucous membranes and it's very healing if used properly. Manuka honey is the healing honey. And golden seal is bitter. Thus the honey.
*Goat's milk yogurt -- It's easier to digest than cow's milk. She likes it. It's animal protein and it's easier to feed than catfood, trust me. Still using syringe, though. Maybe you can get your cat to lick. Not Luna.
*Chicken Liver Smoothie -- I'm going very easy on this, but I've started making a power smoothie for her that is part pureed boiled chicken liver, part A/D, and a Nu Cat vitamin (it's like bouillon), smooshied first in hot water. [WARNING! If you happen upon Nu Cat vitamins make absolutely sure they are stored in a safe place. My Border Collie found a package of these I thought was high up enough he wouldn't be able to get them. Wrong. He ate an entire package which requires giving one's dog hydrogen peroxide to get them back up. Just sayin'.]
*Soft boiled egg YOLK. No whites. I'm having to add a bit of water for right consistency.
*Cod liver oil, daily, from a dropper
*Brewer's yeast, added here and there
*Alfalfa leaf tea --Alfalfa will provide a bit of green and is supposed to increase appetite. She likes it.
*Liquified boiled lean organic chicken. I am needing to add chicken stock from the boiling of the chicken to the blender to get the chicken to liquify. I'm using cousin Julie's suggestion in comments, putting some of the liquified chicken in an ice cube tray so I can mix up a batch at a time, freeze and then defrost one or two every day to add to diet. I added chicken livers to the chicken when I put in blender. I think this is the single most important food source I'm adding to Luna's diet at the moment.
*Water-- a ten pound cat needs nearly 1 C (1/4 liter) of clean water a day. This might well be the foundation stone for a cat's well being. Without sufficient water a cat risks severe dehydration which can lead to death. So get that water down! Clean water pushes out toxins, restores balance to the organs and is critical to healing.
Now here's the really endearing part that happened here this morning. As said, these two loving cats are now back to being pretty much inseparable again. So this was actually a bit of a problem when I was trying to feed Luna. Sometimes I would isolate them until I was through just to make the process simpler. One cat was enough. But this morning I found them in their kitty bed, and wouldn't you know it? Sweet Pea was cleaning Luna's face! She scrubbed her clean for the longest time. I was so touched I nearly wept. Help had arrived. I didn't have to do it completely alone! Oh, thank you, heavenly Universe!
So now I've incorporated Sweet Pea into the process and everyone is happier! I dip the syringe into whatever I've mixed up in the cup. Sweet Pea licks the outside of the syringe clean, so she's included. Luna gets the bulk. And it's a family affair! Didn't see that one coming, but incredibly grateful for the shift.
Recently a Buddhist I follow on Twitter tweeted a bit about a student asking his teacher, "What is your practice?" And the teacher answered, "Whatever is needed."
Love and companion animal blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Days later postscript: I am searching for a rhythm that works for Luna and for me. We both need it. In order to ensure Luna has a good solid beginning to her day I have now established this pattern: I am giving her 1T Hills A/D and 1T Natural Value chicken or seafood pate (her normal catfood from health food store) combined with 1T chicken stock first thing in the morning. Yes, it's time consuming. But it gives me the peace of mind knowing I've made a good dent in the day's requirements and I can build all day from there. Also, very important: I am measuring and writing down every single thing I give her, including all liquids. Maybe later I won't need to but right now I need to measure and log everything. Highly recommended for this new territory. Luna with Sweet Pea, who is napping March 17th: Miracles happen. Luna has unexpectedly and amazingly regained her appetite. I could not believe my eyes when she vigorously joined Sweet Pea for morning chicken pate this morning, and proceeded to devour nearly a half can of catfood! Later in the day she tackled her kibble! And wasn't I heartened (oh, yes I was) when I found her before her water bucket. Wow. Never expected this. This is beyond my hopes and dreams and I am incredibly stupendously grateful! She's still coughing. I am inclined to think the primary culprit is the silica dust that was in the catlitter I was using, especially after I bought a dome to give them more privacy from the dogs. Big mistake. I have switched to pine pellets. They have both adjusted. Time will tell if I am correct about my diagnosis. It could still be too little too late. Taking it one day at a time in great gratitude. Many thanks to all of you who have supported her and me through this journey both here on the blog, in private emails and on twitter. Your loving thoughts are appreciated.
************************************************************* April 7th: It is the day before Easter, and, it is with great sadness that I let you know that Luna has made her way to kitty heaven. She remains greatly loved and missed.
Book News: Most exciting is the big step I took in signing a contract with Partners West, who will serve as an important distributor for Plant Whatever Brings You Joy. I already have interest at San Francisco Airport, which is one of my big goals! Fingers and toes crossed.
Many thanks to Kepler's Books in Menlo Park for including Plant Whatever Brings You Joy in their ! Appreciated!
And appeared this week in Edge Magazine in Minneapolis. Ode Magazine and Western North Carolina Woman will print excerpts soon.
Enjoy Kathryn's for Plant Whatever Brings You Joy!
The county of Mendocino lies 100 miles north of San Francisco, and stretches out to the Pacific Ocean. Topographically it is very rugged and is traversed through various terrains on two lane roads, some of which run through the oldest redwood forests on Earth. Those who have visited or read about this county are most likely aware that much of the mid-19th century architecture has landmark status and that the entire town of Mendocino is on the National Register of Historic Places. Thus in all the literature about Mendocino County there is much illumination about the architecture. Because the beauty of this architecture is in large part one of the attractions I have to this county I spent the morning capturing a bit of its charm which I here share with you. I hope to compliment the normal focus on gardens and plants specifically, and add more context to that which offers structure and beauty to our gardens here in Mendocino County, giving you more a feel for life in Northern California. Enjoy. fence
garret
Victorian home
lovely garden gate in early morning sun
former garret
rounded porch
framed stained glass window
chimney
sculpted roof
balustrade
decorative porch facing
stained glass framed window
more decorative facing
banister
I hope you have treasured the mini-tour of Mendocino County architecture!
Love and spring blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Book News: Lovely news! Plant Whatever Brings You Joy is now available in Paris's internationally renowned bookstore , founded by George Whitman, who, sadly, died in December at age 98. His legacy lives on and I am humbled.
An excerpt from Plant Whatever Brings You Joy is now appearing in in Minneapolis; in March an excerpt will appear in Ode Magazine and another will be published in Western North Carolina Woman in April. Thank you to those editors!
If you have not seen the trailer for Plant Whatever Brings You Joy, please visit on YouTube .
Last week my old friend Dan Millman asked me, "So, are you busy working in your garden?" Silence. Thinking, uh, not really. "Umm." "Oh, winter?" Something like that.
These are not the fun times in the garden. They really are not. At best I'm using the blower to move leaves along and cutting back now decrepit stems of oregano I left long past their prime as the honeybees seemed to appreciate the last of the blossoms, and I wasn't going to interfere in that. I might snatch at a naughty weed trying to make its way into my tierra, no thank you. But I'm not planting anything yet. And I rather thought there wasn't much to see. Honestly? I'm largely just avoiding mud. Really.
But then I thought about it again. Only days later I took my camera out, intent on finding buds at very least, and have consequently opened up my vision way past what I anticipated. For this is what I found. Open your eyes.
hydrangea
Perhaps it really does take a gardener to be excited about the new growth spotted on the hydrangea. But it worked for me. I know what will follow. Gorgeous pompoms of white and pink and lavenders. Even the thought of it makes me smile.
California poppy
A bit surprised to see the California poppy so far along. It won't be long before their orange splendor is lighting up the back garden. I'm inspired to put more seeds in the ground and expand their territory.
wild violet
Oh, I knew the violets were in full bloom. I've taken two tiny bouquets to beloved friend Conny, who loves them dearly. Every year they enter new areas of the garden and I don't discourage them at all. The post I did on wild violets is one of the most visited on this blog. People love them, and usually have associations with their past. This must be true of Conny, as well, who is from Germany, as she starts exclaiming endearing things in German when I present her with her gift.
I bought the wild violets a present. Pink violets. A hybrid, no doubt. And they compliment the wild ones beautifully.
Soon it will be full out camellia season, and the first ones to blossom are out.
This is actually a Christmas camellia, but winter has been such an unpredictable force this year that this plant only recently began to blossom. I love it. I love the cheer it brings.
white camellias
I was surprised to see the white camellia had opened. I have to actually go on to my neighbor's property to see the first ones that open, as they are on the fence line, rather hidden and respond, like most flowers, to the sun's light and heat. I find them very elegant.
As I'm walking about poking here and there for the earliest signs of the changing of the season I'm finding myself thinking more and more about the projects in which we are engaged that can take literally years to come to full fruition. I think of how easily we might become discouraged in the face of the struggle, and might even be tempted to abandon our dream when had we cultivated the patience and fortitude and persistence, we might have had a very different outcome. What's that quote that recycles on Twitter about "giving up just before the miracle"?
crocus
The crocuses are thoroughly here. Small and direct, announcing their place in the world.
my orphan rose
A few years ago I rescued a bunch of small withered roses on the cheap at a drug store which I promptly repotted in a dozen lively pots. Here's one, full of new growth, probably because I did fertilize all the roses last weekend! It makes such a huge difference, doesn't it? I have gotten enormous pleasure out of these dear roses that might easily have been recycled!
Now. What's this, you say? This, dear ones, is a seventy year old rose. No, really. My neighbors decided to "simplify" a portion of their property and dug up about a dozen old roses that had been on their property before they bought it in the 50's! I was flabbergasted and volunteered to take them on. (Wouldn't you?) Worried about their vulnerability, I put them in a big tub of water until I could figure what to do. Did I mention winter was already upon us? I resorted to placing each in a big rubber pot and praying over them. And apparently it worked. They are tougher than I would ever have imagined. They are all sprouting new growth and I am very much looking forward to placing them in a more suitable permanent place in spring! Hallelujah!
Enjoy your own spring unfolding, dear readers! Let me know what's happening where you live!
Love and seasonal blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Book News: Best news I had today was that Keplers Books in Menlo Park will be featuring Plant Whatever Brings You Joy in their gardening blast to their customers in March! Meanwhile, excerpts will be appearing in Ode Magazine in February, in The Edge in March and in Western North Carolina Woman in April.
I would be remiss if I did not draw attention to the fact I have been working very hard at expanding the numbers of bookstores carrying Plant Whatever Brings You Joy. A full list . And if you have not yet seen ...
Lastly, gardening bloggers interested in the 2012 Gardening Bloggers Fling in Asheville, NC can find details . An early draft of Plant Whatever Brings You Joy was written in Asheville. A visit there should include a trip to their excellent bookstore Malaprops (where, yes,you can find my book!).
The following is an excerpt from my book Plant Whatever Brings You Joy: Blessed Wisdom from the Garden. Enjoy!
Love and winter blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
After two years in North Carolina, I had made the decision to return
to the West. Strangely, I knew one of the things I would miss about
North Carolina were the chipmunks. I didn’t recall ever seeing any in
California, and I was certain had they been about I would have noticed
them. In Appalachia they were very abundant. The property on which
I lived was a perfect haven for them as there was a small compact forest
behind the house, and many trees lined the front as well. Their burrows
were everywhere. I found the entrances to them as I gardened, round
small gaping holes, often unprotected, sometimes beneath a plant or
along a rock wall. Having researched them a bit I found this is rather
uncommon so I had only to think that they felt quite unthreatened
there by any predators and they made no great attempts to disguise the
doorways to their underground homes. Finding them utterly enchanting
and curious and elusive I had begun the practice of leaving them bits of
nuts and sunflower seeds on one of two flat rocks in the back garden,
just below the bedroom window so that I might secretly watch them.
In the fall I knew their urgency to store what they needed to sustain
themselves through what would undoubtedly be a particularly fierce winter
was heightened. I was happy to contribute some small fare to their store,
though I took comfort in the knowledge that their environment provided
an abundance of acorns, seeds and berries to readily sustain them.
Chipmunks are quite lively and dart about like no other creature I
ever observed. They are very well wired for survival, as they are extremely
sensitive to the slightest movement, and disappear almost faster than
the human eye can track. When I first moved to North Carolina and
didn’t know of their presence my early encounters with them were
almost disconcerting. I would think, “What was that?” not quite sure
what just streaked past. I have actually read they are known to be quite
approachable in some territories, but this must be in areas where tourists
are common to them and they have learned they will be fed by folks. On
that property they were very untamed and unaccustomed to interacting
with people and remained extremely wary, which was to their benefit.
I confess I had hoped to establish some bit of trust over time with my
contribution as they were so adorable, and I would like to have more
chance to observe them. I remain grateful for the fleeting moments
when I watched them discover what I left them this morning or that,
as I peered ever so quietly from the bedroom window behind a curtain.
With the tiniest movement on my part they were gone in a flash. But
if I was able to remain very very still I had the luxury of watching them
pick up a walnut and review it round and round with their teeth, making
sure it had no pod or shell to remove, then pop it into their expanding
cheeks, only to pick up another which joined the first and so on, until
their swelled cheeks were expanded to the limit. Then they did one of
two things, which I found quite interesting. Some they took down their
tunnels to a nest they had created of grasses, bits of leaves and the soft
down of certain kinds of flowers, such as the dandelion fluff we are so
fond of blowing to the wind. And they buried this portion of nuts and
seeds just underneath their grassy nest, where it would be available to
them when the weather became very cold and snows covered those gaping
entrances to their burrows and they lay in torpor till spring beckoned
them back into the garden where they would resume their charming race
about again. But another portion of their store they buried about the
garden or forest floor, maybe to be reclaimed, should they find it in the
hungry spring. But some would not be found, and some of these seeds would
sprout in the sun’s warmth the next year, and contribute to the landscape
a tree or bush or plant that otherwise might not ever have emerged. We
have the chipmunks to thank for this.
What seeds do we harvest and plant for future gardens? What is it
we leave behind not to be reclaimed for ourselves but for those we leave
behind? What part do we play in the scheme of the larger plan, acknowledging
our connectedness not with that which we see about us, but with
what comes even after we are gone?
Book News: I'm placing much emphasis on expanding the numbers of bookstores carrying Plant Whatever Brings You Joy to make this book conveniently available to more folks around the country. For a complete list please visit This list is growing daily!
Excerpts from Plant Whatever Brings You Joy appear in the Jan/Feb issue of Ode Magazine, in an upcoming issue of The Edge in Minneapolis, and in Western North Carolina Woman in April.
If you have not yet seen the trailer for Plant Whatever Brings You Joy, you may visit !
Several weeks ago, just before Christmas, I was delighted when a kindly neighbor showed up at my door bearing a gift of a goodly amount of persimmons in a bag. I LOVE persimmons, so this was quite a treat! However, fortunately or unfortunately, they were all simultaneously fully ripened. Perplexed, I decided to risk freezing a few and to ponder later what I would do. I did have the good sense to skin them and measure them out into cups so I might readily use in whatever recipe I would settle on once I'd had time to decide how I might use their deliciousness. A brief google foray got me thinking persimmon pudding might be a good direction to go.
The last of the Christmas decor now wrapped and stored in boxes and back into the shed I finally had time to continue delving into the direction I'd thought most interesting--a lovely pudding. I was in for a surprise. Somehow thinking this was rather a Southern dish I discovered that persimmon pudding is more the realm of folks in Indiana. I have no idea why. Are they the persimmon capital of the world? Equally interesting is that persimmon pudding is apparently an English Christmas fixture, right up there with fruitcake if I have interpreted correctly. Huh.
More importantly, as I read various recipes--and there were plenty, all different!--I began to realize that my notion of a soft creamy warm pudding coming out of the oven in perhaps a lovely orange tinge was out of the question, for persimmon pudding, it turns out, is more cake than anything I'd recognize as a pudding. Who knew?
Adding to the complexity was an intial question, which I took to twitter, knowing I had both Southern and English followers, as to whether it's better to use whole milk, which I would expect, or buttermilk, which I had definitely not anticipated.
Blimey. This was getting more complicated, and about to get more so. For I learned that for a proper persimmon pudding [cake] one needs to have one of these:
pudding mold
And not only that, but, once the pudding [batter] is inside, one must affix it properly, and (I read) that if it's not done properly, well, they can simply explode.
Which is why I moved on to another remedy.
Somewhere in my travels I read of a couple who also wanted to make persimmon pudding. And they, like I, had never eaten it before, so you can imagine there is a certain degree of hazard preparing something you have never actually seen--or tasted. Yes.
And this poor couple also were not the fine owners of a pudding mold, nor had they ever heard of one. But they were inventive, and tried using a bundt pan instead, which, unfortunately, became locked in the bottom of the pan in which they were boiling the pudding. Oh, yes, dear readers. You didn't misread. I did say boiling. For the last bit of surprise came in the learning that one must place the mold in a pot of boiling water for two hours. Thus you can imagine the possibility of the exploding bit.
And since the couple did not have a lid for their bundt pan, they used tinfoil.
So I had an ah-ha moment!
I combined what I know about steamed puddings. [See rice pudding recipe here.] And was able to forgo a lengthy search for a pudding mold (certain there are none to be had in these parts!). And I made the pudding [batter] and filled my trusty pudding dishes, inherited from my Grandmother, about which I am very sentimental, 3/4 full. And put tinfoil over the top of each. And placed them all in waterbaths in large pyrex dishes. I had to use two to accommodate all the dishes. Here they are.
And then I ballparked how long they would take, which was one hour and a quarter at 350 degrees F in the oven, all while I watched the Golden Globes, so perfect. Oh, and I left out the best part! Rather than needing to decide whether to use whole milk or buttermilk I opted for a recipe than used brandy! Brilliant!
Persimmon Pudding
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened!)
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup persimmon (peeled and mooshed)
3 t. brandy
2 large eggs
2 t. baking soda (mixed in 2 t. warm water)
1/2 vanilla
1 and 1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 cup raisins, golden raisins or currents or all three
Cream butter and sugar. Add flour, persimmon, brandy, eggs and baking soda mixture. Add vanilla, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Mix. Fold in walnuts and raisins and/or currants.
Place in heatproof buttered pudding dishes or ramekins. Cover with tinfoil. Place in waterbath.
Place in oven for an hour and a quarter at 350 degrees F.
Remove from oven and from waterbath. Let sit briefly. Remove from dishes. May add hardsauce prior to serving, which one might readily make by mixing 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar and a bit of brandy.
And here's how they turned out. Absolutely delicious!
Served up nicely:
There truly is a benefit to sprouting one's kitchen wings and trying something you have never made before, even if you've never even eaten it anywhere in your life. You draw upon your past experiences and you bumble through. You look things up. You ask. And voila, you've just expanded your dessert repertoire!
Love and kitchen adventure blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Book News: Loveliest news today: Antonia just returned from two weeks in Bali, and she surprised me with the following tweet this afternoon, which left me in open-hearted tears:
Donated a copy of @KathrynHallPR's Beautiful book to the Pondok Pekak Library in Ubud #Bali #Indonesia
Please watch for the excerpt from Plant Whatever Brings You Joy soon in the January issue of Ode Magazine, due out end of the month! I'm excited! I do hope you enjoy the story!
If you have not yet checked out the trailer for the book, enjoy .
Each end of year holiday season it is my practice to hope for and find a rose that I might bring into the house and share as part of my celebration. There is always one and I treasure and cherish it and give it thanks for remaining at this most special time of the year. So you might imagine my surprise that this year it looked like there might be several contenders. What I had not anticipated, in my wildest imagination, was that in every direction there were roses attempting to blossom in the garden as the year ended. I took great delight in noticing that during the many and ongoing frozen mornings that greeted me in the garden, they appeared to have been magically dipped in sugar during the night. What a joy to behold! Still, I found the burst of activity slightly strange and almost alarming.
"Have you ever seen so many roses in the dead of winter?"I asked my elderly neighbor.
"Nope."
"Never?"
"Never."
Hmmm.
Regardless, they blossomed, in spite of daily dips into the 20's. Quite remarkable. I began to document their beauty, which I share here. I think they serve as not only a reminder that each living thing responds to its own promptings, but also as a visual metaphor of where we might be in our own process. Do you see yourself among them?
Attempting to capture a small yellow one by the back door, my beloved Border Collie caught me--and my camera--off guard. Even he looks surprised. I found it endearing.
Heartened by the generosity of the season I gathered two of my favorite roses to be The Ones that would join us inside. I accompanied them with a bit of hybrid oregano, a sprig of pyracantha, and a persistent pink snapdragon. They lasted up until today, the last day of the year. Thank you.
Undoubtedly the most precious rose of the season was my beautiful daughter who came to join me for a lovely, laughter-filled holiday, for which I am incredibly grateful!
Happy New Year to you, dear readers! May you find yourselves comforted in the friendships and loves of your lives.
Love and holiday blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Book News: I am humbled to know that many copies of Plant Whatever Brings You Joy found themselves beneath Christmas trees this year, and that new readers are now exploring their pages. Thank you to all of you who gave copies as gifts!
Please watch for an excerpt from my book in the January issue of Ode Magazine!
You can visit the trailer for Plant Whatever Brings You Joy now ! Enjoy!
Merry Christmas, dearest readers! Busy as a bee around here, just as you must be in your homes, preparing for a special holiday. Every year I like to make biscotti, and this year was no different, though I tweaked the recipe ever so slightly simply by dipping the finished cookies into melted white chocolate rather than dark or milk chocolate. I thought I would remind you all how very easy they are to make--and so delicious, and a favorite with almost everyone.
So enjoy the photo of my creation of today--and visit the recipe I posted here a couple of holidays ago, and consider adding to your Christmas plans, or even save for a special New Year's Eve celebration!
This just in! One of my lovely Twitter followers who made biscotti last year when I posted the recipe, has also revisited Biscotti Making and, wow, did she expand with her own creativity? She did, indeed! Take a look!
Mikki's Biscotti creation!
Heart warming, mouth watering, inspiring and spectacular!
Love and holiday blessings,
Kathryn xoxo
Book News: Watch for excerpt from Plant Whatever Brings You Joy in the January issue of Ode Magazine! Please visit the trailer for Plant Whatever Brings You Joy .
