Yesterday I spent a good part of the afternoon at a local farm, with my sister. Don’t worry, we kept the recommended 1 to 2 metre (at least 6 feet) distance from each other during this COVID-19 pandemic! As promised in my post about this farm visit yesterday, I’ll be sharing my take-home goodies with you over the next little while.
To me, food has always been about sharing. This has taken on a new importance for me now, during these bizarre times of self-isolation and concerns about health, the world, the economy, and so much more. Taking the time to prepare a meal, or even a nice snack, then to share it; that makes me feel so much better during times of uncertainty.
That’s one of the very many lessons I’ve learned since having to step away from my beloved career in biomedical ethics in late 2018, because of a rare disease. That it’s so important to enjoy the little things in life, to take the time to savour moments of happiness and joy.
I’m applying that approach to our (mostly) self-isolating life now, for my husband and I. We’re empty nesters, so are alone in our home. My husband is a much better cook than I am, although I beat him hands down when it comes to vegetarian or vegan meals. And baking! I can’t forget about desserts ‘-)
Yesterday I noticed that the Quinn Farm shop had several small packages of tiny quail eggs, nine to a box. A few years ago, at a farmers’ market, my husband and I had sampled almost bite-sized brunch canapés made with quail eggs.
Each little egg was served sunny-side up, atop a piece of lightly-toasted French bread and some grilled vegetables. A lightbulb literally went off in my head… we could do the same type of thing, but I’d prefer baby greens or vegetable sprouts to grilled veggies.
I slipped a package of the quail eggs into my basket, and then spotted a small pack of bacon from another local farm. That quickly joined the eggs in my basket. Remember that saying, about not putting all your eggs in one basket? I didn’t have to worry about that yesterday!
Quinn Farm seems to be helping out other local farms, by selling their products alongside their own. I was happy to see a packet of sunflower sprouts from a farm that’s so local that we ride by every time we go cycling; Les Jardins Carya (which would be something like Carya Gardens in English).
I also picked up a package of mixed baby lettuce leaves, and some beautiful sweet yellow tomatoes. All of these would make a fantastic Saturday brunch at home. Neither my husband nor I like heavy meals, so a plate of bite-sized morsels would be perfect for us – with a cup of good strong Kicking Horse coffee.
Unfortunately my hand was in too much pain from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) this morning for me to cook the itsy-bitsy sunny-side up quail eggs myself. Instead, my sweetheart stepped up and prepared the little eggs and bacon, while I looked after the farm-bread toast, the toast toppings, and made our side salads. And that wonderful coffee, of course!
When we set the plates on our tables, we said the same thing at the same moment: “This looks like something you’d get at a fancy brunch restaurant.” Then he added, “But it’s even better, because you picked all this up at the farm yourself.” And yes, it was all delicious – down to the last crumb of food and drop of coffee.
Whatever you today, as we start off this weekend, take care and be safe. And remember to take the time to appreciate the little moments in your day. The smell of a fresh cup of tea, of a flower, the kiss of the spring sun on your face… there are still so many things to appreciate, even when the world can seem a scarier place than usual.
My fellow chronic pain patients know that we’re all resilient; we have to be just to get through each day. So this is a great time to teach others about resilience, by your actions and your words. If you – like me – have sometimes felt isolated by your pain or your disease, why not take a moment to reach out to someone who might be experiencing this feeling for the first time?
We can use our collective patient wisdom to help other individuals now, even those not living with any type of illness, injury, or disease – based on our lived experiences.
If you’re wondering about what other types of farm-fresh goodies made their way into my shopping basket yesterday, stay tuned. I’ll be posting updates over the next few days, as we try the different local products.
Be safe, be well, and carve out moments for happiness in your day. I’ve been doing my chronic pain yoga or meditating for a few moments whenever the pandemic news becomes overwhelming, or when I feel particularly stressed by this global situation and the safety of my family and friends. As my grandma used to say:
It doesn’t help anyone to worry about things. If there’s something you can do, then do it. And always remember that helping others is a good way to forget your own worries.”
Kitsy Woods
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