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Here we are, in the first week of the New Year. The hectic and joyful abandon of the Holiday Season has carried us through the darkest days of the year, but there is still plenty of Winter yet to come. It is easy to succumb to the dreariness of these days spent waiting for the return of Spring. I find diversion by browsing through the seed catalogs, carefully planning each square inch of my tidy raised beds. I envision long Summer afternoons tending, harvesting, preparing, and, above all, consuming the colorful and bounteous array. Those days, alas, are still several months away. In the meantime, my body and taste are tired of the rich and heavy fare of the past two months, and are craving the light and healing delights of Summer.
B-PI Staff Photo, ©2013
There are a few hardy herbs and greens in the Garden that seem to survive the cold, but there won’t be any local produce for some months yet. Some of the Summer bounty was stored away, but by this time there is only enough to add some flavor to the pot.
Antique Label Co.
Todays transportation networks and shipping technologies make it possible for farmers from Florida to California, the islands of the Pacific, and from around the Mediterranean Sea to send us wonderful packages of nourishing, life-giving Sunshine. While I await the fresh and local bounty from the Garden and the farmer’s market, I choose carefully, prepare minimally, and eat sparingly, grateful for each colorful bite that feeds my Body and my Spirit.
March is almost over, but Winter is reluctant to give up its hold on the land, while Spring is equally determined to take its place. Even though the lines of battle seem to shift moment by moment, between cold windy shadows and and soft sunny stillness, there are clear signs that Spring will soon be victorious: Continue reading 
