Growing up, we had chickens, two apple trees, a pear tree, a mandarine tree, a lemon tree, onions, capsicums, carrots, an almond tree, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, corn … there was always something my mother was harvesting. She was a…
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Sandwiches and Fabric and a Poem
When I was a girl, dreaming big about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never once imagined the role of caregiver. Seriously, has any child ever once said, “If I can’t be an astronaut, I’ll be…
Sublime Thyme Time
I was slow-cooking this beef onion stew yesterday, when halfway through I realised what it needed most was more thyme. As you see, I threw in a big handful, and, later, even more. Lovely, heavenly thyme, so slender and delicate,…
Food Poems That Made Me Smile Today
American poet Arthur Macy seemed to have a sense of humour. The few poems of his I’ve read are neither grand nor long-winded, but quite touchingly simple, with a good-natured wink at life. Here are two food related poems I…
Memories, History and a Poem
I’ve written elsewhere about my mother, and her relationship to food growing up during hard times in Eastern Europe. I wrote this poem quite some time ago in honour of her memory, and memories. I think it sits well on…
Something As Simple As An Apple
Back in the days of Covid lockdowns, like everybody, I came to better appreciate how the smallest, simplest thing could make a big difference to a day. We even made it a point to look for things to appreciate while…
