SaltAir

Put an egg on it

Rolling up to my home spot, it just hit me, how I would be able to explain this thing I wanted to say. Like a bee stinging me, but not with hurt, on a beautiful spring day.

I just drove from the lush California north. Walking with my dear friend among the red woods, and awesome country homes with big nature space, I felt inspired. Everything is springing with life and magnificence. The ions were a vibing. You smelled it in the sweetness of the air. So when I arrived at home, I was surprised that my garden was still a few weeks behind. Where the wisteria is blooming with essence up north, mine still pregnant with buds. I have been wondering why my warm garden further south is still so far behind my neighbors, and also now behind my up north plant friends 5+ hours away. Do not get me wrong, Im not disappointed, I was delighted by the “about to burst’ sensation every one of my plant friends were giving off. Its more of a curiosity, but this is the thing; Ive been thinking about the future. I think about the dreamy bigger kitchen space. The bigger garden and my lady hens cruising the land. The outdoor kitchen, fireside meals, and cooking school out back I so deeply desire. I see it all so clearly. Its so easy to get caught up in this “wanting more” mindset. The “why cant I have it when I want it?” mindset. The bigger work space, the man of my dreams, and so on, mind set. One cant help to wonder about the sister path. What if I was loved differently by her. What If I felt unconditional love all my life? Who would I be if I learned to surf as a child? You aught to know, I would still have the big house, land, and garden if I stayed with him. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t whine like this in my mind often, but I have to admit that I do this a little bit. Do you?

Whining and wishing my life to be different is not comfortable for me. It feels like walking backwards on a trail. We do not get a map. We do not get what we want, when we want it. Well, maybe sometimes, and a few do, but my experience has been a bit of getting burned so that I can understand fire. I have become resilient because my father died when I was young. I learned self love through multiple experiences of abandonment. I everyday become a better parent because of my own experience of being a child. I learned to be strong, because quite frankly I had no choice. A binary of ordinary and extraordinary. I’m sure you have your story and understand. I personally would not change a thing.

What I now know is currently a physical manifestation in my garden. A deep knowing, that we are all going to be ok. A couple weeks late, years and years of sacrifices made, and several steps back, when we aught to be more forward. It all does not matter. Here in the now, we are going to be ok. The flowers will bloom when they are ready. The flower seed is beautiful even in the darkness, deep and buried in the earth, pregnant with possibility, because it just is. You cant wake up if you don’t fall asleep.

Put an egg on it.. is something I learned young. If you don’t have food in the fridge for dinner, no problem. Make fried eggs on rice. As a child, I ate in with ketchup. A banana sliced, and neatly placed back into its banana shape on the side. Sounds weird I know, but it was delicious and my home. This is what I ate when there wasn’t a plan or anything else around. I never minded it, I loved it. Grateful for the eggs. Eating this meal, having the eggs, everything was going to be ok; I have what I need.

There’s s all this talk about superfoods. Eggs are my superfood. If I need some power or life-force, I fry up some eggs. If i'm in a pinch, and don't have a dinner prepped for my boys, eggs it is.. What makes that warm bowl of Ramen epic? The egg.

Healthy chickens = Quality eggs. Having a chicken coop would be the ideal, but purchasing fresh farm eggs is a wonderful option. At the market, I would recommend cage free, pasture raised eggs. Yup those free rangers are the call.

Eggs are a complete protein and are nutrient dense. Eggs help your "good cholesterol" and are heart healthy. I love eggs because they make me feel satiated, and give me great energy. You know, nature's "life force".

My favorite egg method is the perfect fried egg. First, please invest in a quality cast iron pan. Get it blazing hot. Hit it up with coconut oil, and add the eggs. Immediately begin to pull away the whites from the yolk using a silicone spatula. Be careful to not disturb or puncture the yolk. That would be upsetting. I like to use a baking silicone spatula for this, but whatever, a spoon does the job. Use what you've got. Add salt and pepper letting those edges get crispy. Look for when the whites of the eggs near the yolk turn opaque. You ought to know when they are perfectly done, and if not, you will figure out the perfection in no time. We are looking for runny yolks and cooked whites with crispy edges. Scrape the eggs off the pan with a metal spatula. One or two passes, and they are free for you to add to whatever your heart pleasures. Fried eggs on rice is a great meal in a pinch, a latch key kids soul food. Fried eggs on top or for your dipping pleasure, breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

In gratitude we can enjoy the simple things just the way we are. Exactly here and now. Fresh with life. Like a bee sting without the hurt.

And in a pinch, put an egg on it.

thank you for reading my words and my run on sentences.

-unknown artist