evening, the fourth of april
dark furrow
old knowledge preserved
early spring
the soil warms. the light returns longer each day.
what was sleeping is not sleeping anymore.
cooling fast once the sun drops. a jacket you almost left behind.
the sun set around 6:15 pm.
the moon is waning gibbous, 93% lit.
there were 12h 30m of daylight today. +2.3 minutes from yesterday.
cold mud on my handsthe first row planted beforethe sparrows arrive
wind in early spring is different from winter wind. it is warmer and wetter and it smells like mud. the old word for it was simply "the thaw wind." ❧ spring remedies are about waking up. the body has been indoors too long. bitter greens and sharp roots shake the dust off. ❧ chickweed, growing low and thick in damp spots. eat it raw or wilt it like spinach. ❧ early spring foraging is mostly greens. the land is generous before the heat comes, offering what the body needs after a long winter of stored food.
the worm moon is coming or just passed. some called this the crow moon, for the sound that breaks the silence at the end of winter. the sap moon, because the maples are running. the ground is unlocking. ❧ a simple fire cider: apple cider vinegar, horseradish, garlic, onion, ginger, honey. steep for weeks. take a spoonful when you feel a cold coming. ❧ the moon is full. plant root crops: carrots, potatoes, beets, onions, garlic. the energy is pulling downward now. bulbs and perennials go in well under a full moon. ❧ pull a weed or two on your way back in.
check the sky for tomorrow. red in the west means fair weather. ❧ bread with whatever is on hand, the oldest recipe