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State of the Garden

ByElizabeth

I was staying at a retreat center in Peru on 9/11. I was not with anyone else from the United States. I remember at the first meal after the planes hit, another guest suggesting that the United States deserved it. I also remember the brief moment of gathering sympathy that, as a country, we threw away with the aggressive response.

The best thing about the retreat center was that instead of tea bags, every morning there were fresh herbs from the garden for tea. I continue to make my tea that way as much of the year as the garden is able.

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  • Lentil, Barley, Mushroom Soup/Stew (and honoring the seasons)

    ByElizabeth

    On Friday night, when the cool rain was falling, I looked into the cupboard to see what I had to make for dinner.  I had some pearl barley, some mushrooms that were a bit withered, a celery heart (mostly leaves), and a few carrots.  I threw in an onion, a couple of cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, and one chili pepper, and there were the ingredients for a hearty, delicious meal.

    Mince the garlic and onions, dice the celery, and slice the carrot into rounds.  Saute in olive oil in a pressure cooker (ideal for making legumes and winter soups with a minimum of cooking fuel) or a soup pot.  Add the lentils (brown lentils are best for this; do not use red lentils as they will fall apart) and barley until coated.  Add the bay leaf and chili (pepper optional; slice thinly for more heat; leave whole only for a touch of flavor).  Add a little salt.  Add water (5 to 2 ratio water to lentils/barley will make a thick stew-like porridge; add more water for the consistency of  soup).  Add diced mushrooms.  I used crimini mushrooms.  Shitake would work well.  You could also use dried mushrooms (just pre-soak and then use the soaking water, strained to remove sediment, as part of the liquid).

    If using a pressure cooker, bring to full pressure, then lower heat and cook for 25 minutes at full pressure.  Turn off heat and let sit for 10-15 minutes allowing pressure to release naturally.  If cooking on stove, bring to boil, stir, lower to a simmer, and then cook until tender, stirring periodically (will probably take 1 1/2 hours).

    When I sat down to eat this healthy, inexpensive, warming meal, I felt full gratitude, not only for having plenty to eat, but for the ability to enjoy the change of seasons, to know to change my diet and my rhythms to make the most of the shifting of light and temperature to bring greatest delight.

    On Saturday, I diced some roasted eggplant and stirred it in to have a different taste when I reheated the soup.  Chopping up some tender greens (chard or spinach) when reheating to serve also is a wonderful way to tranform the soup for a second time serving.

    Enjoy.

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    Simulcast, Drama, and Perception

    ByElizabeth

    Last night I went to see the National Theater UK’s  simulcast (tape-delayed) of Helen Mirren performing in Ted Hughes’ translation of Racine’s Phedre at the Shakespeare Theater.  The tragedy of Phedre is misinformation, misguided helpers, and passion that has gone beyond sweet engagement to maddened attachment.

    A stage production is intimate and designed for the small audience of those present in the theater.  When it is merely filmed (instead of being turned into a movie), it sometimes feels forced because it is watching a film of a stage production, instead of being invited in as one is when one is either at the stage production or the filming is done as a movie, which is designed to include the viewer in a manner for the film.

    What was hard about watching the filming of the stage production, was being forced to have the camera’s and director’s perspective; there was no ability to turn my head and shift which part of the stage to give my attention.  At the same time, I felt appreciative of the miraculous offerings of technology:  the filming made something that is usually limited to those who can afford theater of that extraordinary quality and who are able to be in a certain place at a certain time available to tens of thousands around the globe, including me and my friend.  In that way, the filming both took away the intimacy of being physically present, but simultaneously created a unifying experience for a much bigger group of people.

    I was inspired to think about the limitations and differences among the perceptions of the characters, of the critics (talking about the play and the film), of the smaller, elite audience (the actual theater goers’ — I’ve been at that theater in London), of the technologically broadened audience, and of mine in response to the essence of the tragedy, the story and substance of the play, the delivery of the play, and my own life as informed by the play.

    It seems an interesting lesson on many levels on how we can choose to live with our passions, how we can react to limits and changes in our ability to perceive our own selves and the world around us, and on how and what we invite in through the doors of our perception.

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