Sauerkraut

"Some prefer carrot while others like cabbage.~ Irish Sayings

Cutting in sauerkraut

Stomping the cabbage.

Adding a weight.

Most years we cut in sauerkraut. For us, it has almost become a ritual. Not sure why I'm the only one of my siblings who are interested in doing these things, but I'm certainly glad my husband shares my interest. The krautknife was given to us by my mother and we've made good use of it over the years. If you ask me when is the best time to cut in kraut I'm going to tell you  it's when the moon is growing. Sorry, it might sound old-fashioned but I totally go along with it. The juice on sauerkraut rises with the moon. I don't go along with this making a brine and pouring over the cabbage once it's cut in. That's just not how the "old people" did it, and didn't they know the best way to do these things? One thing we've found that works well when adding a weight to the kraut is to put water in a plastic bag and set in on top of the open bucket. It forms a tight seal and the water works as a weight.

Dusk in the City

There is only one day left, always starting over: it is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk.~~Jean-Paul Sartre

Last weekend we ventured away from Dalhousie and found ourselves in the city of Moncton. Same sun, same moon, as twilight assended, but from a totally different viewpoint.

Moonlight On Black Duck Lake

“How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank. Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears; soft stillness, and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony.” ~ Wiliam Shakespeare

 

Mesmerising, spellbinding--This was the view from my bedroom window last month during the full moon.

Silence

 See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...we need silence to be able to touch souls.~~ Mother Theresa

Shy moon peeking through the treetops during the middle of the day in silence; unobserved. How many souls will you touch when evening comes?

Chasing the Moon

We took off in the car to chase the moon, watching it peek out at us through tree branches as we searched for the perfect spot, the perfect angle, the perfect view. It tantalized us until we finally pulled over to the side of the road near Big River Bridge to take a few shots.

 Tonight the full moon is the largest it has been in twenty years.