An Auspicious Day

About a week ago, we experienced a very auspicious day in terms of growing and gathering our own food.

I rose early and, finding conditions perfect for the first time in weeks, went down to the beach to fish. Within 15 minutes, I’d landed our first salmon of the season. I continued fishing, in case I could catch one or two others, but I’d met my main goal, a good-sized fish for that evening’s dinner. I caught and released several good dinner fish, settling on my original salmon, a small Dolly Varden that seemed just right to pan fry for breakfast, and a herring, a gift for our cat, Spice.

Meanwhile, Michelle harvested our garden’s first strawberries. She’d seen that they were ripe the night before, and bravely left them to the mercies of the voles and squirrels overnight. The gamble paid off—she lost one berry to garden raiders, but had a nice bowlful for breakfast. We enjoyed them with the Dolly and eggs, and coffee or tea according to one’s preference.

Later, acting on the “feeling” I get that it’s the right kind of day for it, I scanned the hill above the outhouse. I found a cracked place in the hillside duff that looked promising. Probing with my fingers, and excavating a little bit, I unearthed a nice, fat king bolete mushroom, the first we’ve seen this year.

All of these riches came just in time, as the day was Aly’s 19th birthday. We feasted on home grown and gathered delicacies throughout the day in celebration.

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