It's been said that I don't write enough about my true passion: all things outside and natural. So here it is, something about what I really really really love to do: be outside.
Wednesday after a work meeting, I traveled into Cape Elizabeth and headed to Maxwell’s Farm to pick some strawberries. They were the first fresh strawberries of the year for me. It was a beautiful afternoon as the rain had not come in yet. It was coming though and it rained harder that night than it had all year. The breeze was heavenly as I picked and tasted the blood-red berries. I had the place almost to myself as it was the middle of the day in the middle of the week.
After I filled a quart container, I made my way down to Two Lights Beach, just a mile or two away. I like to go down here and pick sea glass because there are always numerous, small pieces that are very nicely shaped. As I sat there and sifted through the millions of years of geology that made up the small beach stones, I heard a noise every so often that made me look up. Much to my surprise, I saw not just a couple seabirds paddling around, but about 50 ducklings with seven females (identified by dull colors) swimming close-by. I called my ornithologist and previous partner in crime buddy (see Allagash post) to ask what they might be. With their description and location, he suggested that they were common eiders and I concurred. I was absolutely amazed that there were close to 50 ducklings and only about seven adults. D said that that the males have checked out by this point in the year. Typical…
D also warned me not to stick around too long as there was the possibility of a black-backed gull coming down for a duckling snack. It wasn’t five minutes later that a gull did decend near the group to pluck something out of the water, settle on the bladderwrack seaweed covered rock and start munching. I am all for the circle of life but to watch a duckling be eaten by a gull was not something I wanted to witness. I found a good-sized rock and chucked it towards the feasting bird. He flew off and left his snack behind.
Now I was morbidly curious as to what was left so I carefully moved out onto the slippery rocks, expecting to find a baby duck somewhere. Instead, I found a four inch long Jonas (?) crab upside-down and not looking so hot. His claws were very large and looked like something I didn’t want to get pinched with. I carefully turned him over to find he was still alive and had some friends living on his back (limpits?). But he was feisty but down a couple legs. I set him among some seaweed in a large tidepool nearby and watched him scuttle down deeper. Crab-1. Gull-0.
As I walked back to the rocky beach, I came upon some beautiful rocks. They had lines that were perpendicular to the ocean and couldn't have been smoother to the touch. There was a very large and very rough rock on top of these smooth rocks and I wondered how long it had been there and whether it was “placed” there when the water was higher long ago…
And to completely change the subject, because this is a primarily food-based blog, I can’t say goodnight without telling you about one of my favorite dishes in the world. I went to Pom Thai’s on Monday night on a date with …myself! I had leftover Groupon that I was dying to use. Most people get take-out from Pom’s and I can understand why. The chairs are not terribly comfortable and the servers are constantly speaking loudly to one another, but the food is pretty great. I sat down and didn't even need to see a menu: veggie spring rolls and yellow curry were what I wanted! (Although I order various fried amazing-ness when I'm feeling in a not-so-healthy mood).
The spring rolls contained lettuce, thinly sliced carrot, rice noodles, mint leaves, and cucumber spears, all wrapped up in rice paper. They were served with a sweet chili sauce with peanuts on top and were the perfect balance to my entrée choice, as I’m sure yellow curry isn’t the healthiest option (that’s why it tastes soooooo good!).
Pom’s yellow curry is a great consistency. Not too thin and not too thick. Goldilocks style-just right. You can get it with any protein you want and this night, I was sick of getting tofu. Chicken was my choice of meat and I didn’t regret it. Along with the chicken, there were potatoes, pineapple (best part), snow peas, onions and broccoli (I always ask for no tomatoes and to add broccoli FYI). Brown rice came on the side but I always put my rice in my curry to soak up the sauce. Leftovers are even better.
As I ate, I read my new library book, The Sixth Extinction. It’s a great story about the different animals humans have helped along in the extinction process. Fascinating in a non-depressing way.
So tonight I’ve covered all my bases. One blog post about a raised heart rate and one blog post with a happy tummy and beauty in the everyday together. My laundry is finished and I’m off to the next!
Wednesday after a work meeting, I traveled into Cape Elizabeth and headed to Maxwell’s Farm to pick some strawberries. They were the first fresh strawberries of the year for me. It was a beautiful afternoon as the rain had not come in yet. It was coming though and it rained harder that night than it had all year. The breeze was heavenly as I picked and tasted the blood-red berries. I had the place almost to myself as it was the middle of the day in the middle of the week.
After I filled a quart container, I made my way down to Two Lights Beach, just a mile or two away. I like to go down here and pick sea glass because there are always numerous, small pieces that are very nicely shaped. As I sat there and sifted through the millions of years of geology that made up the small beach stones, I heard a noise every so often that made me look up. Much to my surprise, I saw not just a couple seabirds paddling around, but about 50 ducklings with seven females (identified by dull colors) swimming close-by. I called my ornithologist and previous partner in crime buddy (see Allagash post) to ask what they might be. With their description and location, he suggested that they were common eiders and I concurred. I was absolutely amazed that there were close to 50 ducklings and only about seven adults. D said that that the males have checked out by this point in the year. Typical…
D also warned me not to stick around too long as there was the possibility of a black-backed gull coming down for a duckling snack. It wasn’t five minutes later that a gull did decend near the group to pluck something out of the water, settle on the bladderwrack seaweed covered rock and start munching. I am all for the circle of life but to watch a duckling be eaten by a gull was not something I wanted to witness. I found a good-sized rock and chucked it towards the feasting bird. He flew off and left his snack behind.
Now I was morbidly curious as to what was left so I carefully moved out onto the slippery rocks, expecting to find a baby duck somewhere. Instead, I found a four inch long Jonas (?) crab upside-down and not looking so hot. His claws were very large and looked like something I didn’t want to get pinched with. I carefully turned him over to find he was still alive and had some friends living on his back (limpits?). But he was feisty but down a couple legs. I set him among some seaweed in a large tidepool nearby and watched him scuttle down deeper. Crab-1. Gull-0.
As I walked back to the rocky beach, I came upon some beautiful rocks. They had lines that were perpendicular to the ocean and couldn't have been smoother to the touch. There was a very large and very rough rock on top of these smooth rocks and I wondered how long it had been there and whether it was “placed” there when the water was higher long ago…
And to completely change the subject, because this is a primarily food-based blog, I can’t say goodnight without telling you about one of my favorite dishes in the world. I went to Pom Thai’s on Monday night on a date with …myself! I had leftover Groupon that I was dying to use. Most people get take-out from Pom’s and I can understand why. The chairs are not terribly comfortable and the servers are constantly speaking loudly to one another, but the food is pretty great. I sat down and didn't even need to see a menu: veggie spring rolls and yellow curry were what I wanted! (Although I order various fried amazing-ness when I'm feeling in a not-so-healthy mood).
The spring rolls contained lettuce, thinly sliced carrot, rice noodles, mint leaves, and cucumber spears, all wrapped up in rice paper. They were served with a sweet chili sauce with peanuts on top and were the perfect balance to my entrée choice, as I’m sure yellow curry isn’t the healthiest option (that’s why it tastes soooooo good!).
Pom’s yellow curry is a great consistency. Not too thin and not too thick. Goldilocks style-just right. You can get it with any protein you want and this night, I was sick of getting tofu. Chicken was my choice of meat and I didn’t regret it. Along with the chicken, there were potatoes, pineapple (best part), snow peas, onions and broccoli (I always ask for no tomatoes and to add broccoli FYI). Brown rice came on the side but I always put my rice in my curry to soak up the sauce. Leftovers are even better.
As I ate, I read my new library book, The Sixth Extinction. It’s a great story about the different animals humans have helped along in the extinction process. Fascinating in a non-depressing way.
So tonight I’ve covered all my bases. One blog post about a raised heart rate and one blog post with a happy tummy and beauty in the everyday together. My laundry is finished and I’m off to the next!