Noodles Doodles and Chicks

12/14/2025

What If We Weren't Afraid To Be Ourselves?
December 14, 2025
Hello again, my friends! Welcome back.

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I found a huge stack of old writing from other blogs I started over the years. Here is a really old one, over five years old, to be exact, but it is just as true today as it was then. I hope you enjoy.

What if whatever is holding us prisoner vanished tomorrow?
What form of new normal would we choose?

What if, during this time of reflection, we chose to follow our bliss instead of following the herd? Would we still go to jobs that pay the bills but leave us emotionally, spiritually, and physically bankrupt?

What if we chose occupations that provided for all of our material needs, but also filled our emotional, spiritual, and physical bank accounts to overflowing? What if we admitted that emotional bliss is more important than financial abundance?

What if we chose to believe in who we truly are, who we were destined to be on the day of our birth, who God sent us here to be, instead of who others and society told us to be?

From the day we are born, our parents, communities, and society begin teaching us who we should be, how we should behave, how we should eat, when we should eat, when we should sleep, what we should study, how we should look, who we should love, who we should hate, how we should earn a living, what we should fear, and what we should desire.

What if we recognized that much of this conditioning is simply the deep desire of others to make us be like them, or at least what they deem acceptable?

What if we gave ourselves permission to be who we want to be? To eat, sleep, and work when and how we choose? What if we chose to support the human race instead of the rat race?

What if we, as a collective, chose to rid ourselves of the desire to climb that elusive ladder, to compete until we could hold our competitor’s severed head high above the crowd to prove we were the victor?

What if we realized that we always need others in order to succeed?

What if we worked with a sense of cooperation instead of competition? What if we chose to do whatever we do with a servant’s heart instead of a winner’s heart?

What if we chose to live our lives in tune with the rhythms of the earth instead of by the never-ending sweep of the hands on the clock?

What if we chose to be guided by the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars instead of the buzzing, flickering, false glow of fluorescent bulbs at the other end of a light switch?

It has taken me over sixty years, but I have finally decided to follow my bliss.

Do you know what I am at my core?
Do you know what I came here to do?

I am a writer.

I came here to write and to give my writing to anyone who wants to read it as a gift. Not with the singular goal of becoming wealthy, but with the intention of gift-giving. If I am given an outlet for my words, I am already wealthy.

Do you know when I first realized I was a writer?

I was a second-grade student in Mrs. Huff’s class. She was gone for the day, and we had a substitute teacher. Our assignment was to write a paragraph about anything we wanted.

In my mind’s eye, I saw a glorious sunrise spilling over the high-rise buildings of New York City. I wrote about the sun pouring its golden rays over the tops of the buildings like syrup flowing over a stack of pancakes. (LOL! So dramatic!)

When the substitute read my paragraph, he swiveled his chair around, leaned forward until we were eye level, looked me straight in the eye, and told me my writing was amazing.

In that moment, I knew I had the ability to see something in my mind and bring it to life on paper.

To this day, it amazes me that we can string letters together to form threads of thought, and weave the very fabric of life itself.

For most of my life, I kept my writing hidden away in journals stored in a tote in the attic. Why? Because like so many of us, I let others tell me their version of truth. They told me that becoming a writer was nearly impossible, that even if I published a book I could never truly make a living from writing. They told me I needed to be more than a writer, more than a dreamer.

So now, fifty-five years after that day in second grade, it is time for me to be my authentic self.

It is time to write.

What if you chose to join me on this quest for truth?
What would you be if you allowed yourself to truly be you?

Thanks so much for being here.
Until next time, I am forever yours,
Suzy

12/13/2025

Celebrating Yule and Christmas
December 13, 2025

Hello again, my friends!

Oh, it is the most lovely time of the year. Right now, we are under a winter storm warning. The snow is just beginning to fall, and brutal temperatures, heavy snow, and high winds are expected. But here in the Enchanted Cabin, the wood cookstove is crackling, radiating warmth to the room, and to my heart.

As promised, this is the tale of Yule, and why we celebrate it right alongside Christmas.

Growing up, I was a rather… ummm… shall we say unique child. We didn’t find out until well into my adult years that I am actually on the autism spectrum. Being wired the way I am, I have always questioned things that simply didn’t make sense to me.

For instance, when we celebrate Christmas, we often hear that Jesus is the reason for the season, that Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth. But then my overly logical brain started asking questions like: What does a Christmas tree covered in shiny baubles have to do with the birth of Christ?

If Jesus was born in the Middle East, there would not have been an evergreen tree in the manger. Sorry, but it just couldn’t have been a thing.

And then there was the whole Santa Claus situation. How did a jolly man in a red suit, flying through the sky in an open sleigh pulled by reindeer, fit into the story?

Well… gather ’round, and let me tell you a true story.

Long before the birth of Christ, there were tribes and cultures across Celtic, Norse, and other northern European lands, places we now call England, Ireland, and beyond. These were rugged people who learned how to survive brutal winters and harsh landscapes. Their calendar wasn’t made of paper; it was written in the land itself.

They followed the turning of the Wheel of the Year, the natural progression of the seasons, and carefully tracked the movements of the sun, moon, and stars. This was their timekeeping, their compass, and their way of understanding life.

These people were called Pagans, a word that simply meant “country-dweller” or “one who lived outside the cities.” It wasn’t derogatory at all, no different than us saying someone is a city person or a country person today.

It wasn’t until much later that early Christians began referring to these groups as heathen when they resisted abandoning centuries of culture and tradition to adopt a new belief system. And honestly, if you think about it, most of us would push back pretty hard if we were told we must suddenly abandon everything we know and believe or else.

Fast forward a bit.

As the Roman Empire began to fracture, Emperor Constantine sought unity above all else. One step toward that goal was the Council of Nicaea, which worked to clarify Christian doctrine, particularly the nature of Christ. Around this same era, church leaders also faced the challenge of integrating Christianity into cultures that already had deeply rooted seasonal traditions.

Rather than erase those traditions entirely, many were blended and reinterpreted.

The result was that Christian celebrations gradually aligned with existing seasonal festivals. Christmas was placed near the Pagan celebration of Yule, the Winter Solstice. Easter aligned with Ostara, and later, autumn traditions blended with Samhain.
(We will absolutely tackle those stories in later posts.)

So… what is Yule?

Yule marks the Winter Solstice, usually around December 21st, and traditionally lasts for twelve days. Yes—twelve days.
(What?! Is this where the Twelve Days of Christmas came from? Because that song actually has nothing to do with the Christian holiday… but—(sigh)—back to the story.) Winter Solstice is an actual, scientific thing.

The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. But more importantly, it marks the return of the light. From that point forward, the days slowly grow longer. For people living in northern lands, this was a moment of deep hope. It meant survival. It meant life would return.

This symbolism made Yule a natural place to anchor the story of Christ’s birth. The return of the Sun… the arrival of the Son. Potato, potahto, you get the picture.

Here’s the part that made everything finally click for me: Almost anything in modern Christmas celebrations that connects to nature has Pagan roots.

Evergreen trees symbolize life continuing through darkness.
Candles celebrate the returning sun.
Shiny ornaments were offerings to spirits or fairy folk.
Holly, mistletoe, feasting, gift-giving, fires in the hearth, singing, decking the halls, dashing through the snow, it all comes from ancient seasonal traditions.

And here’s the beautiful part:
That’s okay!

Learning that these traditions were blended intentionally, to bring harmony rather than division, allowed me to fully enjoy the season for the first time. Now, when I decorate the tree or hang evergreen garlands, I feel connected instead of conflicted.

Stringing dried oranges and cranberries makes me appreciate the gifts of nature. Celebrating the birth of the Son or the rebirth of the Sun fills my soul with peace and meaning.

This year, our family gathering will take place on the Winter Solstice, where we’ll honor the traditions of our ancestors. And on Christmas Day, we’ll celebrate the birth of Christ at our daughter’s home as is our Christian tradition.

There is room for all traditions around the Christmas tree.

Thank you so much for being here. Later this week, I’ll share some Yule traditions we love, along with the menu for our upcoming celebration feast.

Until next time,
I am forever yours,
Suzy

12/02/2025

Finding Joy After Loss

Welcome back my friends. It has been a long week. My mother passed from this Earth on Tuesday November 25, 2025 after ten long months of being completely bedridden and living in a long term care facility. Yesterday we laid her to rest after a beautiful service surrounded by family and friends. Now, as we move forward, we find ourselves with a void in our lives.

While I was going through my steamer trunk full of different blog posts and journals I have written over the years looking for the inspiration pieces I wanted for the funeral service, I came upon many writings that needed to be shared again. During the month of December, I will be sharing as many of these past writings as possible, clearing the deck for starting the Abundance Project on January 1, 2026. The first writing on the top of the pile is freakishly appropriate so I will share it with you now. The entire post was about the Five of Cups in the Tarot deck. Some may find the Tarot out of alignment with your beliefs, and that’s OK. I believe that God has the power to speak to us through whatever method we have before us.

In numerology, the number 5 represents change, sometimes chaos, always uncertainty. On this particular card we see a Knight kneeling on the ground, his heart heavy with loss. In front of him are three golden chalises, each knocked over and drained of their content. He is focusing on the loss of these three cups. What he is not seeing are the two golden chalises right behind him that are filled all the way to the top.

More often than not, this is how we all look at great change when it comes into our lives. We are so sad that what has been in front of us for so long has come to an end. We spend our time feeling heavy hearted that our cups have been knocked over and the content is gone. We were comfortable with the way things were even if they were not perfect. The known is always more comfortable than the unknown.

What we fail to see is that there are still glowing, golden cups full of wonder and joy just waiting for us to discover. Just like this Knight. He can’t see the full cups becasue he is lamenting the loss of the empty cups. All he has to do is get up off his knees, thank God for all the joy the fallen cups gave him and turn around to see the new blessings that await!

We do not live in a vacuum. When something leaves us, our lives do not shrivel up and become smaller. When something leaves, it creates a void that allows something new to come in. Change is going to happen. How does the saying go? The only thing constant in life is change! We all have the power to manifest great things in our lives. If what was in our lives is gone, there is nothing we can do to bring it back. The only thing we can do is turn around and find a new path. Loss brings opportunity. The Universal truth is that the farther we get knocked down, the higher God can raise us up.

The key is to look deep in our souls to find the lost dreams we put on the shelf long ago because they didn’t seem possible or they seemed silly or we were afraid of what others might think if we actually pursued them. If loss has caused a void to form, we all need to turn around, pick up our lost dreams from the shelf, dust them off and give them a chance to bloom. We need the quiet time to just get lost in the daydreams of what our lives would look like if we brought the lost dreams to life. Sift through the thoughts, decide which door to which dream we want to open, and then open that door!

Once the door is open, we need to committ to doing at least one small action every single day to bring us one step closer to having the dream alive and well in our lives. Of course we want things to magically appear in our hands, but most things take a leap of faith before it becomes a reality. I am not going to become a successful writer if I don’t write something every day. You will not meet the love of your life if you sit in your house alone all day every day. There are things that require us to do something in order to get what we want in life. All it takes is faith and belief to take the first step. The Bible tells us that a journey of a thougsand miles starts with a single step. If you are at a point in your life when change is causing chaos, be bold enough and brave enough to embrace it. Stand up! Turn around! See the opportunities ahead of you and take that step! LIve Boldly My Friends! Live Boldly!

Until next time, I am forever yours,

11/18/2025

Simmer Pots and Chili Beans with Oranges on Top

Things are bubbling, brewing, baking and basking on the Homestead today. The dehydrator is full of oranges slices that will become a beautiful Christmas season garland, chili beans are doing their thing in the pressure canner and a decedent simmer pot full of oranges peel, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cranberries is adding a heavenly scent to the entire cabin as it simmers atop the wood cook stove. It's a slow and steady, fully grounded, deliciously rainy kind of day today. I enjoy sitting at my writing desk, looking out the window as the slow autumn rain streaks down the window pane. The coziness factor goes up by a factor of ten on this kind of day.
Yesterday the Master of our Realm, our three year old grandson Killian, help me gather the fluffy tops from the ornamental grass patches along the split rail fence. With rain on the horizon, we knew this might be our last chance to cut it before the winter claimed it as his own. We respectfully followed the rule of three. We gathered a third, left a third for the earth to reclaim and reseed and the final third was left for the birds and wild things to eat during the winter. These fluffy tops are so gorgeous! We will be spread them out on newspaper and gently kiss them with a fine mist of gold spray paint. Before it can dry, we will sprinkle gold glitter onto the painted broom tops that will dry into the most magickal additions to our festive garland you can imagine! I am utterly dizzy with delight just thinking about it!
A few days ago I promised you a few things, first being the recipe for chili seasoning and canning instructions as well as a brief description of Yule. So, let's start with the latter subject first and finish strong with that recipe. Long before the word Christmas ever stirred in human breath, the people of the northern world kept a sacred promise with winter. When the nights grew long and the frost clung to branch and bone, three mighty cultures, the Celts, the Norse, and the Anglo-Saxons, each stepped forward to honor the turning of the year.
Though they lived in different lands and spoke different languages, their hearts beat in rhythm with the same truth: At Midwinter, the Sun is reborn, and when the Sun is reborn, so is hope.
The Celts: Keepers of the Solstice Flame
Among the Celts of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, winter was not an enemy but a great teacher. They watched the stars, tracked the sun’s slow descent, and understood the Solstice as the moment when darkness reached its deepest cup and the first drop of light began to pour back in.
For the Celts:
Evergreen boughs symbolized eternal life
Mistletoe carried the blessing of the Otherworld
Oak and holly represented the ancient struggle of dark and light
Their Yule was quiet, reverent, and deeply rooted in the land, a whisper shared between humans and the living world itself.
The Norse: Celebrants of Jo'l, the Great Yule Feast
Further north, the Norse knew winter as a force both harsh and holy. Their festival—Jól—lasted twelve nights, filled with feasting, firelight, storytelling, and the deep magic of the long dark.
In Norse lands:
The Yule log burned for days to chase away evil
Evergreen trees stood as protectors of the home
The Wild Hunt swept across the sky
Odin, in his winter guise, brought wisdom and blessings
Their Yule was bold and roaring, a celebration of life in defiance of the cold.
The Anglo-Saxons: Guardians of Mother’s Night
In the early kingdoms of England, the Anglo-Saxons observed Modraniht, Mother’s Night, on the eve of the Solstice. This night honored the divine mothers and ancestral women who protected the household through the darkest hours.
Their midwinter customs included:
Candles burning in the windows for protection
Offerings for the household spirits
Feasts that welcomed the returning light
Gatherings that united tribe and kin
Their Yule was intimate and hearth-centered, a weaving of home, fate, and family.
Three Peoples, One Sacred Season
When we speak of Yule today, of candles, evergreen garlands, warm fires, feasting, and the return of the sun, we are speaking of a tapestry woven from all three traditions.
Each thread adds something essential:
The Celts give Yule its soul.
The Norse give Yule its fire.
The Anglo-Saxons give Yule its home.
Together, they created the Midwinter we still celebrate, a season of deep magic, shimmering hope, and the quiet promise that even in the longest dark, the light will always return.
So, if you ever wondered why you bring an evergreen tree from the Northern regions into your home to be brightly decorated, you can thank these ancient people who believed the evergreen was a reminder that life continues even through the darkest times. Celebrating Yule is not worshipping other gods or anti Christian. The fact that so many of the Yule traditions are seamlessly woven into the Christian celebration of Christmas is a testament to different peoples finding common ground and coming together on this one most sacred of seasons to celebrate both the rebirth of the Sun and the birth of the Son in peace.
Next time I will tell you the tale of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which starts on the Winter Solstice, December 21st and goes through to the first day of the new year, as well as an amazing true historic fact about how the melding of traditions saved an empire. Funny how things work out! Now for that recipe!
Chili Beans
Ingredients:
5 pounds of dry pinto beans
2 Tablespoons Chili powder
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon coriander
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
Instructions:
1. Soak the beans overnight. The next day drain them and add them to a large stockpot. Cover with fresh water. Cook at a gentle boil for 30 minutes. Add the cooked beans to clean pint jars, filling the jar approximately 3/4 full. Add 2 teaspoons of the spice blend to each jar. Add enough of the cooking water to each jar, leaving 1 inch headspace. Add lids and rings. Process in a pressure canner for 75 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure.
** Note: The seasoning blend can be stored dry in a clean jar with a tight fitting lid. The dry mix can be added to your pot of chili for additional boost of flavor just as you would add a packet of seasoning mix from the store.
With the magic of Yule settling around us like fresh snowfall, let’s end today’s journey the way all good homestead stories end, with a gracious "thank you" for all the bounty and abundance all around us. Until next time,
I am forever yours,
Suzy

11/17/2025

So much is happening on the homestead!

I know I’ve been going on and on about the abundance factor lately, but honestly, I’m just in awe! Today feels like the perfect time for a little catch-up on what’s happening around here.

11/12/2025

Woodland Mushroom Stew with Savory Bread Dressing
November 12, 2025|Apothecary, Faith, Food, Inspiration, Self Sufficiency, Spirituality, Your Best I do apologize for yet another abundance post, but honestly, they’re arriving faster than I can keep up! It seems the more I notice how much abundance surrounds me, the more shows up to be noticed.

Yesterday I shared how far we can stretch a single Costco rotisserie chicken. Today is the payoff post!

All day yesterday I simmered the picked-over carcass after my daughter had taken the meat for her meals. I added a late-season onion from one of the raised beds, a handful of fresh sage and basil, salt, pepper, garlic, and diced celery. The entire Enchanted Cabin smelled divine.

Overnight, we set the broth outside to cool, the air just above freezing, nature’s own refrigerator. We still have broth left from last week for the cats and dog, and two tubs of golden stock tucked away in the chest freezer. Since we didn’t need to can or freeze more this week, I decided to let my kitchen alchemy skills run wild this afternoon.

Besides the pot of broth, I had a quarter head of cabbage about to wilt, several stalks of celery, and - of course - onions, garlic, noodles, and apple cider vinegar always on hand. The result was this hearty, soul-warming stew.

Woodland Mushroom Stew
Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium to large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 containers mushrooms, each a different variety
2 cups chopped cabbage
3 stalks celery, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 generous dash of pepper
4–5 leaves fresh sage (or 2 teaspoons dried)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
10 cups fresh chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 bag egg noodles
Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter with olive oil.
Add the cabbage, celery, and onion. Sauté until the onion turns translucent and golden at the edges.
Add the apple cider vinegar and stir gently.
Add the garlic and mushrooms; cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release their moisture and begin to brown.
Add the thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir until fragrant.
Transfer everything from the skillet to a pot of broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes.
Add the egg noodles and raise the heat to a gentle boil. Cook 10 minutes or until noodles reach your preferred tenderness.
Stir in the heavy cream and heat just until blended.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Savory Bread Dressing
To round out the meal, I had a quarter loaf of artisan cheese bread left from Sunday, just past its prime. Being homemade means no preservatives, so mold and dryness move fast! I also found a lone bun in the pantry, and rather than waste it, I turned it all into a small pan of bread dressing.

Ingredients

4–5 cups dried leftover bread of any kind (even biscuits work!)
4–5 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
1 diced onion
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon general-purpose seasoning (Montreal Chicken, Steak, or similar)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut or tear the bread into 1-inch pieces. Don’t overthink it - tear and toss!
Pour broth over the bread and let soak for 15 minutes. If your bread is fresh, leave it out overnight or toast it lightly to dry it.
Stir in the onions, celery, garlic, and seasoning. It should be moist but not soupy.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Bake about 1 hour, until golden on top and slightly jiggly in the center.

From a handful of “leftovers,” we’ll enjoy a fabulous dinner tonight and still have enough stew to freeze or reheat tomorrow. So much nourishment from what others might throw away!

People sometimes wonder if we live this way because we’re destitute, because we make meals from chicken bones and stale bread. The truth is, absolutely not! Because we’ve always lived within our means and made the most of every blessing, our financial life is steady and free. We live debt-free, have all we need, and most of what we want. I’d call that blessed indeed.

I didn’t grow up this way. My family measured success in stock portfolios and shiny new things. I woke up from that slumber early. My degree is in Home Economics, a field that’s now been renamed Consumer Science. Let that sink in for a moment, once we were taught how to make, mend, and manage; now we’re taught the science of consuming.

When I walked into that first clothing lab and sewed my very first skirt, I was hooked. When I learned to bake and cater and create from scratch, my world exploded in color. Who knew you could make so much instead of just buying? My soul was on fire.

Even as an adult, when I showed my mother the treasures I found at thrift stores or the things I repurposed, she’d turn red with embarrassment. She’d ask, “How much would it take for you to just go buy new clothes?” But this - this way of life, isn’t about lack. It’s about creative overflow. Creating is my lifeblood; it gives meaning to everything I do.

So when I serve a pot of bone stew alongside a pan of bread dressing, it’s not poverty. It’s alchemy, the transformation of humble ingredients into abundance itself.

Tomorrow, I return to my “real job” at our family bridal shop, surrounded by breathtaking gowns from gifted designers around the world. Even there, abundance blooms in unexpected corners. In fact, tomorrow we’ll begin an Abundance Project from the hidden halls of the bridal shop.

I can’t wait to share it with you!
Until then,
I am forever yours,
Suzy

11/12/2025

Snow is Blowing and Blessings are Flowing

Yes, the garden is done for the year, and it might seem as though things on the homestead would be winding down.
But more abundant blessings just keep coming, sometimes even in the form of a rotisserie chicken carcass.
Yesterday we went out to gather eggs from the chicken barn. The hens are free-ranging now, cleaning up the treasures they scratch from the garden soil, exploring hidden corners of the property, and occasionally laying a rogue egg in a window well. Just outside the barn sits the woodpile. The first section holds the uncut logs that Kevin will split into firewood; behind that is a neat wall of stacked wood ready to warm our home. As I looked at the enormous pile he recently hauled home, I thought again about how the abundance never stops.
We needed firewood for the winter—our stockpile had dwindled to a small stack, so Kevin checked Facebook Marketplace and found someone offering free wood. Long story short, the man turned out to be an eighty-year-old woodcutter who still works every day, driving his tractor and splitting logs. There are always pieces that don’t suit his customers: slabs too large to split or twisty branches that defy the chainsaw. He told Kevin he could take as much as he liked from one corner of the property, anytime. Within two trailer loads we had enough wood for the entire heating season. When I tell people this story, they often shake their heads and say, “That’s a lot of work for free firewood.” I beg to differ.
Kevin has always loved hard work; it makes him feel alive and useful. Yes, it takes effort to load, haul, and split the wood, but that very work keeps him strong and healthy instead of sitting in front of a TV. He’s outdoors, his favorite place to be, soaking in fresh air and sunshine, which adds to his good health. And the exercise? It’s real, not the kind you pay for under fluorescent lights while walking miles on a treadmill that goes nowhere. To me, that sounds like the very definition of free.
And then there’s the chicken carcass. The abundance just won’t stop! Each week our daughter buys one of Costco’s enormous rotisserie chickens. She pulls off the meat for meal prep, then hands me the carcass with its golden skin and savory juices. Most people would call that trash. Not here. Into a stockpot it goes with an onion, a few cloves of garlic, and a pinch of seasoning, all covered with water and left to simmer for hours. By evening the house smells heavenly, and the pot holds four to five quarts of rich, flavorful broth, liquid gold.
We cook our homemade noodles, made from the eggs those hens bless us with, in that broth, add a handful of peas or broccoli, a splash of cream, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. It’s comfort in a bowl. Some of the broth goes over the dog’s and cat’s food every day for extra nourishment, and whatever is left at week’s end becomes a big pot of soup with any vegetables that need using up and a bit of ground beef or leftover chicken. That soup feeds a family of four with leftovers to spare, all from something that would have been thrown away. At the heart of it, I believe that if an animal gives its life for our food, we owe it respect by using every bit of what it offers.
It’s all a circle:
Kitchen scraps and peelings go to the chickens.
The hens give us eggs, and from those eggs come noodles.
Leftover bones make broth; the broth becomes meals that feed us and our animals.
The wood we gather warms our home, and its ashes go back to the garden to enrich the soil.
The garden gives more produce than we can eat, so we preserve it for winter.
When the season ends, the chickens return to the garden to clean it, starting the cycle again.
The wheel of abundance keeps turning, steady and generous, as long as we add a little elbow grease along the way.
I hope you’re feeling the abundance and blessings as we are right now, because blessings truly are everywhere, if we choose to see them.
Next week we are going to start preparing for Yule! It's the most exciting and heart filling season of the year!
Until next time,
Suzy