a summer ratatouille

contemplating complexity AND a cookbook cover (!!!!!!!)

In my world, summer brings a host of new things each and every year. This year, is no exception. I’m on my 2nd full summer in my new home (we purchased it in 2022, and gave you a sneak peak on one of the episodes of La Pitchoune: Cooking in France, I admittedly can’t remember which one!) .

And with each new season, I discover new things. Things we’ve planted that didn’t come up the prior year that just magically emerge 12-18 months later. The rhythm of when elderberries need to be collected to make syrup; pink peppercorns picked to be dehydrated; violets ready for cough medicine and cocktail mixers; roses exploding into vibrant hues, dropping petals days later.

Living in an apartment didn’t give me that understanding of the day to day ebb and flow of life that having 5 acres does, and I am not 100% sure how I feel about all that. Do not get me wrong, I love living on a hunk of land, and learning about what is around me and…It feels like a responsibility. Not one that I am disappointed in having, it just sometimes feels as heavy as the stone retaining walls that sometimes crumble in rainstorms, revealing ancient roots that just aren’t quite strong enough now that the earth has moved…only to be reminded that yes in fact, that will be 10,000 euros minimum to fix oh and that tree? She has to come down too. All 85 feet of her. All 10 feet in diameter.

the tree in question is to the right over here. That stone wall has since collapsed and is awaiting repairs. We’ve since completely redone the exterrior fo the house, she looks much better with a fresh coat of paint.