My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? (transcript of recording)

As I write this, we’re on the third day of cold, rainy, dreary weather. As if it’s not enough to have the world on lockdown, now I can’t even enjoy the yard and woods that surround my house. More than once over the last week have I thought these same words ... “​My God, my God, why have you forsaken me​?”

Why does it feel like the world is caving in?

Why don’t you do something to stop it?

Why can’t you use your powers to push evil away?

Why can’t you just give us a few weeks of sunshine to help us pull through this awful, unbelievable time we’re leaving in?

As I reflect on my own situation, as I reflect on this weird time we find ourselves living right now, I’m drawn to the image of Mary at the foot of the cross. Can you imagine what it must have felt like to see your son, dying in your midst, and knowing there was absolutely ​nothing​ you could do to prevent it, or to even make it a little more palatable?

I think about those overwhelmed healthcare workers on the front lines, in overwhelmed hospitals, and the gut-wrenching decisions they are having to make. The ones who have to sit by and watch people die, knowing there’s nothing they can do to ease their pain, and the pain of those who love them.

Maybe you, like me, have had those times over the last few weeks where you’ve just felt helpless. I’ve always understood living out faith as a call to action ... a call to ​DO​ something to make life easier for those who find themselves in tough places. A call to ​be present ​with those who find themselves struggling. And yet here we are, in a time where the call to action is “Don’t go do anything. Don’t be present with anyone but your immediate family. Just stay home.”

It’s no wonder that we may be feeling that God is forsaking us in this strange time. It feels like everything we’ve ever learned about how to live out our faith is being challenged right now. Like Jesus on the cross, we’re wondering why God doesn’t just reach out and DO something. Why doesn’t good prevail over evil?

Isn’t that the real struggle with Good Friday? It’s a truly painful day. A day when we see this Jesus that we have grown to know and love hanging on a cross, because of nothing other than his Goodness. A day when we get a glimpse of his own inner struggle, his own pain, his own anger that evil wins this match.

Of course, we know the end to the story - we know that Good prevails. That God prevails. We know God does reach out and act - and that moment is even more glorious than the one that we long for.

And because I know the end of the story, I can feel comforted by the fact that even Jesus wondered why he had been forsaken. I can feel comforted by his pain and uncertainty. Comforted by his willingness to die - alone - on the cross, so that he had a full and complete experience of what it means to be truly human.

On this Good Friday like no other we’ve lived before, Jesus is not simply present with us, but he is here, living it with us. Today, as we remember him dying on the cross, as we remember his crying out to God, may we feel comforted in our own cries of mourning and anger.

My God, My God, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?!

through the eyes of mary

I can’t help but think about how hard it was to be Mary during Jesus’ last days. Here was her baby boy, all grown up, being ridiculed and accused. Bruised, beaten, and hung on a cross. What was she thinking as she watched it happen?

Maybe she was remembering when the angel appeared to tell her she was with child. Remembering the fights she had with her family and with Joseph when she revealed the news. Thinking about all they had been through to have this child – this Son of God – the Messiah.

Or perhaps she was thinking about that special night when Jesus was born. The first time she held him in her arms. That long journey she and Joseph took while she was nine months pregnant. Searching for a safe place to give birth.

Maybe she was replaying the many miracles she had seen him perform. Thinking of all the lives he had changed during his three years of ministry.

She had to watch from afar as her oldest child – her beloved – breathed his last breath. She would never embrace him again. Never again see him laugh. She couldn’t even hold his hand as he died.

How did she survive it? Was she angry at God? Confused? Or did she know all along how it would end? How did she stop herself from trying to get him off the cross?

I imagine it was a little bit like this:

Mary’s faith has always astounded me. Her complete willingness to be God’s servant. To do whatever God asks of her. She willingly carried his child even though it was a major inconvenience to both her and Joseph. She, like any mother, loved Jesus more than she ever imagined. She watched him grow up. She helped him grow up.

And now … to watch him die on a cross …

She did it all … willingly … because she believed. She believed God was up to something amazing. She trusted in his promises.

My prayer these next few days is this: As I remember Jesus’ last days in preparation for the Easter celebration, may I be like Mary. May I be God’s willing servant – no matter how inconvenienced I might be. And may I always remember God’s promise to be faithful, no matter how dire the circumstances might seem.

This post was originally published at Bibledude.net.

Remembering Holy Week at Home

Palm Sunday is behind us and the Holy Triduum is before us. As we turn our eyes from the procession of the King to his final meal with the Disciples, we begin to think about how we can prepare our homes for Family Worship in a way we may have never done before.

Feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start? I feel you. But don’t. Don’t allow yourself to feel anxious over making this week perfect. We have enough on our plates right now. Allow yourself to grieve the loss of your community during this very holy time and simply promise to spend a few minutes together as a family each day. That alone can bring a depth to this week that you may have never experienced before. Here are some simple ideas that I hope will bring you inspiration and a feeling of empowerment over this very special week.

Create a Family Altar

This can - and should - be simple. Use what you have around the house. We hung our palm crosses from Sunday on a piece of yarn and hung it from our mantel. On the mantel, we removed the decorations that are usually there and added a candle, a small vase of forsythia flowers, a wooden cross that we had on a bookshelf, and a Bible. If you don’t have a cross of some sort, draw one on a piece of paper. If you don’t have a mantel, use a coffee table, or a side table, or a corner of your kitchen counter or dining table. Don’t overthink it - you want your altar to be in the space where you will gather as a family over the week’s activities.

Maundy Thursday

Eat Dinner Together

Maundy Thursday is all about Jesus’ last meal with his Disciples. Remember that story by eating dinner together. It doesn’t matter what you eat, just set apart the time to share a meal with one another, and allow no interruptions. I suggest you keep the meal simple, so that you have as little cleanup as possible. Our church sent out a wonderful Family Worship liturgy that we will use, but you don’t have to use any liturgy at all. As you’re eating dinner, read the story from John 13:1-17 and 31b-35, where Jesus washes the feet of his Disciples and foreshadows his betrayal.

Family Foot Washing

Continue your remembrance of Jesus’ last meal with a family foot washing. All you need is a big bowl of warm water and a dry towel. As the members of your family finish their meal, gently go to where they are seated and wash their feet. My guess is by the time you finish washing their feet, someone will volunteer to do yours as well!

Strip your Altar

After you’ve finished your meal and the washing of feet, do the work of clearing off the table and cleaning up together. Remind your children - especially if they are younger - that this is the day that begins our journey to the cross and the empty tomb and invite everyone to gather around your Family Altar. Ask one family member to read Psalm 22 out loud, or you can read it out loud and invite them to strip your altar. As the Psalm is being read, gently remove everything from the altar one at a time, and bring it to a place in your house where it will be out of sight. You’ll want to keep it close though, so you can use it again for Easter Sunday! When your altar is empty, and the Psalm is over, say the Lord’s Prayer together and remain in silence for just a minute or two.

Good Friday

This can be a hard day for your youngest or most sensitive children. One of my favorite ways of remembering Good Friday with my littles is by reading The Tale of Three Trees together. Sit around your empty altar as you read the book - or you can find a video of the story here. After the story, allow time for conversation, and then practice intentional silence together. Remember - just one moment of silence can be hard for tinies, so don’t push them to be silent for too long! Finish your remembrance of the death of Jesus by singing the old hymn Were You There together.

Earlier this weekend, a dear friend of mine posted a picture of her family altar saying, “It’s going to be the Holy Week I always wanted but never had the time to implement.” My prayer for us all this Holy Week is that we seize the opportunity to just be present for the final days of Jesus’ life. Many blessings to you and your family as you embark on the journey together.

Artwork by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

Celebrating Palm Sunday At Home

The hardest part of self-isolating during this strange time of our lives is that it is encroaching on the holiest of weeks. I can’t tell you how many times over the last week I’ve wanted to just cancel Holy Week and pretend it will happen later in the year. I miss my church. I miss singing with the organ. I miss sitting in the Sanctuary and simply feeling the presence of God.

My church, like many others, has been live-streaming worship on Sunday mornings, but it doesn’t really feel like worship when I sit on my couch and watch a screen. There’s no standing and sitting as one big group of people. There are no pews to sit in (or crawl under if you’re my youngest daughter). There are no hugs. There’s no sitting around tables talking about your week as your kids go back for more and more cookies and cupcakes. I’ve found that the addition of technology to church has been more of a damper on this time of stay-at-home than it has been uplifting, so we’ve just been pretending that we’re choosing to miss church these last few weeks.

But ya’ll … this Sunday is Palm Sunday. The Sunday where we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem and begin our remembrance of his last days. I can’t just pretend to not go to Palm Sunday worship. I’m not sure I’ve ever, in my entire life, missed worship during Holy Week. The last thing I really want to do is create my own Palm Sunday celebration - but if my only choices are to pretend it’s not happening or make a meaningful celebration at home, I’ll chose the latter.

If you - like me - are finding yourself in this place of mourning and sadness, I encourage you to take a few steps to make your Palm Sunday a meaningful one. I thought I’d share with you the things we’re going to do together as a family. I’m keeping it simple, because the last thing I need is anxiety over making meaningful experiences. Remember - the most meaningful part of the day will be the connections and the memories that you make.

Wear Purple! 

Purple is the color of royalty and power. One of the most profound parts of Palm Sunday is the realization that Jesus - the King - rides into town on a donkey. It’s the story of a royal parade - so dress for the occasion!

Start with a Parade!

Remember Jesus’ procession with your own parade around your house or neighborhood. If you don’t have palms, collect pine boughs from your backyard. Or make paper palms - there’s a great tutorial here and a cool printable here.

There are several songs you can use for this procession - one of my favorites is “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord.”  True story - I had no idea until today that this song was in Godspell. We used to sing it at church camp and it’s always one of my favorite Call to Worship songs. Thanks to my good friend DHawk for pointing out the connection. Another option that we often use in church is All Glory Laud and Honor.

Read the Bible Together

After you’ve had your parade, sit down and read aloud the story of Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem. We’ll be reading the account from Matthew, because it’s what our church will be using. You can find it in Matthew 21:1-11. After you’ve read the story together, talk about what it may have felt like to be there, on the streets of Jerusalem, as Jesus passed you by. What parts of the passage stuck out to you as you heard it? Did you notice something new?

When you feel like your discussion is complete, say a prayer together, thanking God for the words. Pray for people and situations on your heart, and just allow each other a brief moment of silence and reflection.

Create Something Together

Being creative is one of the best ways to make powerful memories together - and is one way that you can make your Palm Sunday extra special in the absence of a regular worship service.

If you were able to get palms, consider turning them into palm crosses to hang up around your house. You could hang them in your windows, or on a mantel, or you can save them and use them on your Holy Week altar (more about that coming soon!)

Or, maybe you want to do a simple painting of palms to hang on your wall, or in your window, or on your family altar. You can use this same tutorial to draw palms with sidewalk chalk on your driveway or neighborhood sidewalks (but remember to stay away from other people!)

If you’re feeling really crafty and have lots of arts supplies, consider making a hosanna banner. Cut out a piece of white fabric - or you can use a big piece of white paper. Use craft paint or felt letters to put the word “hosanna” on your fabric or paper. Then hang it on your front door for the whole neighborhood to see!

Whatever you choose to do, you will always look back and remember “that time when the churches were closed and we had to remember our faith at home.” My prayer for you this weekend is that you find a way to make those memories powerful ones. May God bless you and sustain you in your journey this week.

Photo by Grant Whitty on Unsplash.

Roasted Spring Rainbow Salad

One of the hardest parts of deciding to move to the North Shore was leaving the farm that we had very quickly grown to love during the short time we lived in Acton. We loved Farmer Jamie so much that I considered driving back to Littleton once a week , but then we realized that was a teeny bit ridiculous - and quite a bit of gas money - so I went in search of a new farm closer to home. We got many suggestions from friends and neighbors, and went with Marini Farm, because Jamie knows them and also because we really wanted to support a family farm instead of a nonprofit farm. There’s a whole list of reasons for that, but ultimately it came down to simply wanting to help a family in their business and livelihood. We signed up back in February and today, we got to pick up our very first share. And we couldn’t be more pleased!

We came home with 6 parsnips, a bunch of 6 radishes, two bunches of spinach, two bunches of asparagus, four heads of lettuce, and some cider donuts (which are already gone!) To say we’ll be eating a lot of salad this week might be an understatement - but I am up for the challenge. Because everyone gets bored with the same ole salad meal after meal, and also because my husband and children are really hard to convince on the salad front, I have to be creative. This super easy roasted vegetable salad might be my new favorite.

We started with this:

And ended up with this:

I had half of a red cabbage in my fridge from our final Winter CSA pickup in April, and some carrots from the farm down the street so I made a rainbow of veggies and threw them in the oven for 30 minutes. When they came out, I put them on top of a bed of thinly sliced lettuce, topped it with homemade croutons (don’t ever throw your crusts away!) and dressed it with the best salad dressing ever. If you could fall in love with food, I’d be in deep. 

Roasted Spring Rainbow Salad  

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

One bunch radishes, quartered  

1 small carrot (or 6 baby carrots), chopped

1 small parsnip, peeled and chopped

1/4 small sweet onion, chopped small

6 spears asparagus, chopped in 2-inch pieces

1/6 Red Cabbage, sliced  

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

salt to taste

3 cups crusts and leftover bread, cut into cubes

garlic powder

1 head lettuce, thinly sliced

The Best Dressing (see below)

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 400 while you’re washing and chopping your veggies. Line veggies on a cookie sheet - I like to do this in rainbow order simply because my kids thing it’s awesome. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast for 30 minutes or so, until you start to see them getting brown and caramalized.

Put your bread cubes on a different cookie sheet, drizzle with more olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Put them in the oven for 20 minutes or so, tossing occasionally to help with even toasting. You’ll never buy croutons again!

While your veggies are roasting and your bread cubes are toasting, wash and slice your lettuce and put it on plates. Mix ingredients for salad dressing in a bottle or mason jar and shake well.

Top lettuce with roasted veggies, croutons, and salad dressing. Be amazed at how delicious your meal is. And promise to make it again very soon. 

The Best Dressing 

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice (or a mixture of lemon and orange will work too) 

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp Grey Poupon mustard

1 Tbsp sweet and hot mustard

2 Tbsp maple syrup  

Dash of  salt

mix all ingredients in a jar and shake until

combined. Eat on everything. And I do mean everything. 

Where Were the Children? [A Good Friday Reflection]

This post was originally published on Good Friday in 2016. We attended a similar Maundy Thursday service last night, at a new congregation, and I was again struck by their incredible ability to really understand what was happening. They both left worship with questions and reflections about how much Jesus loved his friends. I’m republishing this as it was originally written, because it’s been in the archives for far too long, and because sometimes the original says it better than anything new I could come up with.

But why are they taking the candles away Mama? she asks, with tears in her eyes. I like the candles. Will they bring them back?

This is the first Maundy Thursday service we’ve been to in several years. The last one I can remember going to, we left early – because A was just a year old and staying out past 7pm just wasn’t in our cards. But this year, I didn’t care how late we were out … I didn’t want to miss it. I wanted to experience the remembrance of those last days. The last meal. The foot washing. The prayers in the garden. That last night with his friends, his disciples, his family.

I wanted my children to experience it. As difficult as it is to watch … as difficult as it is to understand … the majesty of Easter just isn’t as glorious without experiencing the loss. I wanted them to experience that loss …. so that when we walk in to Easter service and we see the flowers, the candles, the white paraments … when we hear the loud bells and trumpets sounding, it truly is majestic and glorious.

But man did it tear me up inside when my 20-month old asked to go up to have her feet washed. And man did it break my heart to watch my 4-year-old begin to comprehend what was going on.

We’ve dealt with a lot of loss in our family over the last 6 months. The loss of favorite toys that were too big to make the move with us. The loss of a house that was home. The loss of a neighborhood that was so very good to us, and will never be replaceable. The loss of a community of friends that we could call on at any time – whenever we needed them. The loss of two sweet kitties who still have a forever home in our hearts. The loss of a yard where we spent hours of our time – playing, planting, praying. The loss of a church that was far from perfect, but was still home. The loss of family being close by. This watching of the alter being stripped – it was just one more loss for her. For all of us.

And it got me thinking … where were all the children that night that Jesus was arrested and taken away? It was late in the evening, so I imagine they were safe at home with their parents – maybe eating dinner, maybe getting ready for bed, maybe already sleeping. What was it like for them when they awoke the next day and were told that Jesus – the man that welcomed them with open arms when the rest of society pushed them to the side – the man that they loved so dearly – was gone? How did their parents explain it to them? What did they say when the questions started rolling in?

My response went something like this:

They are taking them away so we remember what it was like the night Jesus died. People were sad. They were scared. It was dark and quiet and lonely. But when we come back for Easter service on Sunday, it will all be back.

Because as hard as it is for me to answer the questions, at least I know the loss isn’t forever. At least my response can include the hope that those things we love about worship – the candles, the paraments, the music, the flowers – they will be back. I can’t imagine Maundy Thursday and Good Friday without knowing Easter was coming. And the last several years – those years that I have experienced Easter without experiencing the loss of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday – Easter just didn’t have the same amount of majesty.

So today, on this Holy Good Friday, here’s a blessing for you – a blessing for all of us …

May you take the time to remember the loss, may you remember the quiet of those dark three days, and may you forever rest in the hope that Easter is coming.

Some Thoughts on Spring in New England

When a person loses the ability to take pleasure in the mundane - in the cigarette on the stoop or the gingersnap in the bath - she has probably put herself in unnecessary danger. ... One must be prepared to fight for one’s Simple pleasures and to defend them against elegance and erudition and all manner of glamorous enticements. ~Rules Of Civility

I’m just gonna be real for a second. Spring in New England sucks. It's not the deep dark days of Winter that get me down in New England. At least not this year. This year, I found those early Winter days to be magical - the early darkness of days, the forced slowness and calm, the limited sunlight. I knew it doesn't last forever, that the light returns, and that Spring DOES show up. But the six weeks between we set our clocks back and Memorial Day ... that's the real struggle. We are in the hardest six weeks of life for me here. It's the time when we think Spring should be here. We should be able to go outside in something other than snowsuits and boots. We might still need hats, mittens, and coats - but we shouldn't have to be getting all suited up just to go on a walk. The sun might feel warm, but the wind tells a different story. Instead of seeing flowers and new birth, we look outside and see a sea of white. It almost always snows in March ... and the last few years it's snowed the first week of April as well.

Meanwhile back in Georgia, people are packing away the heavy coats (if they ever got them out at all), are spending long days full of sunshine and playing outside, and are maybe even planting Spring gardens. They are cutting fresh flowers for their centerpieces and getting ready for the start of farmer's markets. 

But I embarked on a journey to embrace the seasons this year ... and to find the beauty in it all. What I'm learning is that my way of embracing these terrible early Spring days is by hibernating. It's my time to just be still inside my house. I ignore the world around me as much as possible. It's the time of year when I regularly say no when people invite me to hang out. I know that better days are coming, but right now ... I just can't bear to do anything except hibernate in my own hole and pretend the world outside me doesn't exist.

It's my time to practice my bread making. It's my time to use up the contents of my freezers (yes ... there are multiple.) To clean the house from top to bottom. To rearrange furniture. To read books. To pray. To write. It's now, more than any other time of the year, that I just long to be alone. Now is the time that I'm doing all I can to take pleasure in the simple - in the mundane - in the quiet.

I know that soon, the snow will melt. The sun will shine it's warm rays and the wind won't be quite as crisp. I know the flowers will bloom and we'll be out of the house more often than not. Come summer, our days will be full of fun. Full of friends. Full of sunshine and picnics and beaches.  

There is a season for everything ... this is my season for being still. 

For the Love of Radishes

Radishes are what I call an "almost instant gratification" crop. You plant the seeds and the babies are ready to harvest in just a few weeks. It's really kind of amazing! My mom used to eat radishes right out of my Gramma's garden when she was pregnant with me, so it's no wonder that I just simply adore them. If you've never had one, go get some! They are super crisp, amazingly fresh, and have a peppery bite to them that will surprise you.

Radishes are usually grown during the cooler months, but they will grow all summer if you want them to. The greens are edible too - although they are kind of prickly, so I'm not a huge fan of eating them raw. Besides just eating them right out of the garden, here are a few of my favorite ways to use them up. 

• Slice them thin and put them on a salad. I love pairing them with whatever fruit is in season. The fruit is sweet, and the radishes are spicy, and it just ends up to be perfection on a plate!
• Make Radish Butter! I know it sounds strange, but it's so amazingly delicious on a big crust baguette. 
• Or if butter isn't your thing, make a Radish Dip. Mix 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with one small bunch of radishes in a food processor. Throw in a pinch of salt and a few basil leaves. You can dip crackers, pretzels, or other veggies in it. I brought this to a farm potluck once and it was gone within a matter of minutes.

And don't forget the greens! My favorite way to use the greens is making a pesto with them. It has a spicy, peppery flavor that is unique in pesto. you can spread it on crusty bread, put it out on a Bruschetta  platter, mix it with some hot pasta, spread it on chicken ... once you've turned your greens into pesto, the possibilities are endless! This Baked Ziti is one of my favorite ways to use up pesto.

You can also roast and pickle radishes, but I haven't found a recipe for either of those that I actually like. I think they taste best raw.

What are your favorite ways to eat radishes?

The Rainy Day List

We've seen A LOT of rain this Spring - more than a usual New England Spring, so I'm told - and I am SO over the wet and rainy weather. But in the spirit of celebrating the seasons as they are, I decided I had to find a way to embrace the cold and wet days. So last week, I came up with the idea of The Rainy Day List. I figured if we have a list of projects that we neglect when the weather is nice and we spend the day outside, we can embrace rainy days as a good way to get some of those things done. 

This morning, when we awoke to yet another cold and rainy day, my sweet A said, Mommy, can we make our rainy day list now? Excellent idea, kid. Excellent idea.

So we each got to choose something to add to the list. E chose to play in the basement with A. A chose to make cookies and to do bead art. I added laundry, make a curtain for the bathroom, paint the kids' table, and clean out the fridge. While we still have a lot of work to do in coming up with our true rainy day list that will include all the projects we can think of that need to be done - this was an excellent way to celebrate our cold and rainy start of summer vacation.

And if I'm really honest with myself, when I think of all the many things that can be done inside on a rainy day, I get kind of excited about the rain that is coming. I remember back to our last snow day, in April, when I was super depressed and 100% over New England weather. We decided to paint our bedroom - sure that it would be the last terrible weekend before a beautiful New England summer. And then we visited Georgia, where it was hot and sunny and oh-so-beautiful. And when we came back to New England in May, it was cold. And rainy. And I fell into a deep dark state of homesickness and longing for warm sunshine on my shoulders. And I forgot about the beauty that can come from tackling indoor projects while waiting for those beautiful New England summer days that you know are somewhere on the horizon.

So today we embark on our Rainy Day List. We're hanging it up, on the wall, so that whenever we are feeling depressed about the weather, we can stand in front of it and choose something to do that will bring us joy. Because we know beautiful weather is on it's way ... we just need to be a little more patient. 

What's on your rainy day list?

From the Garden: Easy Spring Salad

When I went to bed last night, the forecast for today was sunny with a high of 75. When I woke up this morning, it was cold, cloudy, and the forecast had changed to drizzle with a high of 68 and possible thunderstorms. WTF New England ... what is going on here? This is supposed to be the time of the year when we get to actually ENJOY your weather! I'm dreaming of beaches and lakes and sunny bike rides. 

My mood these days seems to be directly related to the weather ... and my food choices are pretty much directly related to my mood ... but today I vowed to rise above the weather and make today a good day. Our garden is finally producing a few things that we can eat, so I put my garden boots on and went outside for a look. In the midst of the cold and drizzle, I found the makings of a perfect spring salad for today's lunch.

Pea leaves - Our peas are just barely producing peas - more are on the way ... but did you know you can eat the leaves?! They make the best addition to a salad because they have a slight pea flavor to them. They add some sweetness, and if you - like me - are not so patient on waiting for your peas to arrive, they get you through these early days of the season.

Lettuce - This is a classic cool weather crop. We don't eat a lot of lettuce, but I'm so glad I planted a little bit. It's so pretty in the garden, and it's fast growing - so I always have something to pick when I'm wanting a taste of freshness!

Baby spinach - I planted a TON of spinach this spring, because I'm hoping to be able to freeze any excess for winter. Spinach is one of the best greens to freeze because it holds its flavor and color so well. This is our second harvest of spinach already this season, and it's so so yummy!

Arugula - I mostly grow arugula because I like using it in pasta dishes, but I also love the spiciness it brings to a fresh green salad. I really love using it on a taco salad - but that recipe is for another day!

Baby carrots - These grew all winter in our garden and I harvested them all just the other day. I'm not convinced growing carrots is worth the patience or garden space ... but I have them - so I'll eat them!

Oregano - Our plant is monstrous, so why not include it in a salad?

Cilantro - My favorite herb of all time. It only grows in cool weather, so I grow (and eat) LOTS of it during the early spring and late fall. It smells amazing, and adds the best pep to your salad.

Radishes - Maybe my favorite crop to plant, because it's as close to instant gratification as you can get. Plant a bunch of radishes, and 20-30 days later you have fresh roots and greens ready to harvest. Another great spicy addition to any salad on your table.

I also added some pecans (from our old yard in Georgia), some croutons made from old bread crusts that I keep in our freezer, and some strawberry slices and goat cheese I found in our fridge.

Food is quickly becoming my favorite way to celebrate these dreary days of Spring. Can you tell?