Happy May Day!

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Ann Lovejoy
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Paper, scissors, and nimble fingers (or get a grandkid to help!)

Making May Baskets

As a girl growing up in New England, I loved the tradition of making May baskets for neighbors. We kids would make little baskets, from cones of paper or more elaborate woven paper strips, for everyone on the block. We were not allowed to pick from anyone’s actual garden, so we filled our baskets with “found” flowers from sidewalk edges, alleys, along the railroad tracks and the edges of the woods. Usually we’d find spring beauty, bloodroot, Virginia bluebells, columbines and of course shaggy yellow dandelions, with sometimes a trout lily or trillium (which I would never pick these days, but were fairly abundant back then).

If you want to try your hand at making a woven May Day basket, there are plenty of posts and videos to show you how. These simple heart shaped baskets go together quickly and look far complicated than they really are. You can make them from construction paper, origami paper, wallpaper samples, felt or stiff fabric and they’ll all work. If you have a hard time weaving the pieces in and out, shave off a little bit from the width of the lowest (last) strip and it will slide into place better. Tape or staple on a paper strip for a handle to hang on a door knob, then line your basket with a piece of cloth to keep it from getting soaked by the flower stems. Too complicated? Fold fabric or paper into a cone with a closed bottom, fasten on a loop of ribbon for hanging and call it adorable (because it is, no matter how funky).

Darling Buds Of May

As Shakespeare knew, there are in fact a zillion buds everywhere on this first day of May, but not as many open blossoms as usual for this time of year. Our chilly spring has set back a lot of early bloomers, including the famous Skagit Valley tulip fields, a popular tourist destination which are just peaking in glory now, weeks after their usual time. Even so, my early morning ramble turned up a sweet bundle of bloom, including fluffy golden puffs of Kerria japonica, bright white candytuft, English lawn daisies in rose and pink and white, a scattering of delicate blue forget-me-nots and some soft yellow kale flowers. I also found some soft purple blossoms of native self heal (Prunella), my granddaughter’s favorite herb and the inspiration for her awesome Halloween costume last fall.

I also came upon some of the same flowers I found 3,000 miles away and nearly 70 years ago, including columbines (though these are PNW native blue ones), bluebells, and of course dandelions. There were lots of late daffodils and quite a few tulips but those childhood ‘don’t pick the garden flowers’ lessons seem to have stuck, as I still prefer to see most flowers in the garden. Those bluebells I found are not natives, but Spanish, and they appear in profusion wherever they’ve ever been planted, however long ago. They also appear in plenty of places where they haven’t been purposefully planted, as they produce great quantities of tiny bulblets that tag along with nearby plants which get new homes, and sneak into compost as well, sizing up in sudden bursts of blue or white or pink. Bees and other pollinators do enjoy them but they really don’t belong in the garden proper or they’ll quickly crowd out choicer plants.

On The Home Front

After two weeks at home, my daughter is making more progress every day. Though each step may be small, they represent courage, effort, determination and grit as she retrains her body into remembering wellness. Some of the work involved is both mental and emotional; after being disabled for far too long, she now has to rethink her assumptions and claim her wellbeing again. Thanks to the pandemic, she was struggling alone with what we now know was a long standing and very serious digestive system disorder, undiagnosed because it came on gradually and because only online tele-med visits were available to her. At Harborview/UWM, she got the best care possible, now she gets me. Hmmm. Fortunately, last week we managed to get her (and her wheelchair and walker and etc.) to meet her new care provider, who works on this side of the water, so we don’t have to trek into Seattle with all the gear.

She’s been working with a dear friend who’s an Occupational Therapist and comes to the house several times a week. Our initial meetings were fantastic but unfortunately last week she tested positive for Covid19 the day after her visit. Fortunately, she always wears a KN95 mask when she’s working. Equally fortunately, both my daughter and I have tested negative all week. Gotta say that it gave me pause; we really don’t need one more thing to add to this mix of challenges. It also renewed my determination to stay masked myself around other folks and keep our household closed to almost everyone else.

Laughter Is Good Medicine

Today our OT pal is back and as I write I can hear laughter and joking along with joyfully encouraging exclamations. My daughter is trying out transferring to and from the wheelchair with different chairs, which they carefully measure for seat height and rate for ease of getting up (down is pretty easy, getting back up not always). Now they’re out on the porch, taking in some fresh air and enjoying a momentary sun break. A few weeks ago, I never imagined we’d come this far so soon. Onward, right?

Posted in Annual Color, composting, Crafting With Children, Easy Care Perennials, Gardening With Children, Health & Wellbeing, Native Plants, Pollination Gardens, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living | Tagged , | 2 Comments

The Tender Turnips Of Spring

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Ann Lovejoy
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Hakurei turnips are as crunchy-sweet as an apple

Shoots & Roots

Our local farmers market opens in April and despite the drizzly Saturdays, the aisles are full of well supplied stalls and eager purchasers. One of the most sought after spring offerings are greens and root crops, notably the tender crisp Japanese White turnips known as hakurei. A neighbor generously shared some with me and their sweet-hot crunchiness immediately became my go-to afternoon snack. Crisp as apples, hakurei or Japanese White turnips are so tender that you can eat them out of hand. The flavor starts off sweet then a tangy bit of bite develops as more complex, peppery flavors build, making these spring beauties intriguingly crunchy additions to green salads. The turnip bulbs are so thin skinned that you don’t really need to peel them and the greens combine fresh sweetness with earthy undertones

Despite the ongoing cold and drizzly days, I’ve been longing for fresher tasting food, especially spring salads with more snap to them. Building a satisfying salad involves paying attention to several qualities, from flavor and texture to color and shape. Making a great salad is an art form, kind of like haiku; take 6-8 ingredients and make them sing together. I like to mix soft and crunchy textures with a range of flavors from tart and sweet to savory and earthy.

Raw Turnip Spring Salad

2 small Japanese White turnips with greens
2-3 leaves frilly kale
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup arugula or radicchio
1-2 teaspoons plain rice vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt or herb salt
1/2 cup raspberries or blueberries
1/4 toasted walnuts
1-2 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds

Peel (optional) the turnips and cut in thin wedges, then chop the turnip greens finely, put them both in a serving bowl. Fold kale in half and cut away the stem and central rib, then chop coarsely and add to the bowl with the cabbage. Tear arugula into bite sized pieces, add to the bowl, sprinkle with rice vinegar and salt and toss gently. Let sit for 10 minutes, add remaining ingredients and serve. Serves 2-4.

Meanwhile On The Home Front

After over a month at Harborview/UW Hospital, my daughter finally came home on Friday. Technically, she was supposed to go to a SNF (skilled nursing facility in hospital talk), but around here, the nursing homes are packed, thanks to yet another wave of covid. Coming home was a second option, but because of the amount of care she still needs, she was supposed to have a home health team coming to the house several times a week. Since nobody in our area is accepting Medicaid patients right now (all their Medicaid beds or patient slots are full), we got…nothing.

For us, that’s more of an inconvenience than a problem, since we are blessed with skilled friends who are willing to help us out. However, I keep thinking about the people who don’t have such resources. Imagine being an elder person caregiving for an aging partner, or a mom with a sick offspring with heavy care needs and not being able to get home help unless you can pay out of pocket. To top it off, if Medicaid doesn’t ok the expense, it’s illegal for any agency or institution to provide those services if they’re paid out of pocket. Does that seem punitive? Apparently the idea is that if someone like a relative or friend CAN pay, then Medicaid won’t.

Another New Normal

In our case, Medicaid was fine with paying for the services but no practitioners who accept Medicaid and come to the home are locally available. Fortunately for us, a friend who’s an OT (Occupational Therapist) has agreed to come to the house and work with my daughter several times a week. Even better, they totally hit it off, as she’s queer friendly, smart, funny and very kind. She’s also very good at giving clear directions with detailed explanations. After just one visit, both my daughter and I already see a difference in her mobility and strength.

The days have been so dense, what with figuring out what needs to be done and finding better ways to do various things that it’s hard to remember that it’s only been three days; it feels like a week at least. We’ve made lists to keep track of the timing of her wound care and skin treatments and exercises and I’m keeping a log so we can track her progress. We are figuring out what she can eat and when and how much as she and her new ileostomy adjust from hospital fare to home cooked whole foods. It can feel overwhelming but we’re already finding our rhythm and finding ways to organize our time so my daughter gets the multiple care sessions she needs and I get to go for a walk or putter in the garden or run to the store. After the trauma and trials of the past few months, we’re both feeling enormous relief and gratitude. Onward, right?

 

 

Posted in Care & Feeding, Drainage, Health & Wellbeing, Nutrition, Recipes, Sustainable Living, Vegan Recipes | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The Tender Turnips Of Spring

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Ann Lovejoy
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Hakurei turnips are as crunchy-sweet as an apple

Shoots & Roots

Our local farmers market opens in April and despite the drizzly Saturdays, the aisles are full of well supplied stalls and eager purchasers. One of the most sought after spring offerings are greens and root crops, notably the tender crisp Japanese White turnips known as hakurei. A neighbor generously shared some with me and their sweet-hot crunchiness immediately became my go-to afternoon snack. Crisp as apples, hakurei or Japanese White turnips are so tender that you can eat them out of hand. The flavor starts off sweet then a tangy bit of bite develops as more complex, peppery flavors build, making these spring beauties intriguingly crunchy additions to green salads. The turnip bulbs are so thin skinned that you don’t really need to peel them and the greens combine fresh sweetness with earthy undertones

Despite the ongoing cold and drizzly days, I’ve been longing for fresher tasting food, especially spring salads with more snap to them. Building a satisfying salad involves paying attention to several qualities, from flavor and texture to color and shape. Making a great salad is an art form, kind of like haiku; take 6-8 ingredients and make them sing together. I like to mix soft and crunchy textures with a range of flavors from tart and sweet to savory and earthy.

Raw Turnip Spring Salad

2 small Japanese White turnips with greens
2-3 leaves frilly kale
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup arugula or radicchio
1-2 teaspoons plain rice vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sea salt or herb salt
1/2 cup raspberries or blueberries
1/4 toasted walnuts
1-2 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds

Peel (optional) the turnips and cut in thin wedges, then chop the turnip greens finely, put them both in a serving bowl. Fold kale in half and cut away the stem and central rib, then chop coarsely and add to the bowl with the cabbage. Tear arugula into bite sized pieces, add to the bowl, sprinkle with rice vinegar and salt and toss gently. Let sit for 10 minutes, add remaining ingredients and serve. Serves 2-4.

Meanwhile On The Home Front

After over a month at Harborview/UW Hospital, my daughter finally came home on Friday. Technically, she was supposed to go to a SNF (skilled nursing facility in hospital talk), but around here, the nursing homes are packed, thanks to yet another wave of covid. Coming home was a second option, but because of the amount of care she still needs, she was supposed to have a home health team coming to the house several times a week. Since nobody in our area is accepting Medicaid patients right now (all their Medicaid beds or patient slots are full), we got…nothing.

For us, that’s more of an inconvenience than a problem, since we are blessed with skilled friends who are willing to help us out. However, I keep thinking about the people who don’t have such resources. Imagine being an elder person caregiving for an aging partner, or a mom with a sick offspring with heavy care needs and not being able to get home help unless you can pay out of pocket. To top it off, if Medicaid doesn’t ok the expense, it’s illegal for any agency or institution to provide those services if they’re paid out of pocket. Does that seem punitive? Apparently the idea is that if someone like a relative or friend CAN pay, then Medicaid won’t.

Another New Normal

In our case, Medicaid was fine with paying for the services but no practitioners who accept Medicaid and come to the home are locally available. Fortunately for us, a friend who’s an Occupational Therapist has agreed to come to the house and work with my daughter several times a week. Even better, they totally hit it off, as she’s queer friendly, smart, funny and very kind. She’s also very good at giving clear directions with detailed explanations. After just one visit, we both already see a difference in my daughter’s mobility and strength.

The days have been so dense, what with figuring out what needs to be done and finding better ways to do various things that it’s hard to remember that it’s only been three days; it feels like a week at least. We’ve made lists to keep track of the timing of her wound care and skin treatments and exercises and I’m keeping a log so we can track her progress. We are figuring out what she can eat and when and how much as she and her new ileostomy adjust from hospital fare to home cooked whole foods. It can feel overwhelming but we’re already finding our rhythm and finding ways to organize our time so my daughter gets the multiple care sessions she needs and I get to go for a walk or putter in the garden or run to the store. After the trauma and trials of the past few months, we’re both feeling enormous relief and gratitude. Onward, right?

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A New Potato

Posted on April 4, 2023 by Ann Lovejoy

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Spring sprouts are signs of hope and progress

Sprouting From The Heart

Over the past few weeks I’ve been traveling to Seattle a great deal to visit my daughter, who is still in the hospital. At first the days seemed as bleak as my spirit, grey and cold with biting winds and spatters of icy rain and hail like frozen needles. As the days rolled on, wild cherry trees that grow along the ferry walkway started blooming and bees appeared despite the continuing cold snaps. The journey into the city has stages too; the walk to the ferry, among well off white people; the boat full of a less homogeneous bunch of people going to all sorts of places; the long hike up seriously steep streets to First Hill (or Pill Hill, as it’s called for the numerous hospitals and clinics that cluster there).

As you clamber up the hill, the streets get rattier and the people get far more demographically mixed. Tent encampments are tucked between buildings or even along blank walls, anywhere out of the wind that offers a scrap of shelter. There was even a camp at the back of the hospital until someone’s tent caught on fire and the police cleared everyone away. During the pandemic, the main entrance to the hospital was closed and everyone came in through the crowded emergency room entrance. That’s still the case, so we line up to check in with an armed guard who puts everyone’s bags and gear through a scanner tunnel and motions us through a metal detector, one by one. Knitting needles are not a problem, luckily! We each get a wrist band marked with the day of our visit, but once we get into the hospital, nobody gives us a second glance (unless you look lost, when everyone will stop and kindly show you how to get where you’re going).

A Wild Ride And A Safe Harbor

The past month has been such a wild ride and I’m still reeling a bit from the whiplash of so many sudden changes but as my daughter gains strength, I am recovering some of my own strength and resilience as well. It’s devastating, shocking, horrifying to see your offspring teeter on the brink of death. Hitched to what seemed like countless tubes, she looked unfamiliar, someone I didn’t know, yet I could tell she was in there somewhere, even if she couldn’t speak or respond. After a week in ICU, that became my mantra, “I see you” and I said it to her over and over. The staff kept saying, “She’s in the right place” and I felt that Harborview was indeed a safe harbor.

As the crisis passed, her care got complicated; she came in to the hospital with a horrible skin condition caused by pustular psoriasis-the very name sounds as awful as the condition is. Two sudden surgeries turned her into a post surgical patient and the underlying medical issues became less of a focus as new issues arose. We slowly got that sorted out, more or less, and as the days and weeks accumulate, my daughter is coming into focus as well. When I asked if she wanted her phone or tablet or music, devices she used almost constantly before all this, she said, “Not really, no.” She went on to say that she hadn’t been just lying there all this time. Once her medications got adjusted and she was able to think clearly again, she’s been doing a lot of life review.

Looking At Life Through A New Lens

For my daughter, this catastrophic event is turning out to be a turning point in several ways. Her life has changed irrevocably and that’s just what it is. Her spirit is stronger than it was before all this came down; she’s been so depressed for so many years that it had to have felt like ‘what it is’ as well. Now, however, she’s starting to experience something else. As her body recovers and she’s able to sit up in a chair, to stand up for a minute, to balance without falling over, her spirit is leaning into each little victory as a sign of hope and progress. She says that she feels like she’s been given a chance to reset herself physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. She’s seeing her world through a new lens and it looks better that way.

During the dark years of depression, she didn’t have the energy to engage fully with her own life, let long anything else. Now, she’s seeing ways to learn new skills, to make different choices, to accept help of many kinds. Being helpless puts you in a position of HAVING to accept help if it’s available and one silver lining has been that she is realizing that accepting help is a strength, not a weakness.

About That Potato

As you can see, the potato valentine has started to sprout nicely. When the soil warms up a bit more, I’ll cut it up, let the cuts dry off a bit, then plant the eyes in fresh soil. Come summer, we’ll be harvesting the children of the heart. Onward, right?

Posted in Care & Feeding, Health & Wellbeing, Sustainable Gardening, Sustainable Living | Tagged , | 10 Comments