Winter Solstice 2013 {Seasonal Snaps}

On the first day of winter 2013, central Ohio was subject to flood watches. Our property developed two temporary ponds and two whole acres of mud as several inches of rain melted four inches of snow. One of the ponded areas is where we plowed about a quarter acre of lawn for planting next year. The plan is to till it and fill in low spots with additional soil when the land dries but does not freeze. We may be waiting until spring for that chore.

But the sun shone and heated the air to nearly 60 degrees during the afternoon. The sky was BLUE and the air felt like April. I was happily barefoot most of the day with windows open to air out the house. Thanks to the thawed earth, I was able to pull five pounds of sweet, anise-y parsnips to serve for Christmas Eve dinner. What a precious reprieve from the typical winter ick!

Alas, because of the long very cold spell in early December, the hoop house is nearly empty. A few plantings of greens are hanging on but not growing much. There are peas in the center I hoped to harvest; even though they aren't producing food, I'm leaving them as a green mulch.

I started the Seasonal Snaps project one year ago for Winter Solstice 2012. Our homestead isn't nearly grown to where I envision it but you can see some of the major changes. Our small orchard is planted, we have a hoop house for growing, the mudroom is built and insulated, and we're working on a bigger better vegetable plot.

Rain, snow, and sunshine all contribute to the food forest we tend. We are again thankful for the turning of the seasons that hearkens us to look back at where we've come and set our intentions for the future.

Seasonal Snaps: Summer Solstice 2013

Welcome summer! Things are green around here. In the front yard, we have a squash and grains patch and the Swainway Urban Farm annex, six long rows of organic tomatoes, peppers, beets, and celery root.

Out back, the baby orchard is coming along. We're collecting no fruit from these trees, but are eating mulberries from a wild tree and looking forward to harvest from an existing apple and pear tree.

We've taken down trees, built a new coop, and started many gardens near the house. The natural playground balance beam, steps, and swinging rope lie between the orchard and near gardens.

Chicks are growing too. Lil and I allowed this Buff Brahma to explore the hoop house recently. We've eaten peas, greens, strawberries, radishes and beets from the hoop house this spring; the beds now contain tomatoes and peppers.

We couldn't be more pleased with the progress from winter solstice 2012 to spring equinox 2013 to now. We're not stopping yet - we have plans for a big harvest, mud room, and maybe even a renovated indoor kitchen before the next season change.

What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Summer Solstice Garden Update

After a spring devoid of garden success (sparrows ate the peas, springs crops like radishes bolted too quickly, lettuces were slow to grow), I welcome summer. Warmer temperatures and less torrential rain will surely help our sustainable garden grow.

Grapes, tomatoes, and peppers bend with fruit and hope for autumn harvest. Greens and herbs grow by inches overnight.

Insects exchange flower dust for nectar in the symbiotic relationship that creates so much of our food: pollination. Thank you, bees and butterflies, for this gift.

Beans climb and slowly reveal their flowers. Cucumber and squash plants also hide petals under their shady leaves. We pick small handfuls of warm, soft ripe raspberries daily, coveted by child, chickens, and hounds alike.

How does your garden grow?

Solstice Sun Bread

This fall, Lillian happened upon the book Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven at one of our wonderful library branches.  The story tells of a town of animals depressed by the winter cold.  The baker, a long eared dog, creates a loaf of bright yellow rich and warm sun bread. The animals eat it to brighten their days and invite the Sun to share some too. With no direct mention of Winter Solstice, clearly this story celebrates what our family considers central to the holiday: the return of life-giving sunshine.

On the back of the book is a recipe for sun bread. Lil wanted to make it immediately and so we did. The bread is as luscious and sustaining as the story promised.

click for larger pictures

Lil had the idea to shape sun bread dough in the shape of a turkey for Thanksgiving. We added some lemon rind and made some other slight adjustments for better function and flavor.

This coming Tuesday, the shortest day of the year, we will mix flour, eggs, butter, and more to share sun bread with some of our friends.  It just may become an annual tradition.

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Sun Bread adapted from Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven

2 tablespoons active dry yeast 3 tablespoons lukewarm milk 3 eggs, beaten 3 tablespoons sugar 2 - 2 1/2 cups bread flour 1 stick butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon salt zest of one lemon (optional)

1. Mix yeast and milk. Let stand until foamy. 2. Stir in eggs, sugar, 2 cups flour, butter, salt and lemon. Mix well, adding flour as necessary to form a dough. 3. Knead on a floured surface for 8 - 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. 4. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1-2 hours. 5. Punch down dough, knead gently, and divide into two portions. 6. With one portion, form a round flat ball to make the sun's face. Use a knife to carve eyes and a mouth. 7. Use a bit of dough from the second half to form a nose. 8. Divide the rest of the second half into six portions. 7. Shape three pieces into puffy triangles. 8. Roll the other three pieces into foot long lengths. Roll them to form snail shapes. 9. Alternate the puffy triangles and snails around the outside of the sun's face. Attach firmly with a bit of water or gently pressing. 10. Cover the sun and allow to rise again in a warm place for about an hour. 11. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the sun bread for about twenty minutes or until lightly brown. 12. Cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy with honey or jam on Solstice!

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Added to Simple Lives Thursday, 22nd edition.

HanuSolMas

What do we believe?

What do we celebrate?

Why?

This are important questions, and ones that contribute to winter holiday stress for many.  Some find strife when family members disagree on the reasons for the season.  Others lament a general lack of meaning, or the transfer of moral significance to commercial gain.

Our Winter Holiday History

For the first few years of our marriage, Alex and I celebrated whatever we wanted to, picking and choosing mostly based on which holidays had the most yummy food and drink traditions.  As committed atheists, we were disconcerted with religious meaning but we threw some great parties.

At the time I taught at the Orthodox Jewish school and bought a beautiful hand made menorah.  Better observe Hanukkah to make use of the menorah, right?

In 2005, Lil came along.  It struck us that a string of meaningless dinners and decorations might confuse the child.  More importantly, we could mold her young self with moral lessons dictated through holiday stories.

Given our rejection of diety, miracles, and the like, just what might those moral lessons be?

Hanukkah

The Hanukkah story of the Macabees is our chance to share the value that everyone can believe what they want and stand up for that right.  We also share the story as an example that a dedicated group of individuals can indeed make change or even defeat a king.

We celebrate Hanukkah by lighting candles at sundown as is the Jewish tradition.  We give Lil one piece of gelt per evening and play dreidel.  At least once during the eight nights, we cook up latkes and dough nuts in a fry feast.

Winter Solstice

Lil helped us discover a Solstice tradition earlier this year.  She picked up the book Sun Bread from the library shelves.  It doesn't mention Winter Solstice but does tell a sweet story of an animal city welcoming the sunshine back in midwinter with a rich yellow sun-shaped bread.

In a few days we will share the sun bread recipe.  We're making it again on the shortest day of the year.  On Solstice we share all the things we look forward to enjoying on sunny days.  The sun is, after all, the currency that allows us to grow our garden and feed our family.

Christmas

Honestly, Christmas is the most difficult celebration within which to find non-religious morality for me.  I can almost make myself believe that while Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, I honor the unique birth and life path of all my friends and relatives.  Alex is satisfied to just carry on family traditions on December 25th without applying any lessons or reasons why.

Christmas is the holiday with the most secular traditions in our extended families.  We exchange gifts, we bake cookies, and host a semi-formal Xmas Eve English goose dinner.  We joyfully sing carols and watch classic Christmas movies.

The Holiday Mash

So far, Lil has shown extreme flexibility in understanding our traditions.  This should not be surprising, considering the plethora of stories that swarm through a kid's mind.  It's part of preschooler development to define what is fact and fiction.  They do this best in a community of family and fun, just what we intend to cultivate around the holiday.

How do your holiday celebrations relate to your beliefs?  How to do share these with your family?