Helping the Planet Stay Healthy

It's March and many of us are thinking about enjoying the beach.  All too often what we find on the shoreline is plastic waste:  either left behind by previous visitors or washed up from litter that floats in the ocean.  One of the most common plastic items is plasticware from beach picnics.  Some of that litter doesn't reach the beach.  Divers who have explored Belize's "Blue Hole" have found an enormous amount of litter swirling in its depths.  Consider purchasing bamboo dinnerware and utensils to take with you on outings - then take them back home for your next picnic.  Bamboo is washable and biodegradable, and we'll be raffling a set of bamboo dinnerware at an upcoming meeting!

Ospreys have made a global comeback thanks to human conservation efforts!   Many of us who live near navigable waters are familiar with osprey nests on platforms that also serve as channel markers.  Read how well this has worked to bring ospreys back from the brink of extinction at EarthSky news.

Fresh Vegetables -- Spelled Y-U-M

Keep in mind that grow-your-own veggies will need more washing than the pre-washed ones you get in the store.  A few cleanup procedures before eating will minimize any sand clinging to the vegetable.

Tricks and supplies for cleaning your fresh treasures:

• Soak:  Let gravity do some of the cleaning and soak the vegetable before starting any other cleaning steps. Fill a big bowl with tap water (or filtered from the tap - your preference).  Then let the vegetables soak in the water for 15 minutes, then remove the vegetables from the water.  For sandy leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, mustard, or chard, you may need to repeat this process a few times.  
• Scrub:  Use a vegetable brush on the plant while you rinse it off.  Skip this step if cleaning leafy veggies.  Some stores sell soap formulated to clean vegetables.  If your vegetables are just sandy, it's probably not necessary.  But if you are cooking for someone with an immune deficiency or a small child, you might want to consider this.
• Rinse and drain.
• Prepare.  For the healthiest eating do NOT remove the skins.  They are LOADED with vitamins.  And YES YOU CAN learn  to enjoy this part of the vegetable.  Even carrots in a salad don't look unappetizing if you keep in mind how much the skins benefit YOU!  OK, you can peel your beets and pumpkin, etc... Unless you want to cook your pumpkin pie in a shell...  :)  See "What Part of the Plant are You Eating (and Cooking)" for the "First Pumpkin Pie (sort of)" recipe that makes the shell part of the pie from PBS's Autumwatch series.  Well, I did NOT get my husband to eat the shell, but I DID!!!!

Recipe tips:

Deborah took home a sweet potato, microwaved it, and used it as a healthy snack while she ran errands.  And YES you CAN:  eat the skins, that is.  An average size sweet potato should be microwaved on high for around 5 minutes.  Test it by sticking a fork into the flesh; if it feels moderately soft, it's ready to cool and eat. Remember that the potato will continue to cook AFTER it has been taken out of the microwave. If it's still hard, rotate the potato so the bottom is on the top (to cook it more evenly) give it another minute and test again.

Traditional southern recipes for winter greens (mustard, kale, collards) prepare them by cooking in water and flavoring the "juice" with bacon or salt pork.  As a "northern girl" I prefer to saute them in a vegetable oil (adding a little water to keep them from drying out.  I mix the prepared greens with sauteed sweet onions and a dash of sugar to take away some of the bitter taste.  With strong-flavored mustards I add some sesame oil and mix them into an oriental stir-fry.

Arugula, it's not just for salads!  The peppery taste of arugula can spice up a lot of foods.  Mickey's son added it to pasta, giving this classic dish a savory kick.

Kohlrabi is a popular European vegetable.  Both the stems/leaves and bulbs are edible.  The leaves can be sauteed like winter greens (see above).  The bulb can be cooked in water and prepared like mashed potatoes or soup, or roasted or sauteed and flavored with garlic, Parmesan cheese or herbs.  Young and tender kohlrabi may be eaten raw, without peeling.

A Phenomenon Called The Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse

First Nation's peoples had many names for the first moon in January.  One name we've appropriated is the, "wolf moon."  January is the month the nocturnal wolves howl.  Any moon eclipse makes the moon look red, and that's where the name, "blood moon," comes from.   The "super" refers to the size of the moon in the sky.  The next two months will all feature "super moons."

While Florida was expected to be cloudy on Sunday night, old man winter surprised us with a cold and clear sky, giving us the opportunity to see this phenomenon.  Although some people are disappointed that the moon does not look as dramatic as they expect (certainly not as dramatic as the sun in full solar eclipse), I suggest at the next lunar eclipse (in 2021) they take a few minutes to look at the rest of the sky, feel the change in the atmosphere and wind, and listen to the silence of the nocturnal animals.  Waiting for the solar eclipse gives you the same experience amplified, except the stars aren't particularly bright.

I got up last night just before midnight and hunkered down on the lanai steps.  Even though there was more ambient light than I'd liked, I was still amazed by the stars shining with an ethereal light.  Venus was so blue it almost glowed lavender.  As the constellations floated westward, I felt the wind pick up, tossing the tree branches to and fro - and then stop in a chilly quiet.  That same atmospheric response happened just before the 2017 solar eclipse in South Carolina.  Even the wildlife held its breath.  Before the solar eclipse the birds fell silent.  Before the lunar eclipse the frog's mating calls across the pond diminished then extinguished.  The dim red moon held court, spectators reduced to awed silence.

This morning around 6AM, the triumphant moon, radiating like a prize pearl,  slid below the trees, leaving only Venus basking in the fading glory.

Enjoy photos of the event and learn more about phenomenon called a lunar eclipse and a rare meteorite strike that happened during the event:

• A Meteorite Strike During the Lunar Eclipse - meteorites strike the moon regularly but nobody has ever recorded one striking during a lunar eclipse (11:41PM EST)

• Amazing Photos of the Super Blood Wolf Moon 2019

• Super Blood Wolf Moon of 2019 Thrills Skywatchers

• Why Does a Lunar Eclipse Get Called a Blood Moon - a lotta science, but a few "cusswords" in this factual article

Looking ahead:  January 26 at 9AM in Alpine Groves Park, water from three rivers, brought to the park by their Riverkeepers will be honored in ceremony then returned to their rivers of origin.  After the event, you are welcome to enjoy a tour of Beluthahatchee Park (just across the street) and learn about Stetson Kennedy, his lifelong homestead, and dear friend, Woody Guthrie.  See more info on this event and how you can help your neighbors during the government shutdown at January Items in www.firstcoastflora.info.