soup will cure

By 10:30 this morning both instant pots were coming up to pressure. By 12:30 seven containers of minestrone soup were ladled out into matching containers. Oh bliss to have more comfort food stored in the freezer. When I reheat it, I’ll add in some pasta and chopped mushrooms to transform it into an Italian classic: Pasta Fagioli.

While the soup was cooking, I started organizing stuff for our trip (aka packing). I wanted to make sure Carm had enough smaller shirt to wear, and to see what fit in our carry-on bags vs the big suitcase. It is still a week and a few days away but I’m all for advance planning! The packing spurred Carm into a reorg/purge of his corner of the closet (which I’ve been suggesting for weeks).

We took a break in the middle to re-energize ourselves with a little bowl of soup - had to make sure I got the herbs right ;-)

All in all it was a satisfying day. I loved seeing the freezer with uniform rows of neatly labeled food. And seeing another large bag leave the house for the thrift shop warmed my heart.

The sun has finally peeked out from the nasty snow laden clouds and I stuck my nose outside for a few minutes. The trees were glittering with a sparkle from the ice that coated their limbs, and as I walked down the laneway a flock of geese flew overhead. They were low in the sky so must have been looking for somewhere to spend the night. For a few moments I enjoyed the beauty of winter.

When I called the dogs to go inside, they raced full-speed up to the door. They had fun being outside, but were more than happy to get into the warmth. Rosemary, thyme and oregano flavoured the air as I stepped inside the house, warming me through and through.

Once back in, the dogs fell asleep in the sun and I cuddled into the little sliver that hits the sofa. I looked out the (dirty) window and saw the trees sparkle with ice, all topped off with some fluffy white snow. The legions of butterflies that flitted in the clover this fall came to mind. It is going to be a long slog till spring - especially without a trip to New Zealand to break the winter up.

“The lore has not died out of the world, and you will still find people who believe that soup will cure any hurt or illness and is no bad thing to have for the funeral either.”
~John Steinbeck