From Denny: Though not the greatest morning person, I get up early to write anyway. It's that quiet time when everyone in the house - and almost everyone in the neighborhood - is sound asleep, quiet. Being a night owl it's easier to get up at 3, 4 or 5 AM than it is from 6 to 8 AM. Oh, and did I mention my fellow night owls, my four cat friends, love it when I get up early to keep them company?
So, what greeted me this early morning besides some friendly, downright chummy, kitties each demanding personal petting time with me? Snow! It was snowing in south Louisiana yet the weather guys informed us that it would not set foot around here. Having lived a number of childhood years in New England I knew this snow fall would not last long before melting off so I roused my morning person husband and set aside the writing.
By 6 AM I had pulled out all the makings for a warming soup, chopped all the vegetables and started cooking in anticipation for the perfect lunch meal: a steaming bowl of tasty soup. What did I make? A French green lentil soup, complete with green cabbage, red onions, carrots, celery and a plethora of spices because, frankly, bean or lentil soups taste terrible without any spices and vegetables to boost the bland harsh flavor. Spices? I'm a bit unconventional in that department as I have a Taoist take on food since I lived among the Chinese in Taiwan as a kid, pestering the locals to learn the healing abilities of food.
My spice choices today were ground coriander, ground cumin, lots of garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, sweet paprika, low sodium chicken broth, low sodium soy sauce, turmeric, a dash of ground cloves, Pasillo Negro chile powder from New Mexico, a little extra virgin olive oil - and some perfectly clarified butter to the level of dark ghee which adds a wonderful buttery nutty flavor.
When I plate the soup I drizzle it with some balsamic vinegar. Definitely, my middle name is "fusion melting pot." :) For years I got strange looks when people asked me what went into a recipe. Then they taste it and are so shocked at how much they loved it. The Taoist idea of cooking for your health, and blending what works well together, helped me create some wonderful taste experiences - and we all leave the table feeling so good we are restored. It is amazing how many of our fast foods and restaurant food can get us feeling out of sorts and yet a simple pot of soup with an intriguing blend of taste can restore us so quickly!
Guess you aren't wondering any longer why I have two rocking food blogs where I play: Romancing The Chocolate and Comfort Food From Louisiana. I've started a third one but it's still quite new and I have yet to stuff it as full as the others, still working on it: Unusual 2 Tasty.
The morning was so very perfect, enjoying the falling snow, cuddling into the silence snow brings, that it brought out a snow poem that I combined with the idea of how our perceptions affect our sense of Time. Sometimes, Time seems too slow when we are impatient, sometimes it goes too fast when we are afraid. Other moments we miss because of how we angle our emotions of frustation or sadness or even joy into our perception of how Time flows in our lives. This is my contribution to Valentine's Day. Read on to see why this is a poem about Love.
Snowing The Perfect Balance
When the snow begins to fall outside my window
It feels like Time is suspended for a little while.
The Southern azaleas reach out their leaf tongues
For the cold wet communion wafer of late winter’s gift.
Snow is an uncommon visitor in south Louisiana
And everyone gets to play hooky from work and school.
The early morning and the children are running outside
To greet the swiftly falling clumps of stranger snow.
A couple of more hours of planting snow and we can
Mound it up into an official yard snowman of pride.
In the kitchen we gather together to enjoy the lazy day
Stacking wood onto the roaring fire, heating hot chocolate drinks.
Snow seems to make us feel blanketed with inner comfort
Where we slow down and feel safe to reflect upon Life.
I laugh in my mind at how impatient we get when Time seems slow
And we must wait upon others to catch up to us like we want.
I remember those who always live in fear, so Life hurriedly walks away.
And when they finally turn to reflect they see Life’s discarded gifts.
I witness those who grieve and keep grieving beyond a person’s ability
To bear, a long sadness that grips, darkening their perception of Life’s beauty.
I nod my agreement to those experiencing a great joy in their lives
Like when a new baby is born or their child wins an Olympic medal.
Those fever pitch moments of joy, chasing special times not meant to last,
We send out into the Universe our wishes in vain, hoping for that second gift.
As the snow falls, silencing the busy streets, Nature quietly grounds us.
The promise of Spring’s beauty will break out in song, pushing up from the dirt.
I snuggle into the comfort of knowing how perfect sings this very moment in Time
When all is in balance, and Love is all around me, for eternity is the Time called Love.
Denny Lyon
Copyright 12 Feb 2010
All Rights Reserved
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Photo Credits
Cat watching falling snow photo by Anosmia @ flickr
Winter sunrise snow by Kamoteus (Mangarap Ka) @ flickr
Lone tree in the falling snow by Rob Shenk @ flickr
Falling snow on trees landscape by Serge Melki @ flickr
Song sparrow in falling snow by Noël Zia Lee @ flickr
Steaming bowl of hot soup by basykes @ flickr
Feet in the new snow by Listen Missy! @ flickr
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Valentines Day
