Full moon approaching, root down like the trees and blow in the wind
So the Equinox brought with it the usual chaotic weather, it is like all the wind has been trapped and as soon as the Earth shifts its position so it is released, and so too the rain, cleansing the Earth as much as it cleanses us all too. I must admit it was starting to get a bit vata out there, so it is refreshing to be brought back down to earth a little...
So now we are in Autumn, the leaves are collecting at the side of the roads, the hedges have been cut back, the fields are being ploughed, the tomatoes and butternut squash are plentiful, leeks too. And perhaps it is inevitable, having gotten involved (a little) with growing the vegetables, I have now discovered a new found interest in cooking. It has come as a bit of a surprise if I am honest, I have always shied away, my Mum and brother are fabulous cooks and I have always let them get on with it.
But now, here I am with recipes in front of me, making my tomato sauce from scratch, not a big deal for most I know, but a novelty for me, and preparing some rather yummy vegetarian dishes, a Thai courgette curry, vegetarian spaghetti bolognaise, immune boosting vegetable soup (that is its real name), this wonderful Indian vegetarian curry called !Niramish". I shall have to share some here, in fact the Niramish is really a joy if you like mango:-
Ingredients (serves 6)
2tbsp sunflower oil
3 tbsp curry paste
1/2 tsp chili powder
2.5cm peeled & grated ginger;
1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
3tsp mango chutney
1 small cauliflower
2 potatoes (sweet is nice)
2 carrots
2 red peppers
1 x 400g chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g coconut milk
210g green beans
salt and pepper
1 juice lime
fresh coriander
1. heat oil, add curry paste and chili and stir for 1 minute. Add ginger, onion, garlic and mango chutney and cook. Stirring for 3-5 mins until onion softened but not browned.
2. Add cauliflower, potato, carrots and stir well to coat in spices. Cook, stirring for 5 mins.
3. Add red pepper, toms and coconut milk and bring to the boil, then add beans and season. Stir well.
4. Cover and simmer gently for 21-30 mins or until vegetables are tender. Stir in lime juice and seasoning. Serve hot with garnish.
Tomorrow night we are planning a homemade make your own pizza night, which should be fun as I am dairy insensitive so can never usually indulge in pizza, but making it at home it can be cheese-free. Yum, yum.
Anyhow aside from the cooking, I have been trying to walk to work in between the rain showers this week and it has been rather lovely, not least to get the legs working and to breathe the fresh air, but to gain a different perspective of the roads and lanes between here and town. One of the joys of travelling for me is the fact I have to walk everywhere, whereas over here life is always so time pressured that the car always takes centre stage, such a shame as walking is so underrated as a fabulous past time, especially if one gets the chance to get out onto the cliffs of course.
We planted a tree yesterday, it is an early birthday present for E, this lovely liquid amber, such a wonderful colour, we do like to set these trees free from their pot bound existence in the gardening centres over here.
Aside from that it has been a rather uneventful and yet conscious week as we build up to the full moon this weekend. I was reading an astrologers report, which predicts turbulent times the next few days with the potential for a natural disaster as the earth seeks to release some of her pent up energy. I am hoping that won't happen but already we have the fatal air crash in Nepal, which is so sad, all those people excitedly awaiting their trip to see Everest.
I have flown a number of times within Nepal and it is incredibly scary as the weather changes so quickly and the planes are so tiny and the safety requirements not so seemingly strict as they would be in the Western world. That flight to Lukla is especially scary, the runway is one of the smallest in the world, perched on a mountain, sloping upwards. Leaving that runway is worse than arriving, a bit of a white knuckle, close your eyes moment! My thoughts are with all those in Nepal affected by this recent tragedy.
So let us all ground our feet to this earth as we tried to encourage in class yesterday, energising the root chakra and standing tall and strong and blowing in the wind as the full moon delivers its powerful energy to us all. Enjoy!!
With love and light and much gratitude,