To ensure good luck or prosperity or because I can, my first meal of 2025 is homegrown black eyed peas (cowpeas/Vigna ungulata to me) tossed with olive oil, tamari and piquant homegrown arugula, potato pancakes, homemade caraway sauerkraut, avocado (from Mexico - alas so near but so far…) and apple from Washington state (for auld lang syne).
Beginnng as I mean to go on, this ticks-many-boxes plate is enjoyed on the sunny south facing front porch where I can watch birds enjoying the now de-iced birdbath (guess who got stink eye at dawn today) while basking in the beautiful, bright midwinter midday sun.
Like in midsummer when I ate baba ganoush in the outback garden alongside the plant that produced the eggplant, I am sitting a few feet from the patch of arugula, mustard and mizuna which provided the greens for my black eyed peas menu item. I hope the hardy little plants, (that bright green patch mid image above), understand and appreciate their vital place in the food chain of this little piece of Chihauhauan desert.
As I sip a right good will draught (uuum actually a frothy almond milk latte), the message inside my thrift store mug dances with the bagpipes leading the traditional New Year’s song in my head. Enjoy every moment.
I think about all the people I care about, living and no longer, scattered around the planet. I raise this cup of cup of kindness to you. For auld lang syne.
This part is hard for me but I do it anyway: I think about all the people living or not whom I really don’t admire or respect. I raise this cup of kindness to them.
And then, since my latte is getting cold I abbreviate the ritual and raise my cup to new beginnings, starting over or SSDD. Your choice.
The following public domain lyrics to the traditional Auld Lang Syne song were sourced from a random website. Some might know slightly different versions. I certainly only knew the first stanza and chorus until I did a drive-by of oracle internet today.
Should old acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot
and old lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear
for auld lang syne
we'll take a cup of kindness yet
for auld lang syne.
And surely you'll buy your pint cup
and surely I'll buy mine
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet
for auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear
for auld lang syne
we'll take a cup of kindness yet
for auld lang syne.
We two have run about the slopes
and picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot
since auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear
for auld lang syne
we'll take a cup of kindness yet
for auld lang syne.
We two have paddled in the stream
from morning sun till dine
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear
for auld lang syne
we'll take a cup of kindness yet
for auld lang syne.
And there's a hand my trusty friend
And give me a hand o' thine
And we'll take a right goodwill draught
for auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear
for auld lang syne
we'll take a cup of kindness yet
for auld lang syne.
Comments