Down & Dirty: December 2011

winter in NH...officially

It may be the end of the year but there are still things to forage and beautiful places to forage in.

The Isles of Shoals looked closer than usual, although I'm pretty sure they haven't actually moved.

Buoy beach produces a large and dependable crop of rose hips: rugosa (above) and noid (below).

Sarah helped gather

while Solon and Nathan climbed down to the beach below. We knew they were safe as long as we heard the plonks of rocks flung into the water.

Now what shall I make with them?

Suzanne Hart

Suzanne Hart got an A in GAR 310.

Molly introduced us a few years ago. Suzanne was thinking about making a career change to gardening and we had lots to talk about. She showed up in my rooftop gardening class last summer and was taking a serious course load: spring trees, the landscape design summer intensive.

She was funny, energetic, and a pleasure to be with. She also worked really, really hard. It's not easy having a full time job and taking classes at night. When Suzanne had to miss class to make a work deadline, she busted her ass to make it up. She earned that A.

There's nothing to say to make it better, no explanation to give solace. It's a terrible thing. It shouldn't have happened. Later we may be angry, but now we are overwhelmingly sad.

It's a beginning...

R u hungry?

I'm exhausted, but satisfied. We cooked, styled, and shot our way through a passel of wild food recipes. Sadly I left my good camera in the city this weekend (don't ask), but fortunately Rob made photographic magic, as usual, and Carleen's editorial eye and expertise in the kitchen sped things along. Among our accomplishments:

dahlia tuber bread (w/spicebush berries & wild ginger)