A Tree for Our Zen Garden, Arugula Pasta, and Matcha

The matcha green tea powder I picked up in New Haven this weekend

We had a break in the rain yesterday afternoon, so I flew into the garden and got some work done. Planted another perennial and a bunch of impatiens in the flower bed and did some work on the entrance of the house. The Tibetan wind chimes came down (for now), and a conical, willow hanging basket went up. I composted some potted basil that rotted in all this rain, and planted a scented geranium my mom gave me. I gave a few of the perennial flowers a good feeding. The garlic is doing great.

A couple of weeks of cold and rain has cursed us with a shorter growing season, but blessed us with amazing lettuces, chard, spinach, parsley, kale, and arugula. Today’s lunch is whole wheat angel hair pasta with garlic, olive oil, and fresh arugula and Italian parsley from the garden. Garden food is the best. There’s never enough arugula. Toss some garden-fresh arugula into pasta after it’s been cooked, drained, and prepared. Arugula softens quickly in heat, but by using it this way (raw), it still has fresh crunch and retains its amazing spicy flavor.

Scored some organic, raw matcha green tea powder in New Haven this weekend. An expensive, ceremonial-grade matcha that was worth the price. I’m deep into matcha lattes lately. Hong Kong Grocery on Whitney Avenue is a good resource for Chinese pantry products and teas. Also, Oriental Pantry on Orange Street is a small but popular grocery with a good supply of teas.

The sun is out today! But I have to work indoors. Boo.

My birthday is three days away. My husband is giving me a green Japanese maple for our Zen garden. I love a tree as a gift: it lives and gives as long as I live and beyond. My mom is delivering an indoor, Zen-style water fountain that I found on Etsy. The photo of it (from the Etsy site) is above.

Don’t think I don’t realize how lucky I am.

Live in peace.