a {Berry} good day

I really do love a good forage through the wildwoods, hedgerows, what have you... So on Wednesday, I headed out to the hedgerow, along the creek, near my home, in search of some ripe wild berries. And I found some!


The above photos are of golden currants(yum! yum!), and purple Saskatoons(also known as service berries, shadberries, and June berries). If you've never had Saskatoons, they are sweetish, with a lovely nutty flavor, once you really dig in.


Right near to the wee little golden currant tree(it's really a bush, but was not at all bushy lookin'!), was a yummy red currant variety. Mmm... Juicy!


This last berry photo, is of the red variety of the Saskatoon. Also with a nutty-ish flavor when you bite in.

What did I do with all of these lovely hedgerow treats?? {Besides the obvious, of simply gnoming on them, directly, of course} The red Saskatoons, I baked, just this afternoon, into a yummy cinnamon granola. The purple Saskatoons were Dee-licious a few days ago, a top of some yummy hot oatmeal with raisins(it was coldish that morning!). And the red currants I baked into some strange, but very tasty little treats, with random ingredients left in my house, pre- grocery shop. Blue cornmeal, chocolate and red currant little brownie bites. They were weird! But, they were good! The golden currants, I simply gobbled up, as is. :-)


While I was down by the creek, I dug up just a few wild onions. So delicious! So pretty!


I hope your summers are progressing very nicely, and that you too are having some very berry, Berry good days :-)

Ayanna*
xo

(p.s.- as I am rolling in dried organic lavender buds, I was planning on doing a give away, here at the Luminous Sparky blog. But, alas! Though I know there are some readers, it's been pip quiet, so need to know if folks are out there to participate in an upcoming Give Away. Sing! Lovely Lurkers, Sing!)

Home

Creating. Dreaming.

Right now I am Creating and Dreaming on Homes and Hearts...

Won't you dream on these things with me...??

xo,

Ayanna*

Domesticity

So I am as much a Hearth and Home Goddess, as I am a Warrior, Art and Love one. :-)

Sorry I have been scarce around these parts. The last 2 months have been very busy in sifting through and reinventing large aspects of my Journey. :-)

I moved into an apartment share back in mid September, and pretty immediately knew that it twas not for me.

I have since procured an absolutely beautifull apartment of my own- just 1 1/2 blocks away-, that I am moving into on Solar Samhain. Happy New Year indeed. :-)

I am hand sewing and embroidering napkins, dish towels and such for the new place. As well as decorating from a far. The apartment is in a Victorian limestone brownstone. Complete with 2 original fire places(they don't work-but the mantel pieces are Stunning). One in the Bedroom, the other in the living room(hearth magic! Woo hoo!!). The original claw foot tub is still there. As is the original stained glass in the living room windows, over looking a very large Sycamore tree. :-)

I have been making a fair amount of new things. Mostly fly agaric related via sewing. I will post piccies soon. ish. ;-)

My current apartment is filled with delicious fall baking smells. As I've just pulled my first home made batch of granola out of the oven. And I decided to go with an Indian kheer overtone, adding in freshly ground cardamon and organic rose hydrosol to the mix(I'm writing a some what Decadent cookbook on cooking with edible organic flowers). I'll let you all know how it turns out, and if it's book worthy!

Happy Fall Everyone!

Brightest Blessings,
xx
Ayanna*♥

Summer Time

...and the living is Easy.

At least I hope it is for all of You!

I've been buzzing about taking pictures of my new projects(lace, lace, and oh yeah- did I forgot to mention Lace?? ;-p), market finds, yummy dishes prepared, etc.. I simply haven't gotten around to posting any of them, along with descriptions!

Along with everything else, I also work as a Creative Arts and Herbs teacher in Brooklyn 3 days a week, and I am preparing right this second to go in for my adult class.

Today I'm doing a workshop on Organic, healthy drinks for the summer time!
So I'm leaving earlier than usual, so I can pop down to the Union Square GreenMarket(it's on 4 days a week...I can be found there at least 2 of those days per week ;-} )and get some fresh materials.

So in the class I'll go over the benefits of all the different ingredients I'll be using. Such as- organic lemon juice, agave nectar instead of sugar or honey, bundles of fresh, local and organic herbs, etc..

Drinks on tap to teach today:

-'plain' Organic Lemonade
-Strawberry Mint Lemonade
-Elderflower Cordial
-Lemon Verbena Sun Tea
-Hibiscus, Orange Peel & Ginger Iced Tea
-Herbal Ice Water
-Edible Flower Floral Ice Cubes
-Vanilla Lemonade

I'm sure that will soak up more than the full 2 hours! Yum Yum!

Are Ya thirsty yet??? ;-)

Oh! ...and A Blessed Full Moon, and Happy Freya/Freyr/Frigga's Day to Everybody :-)

-Ayanna* xx