Taking a Vacation from the Micro

A few days ago we headed off island to join a celebration for a friend's birthday. It was the first time we, as a family, went back to the city since we sold our house there. It was a strange feeling to be "back" where we used to live, but have no touchstone, no home base. At first, I was nervous, would the conversations be forced and awkward with friends we had not seen in months? Would I be able to talk about something other than farming? (Is there anything other than farming?) Would G & F find some city manners, and adjust to the hustle and bustle they had not visited since September?

The party turned out to be great. Seeing old friends was just the shot in the arm we needed. We shared "farm tales" with friends who then wanted to sign up to come out and help us. We laughed at their hectic, frenetic lives and how they manage to keep all their balls in the air. G & F quickly found their peeps and invented game after game in between happily eating food that is so far away from farm cooking it seemed like a vacation. All of this got me to thinking as we rode the ferry back to our little bubble of civilization. Maybe we could extend our vacation just one more day.

The next morning we hooked the kids up for a playdate with their Omi, while Toby set to work doing chores and I got in the ferry line off the island. I was armed with five Asian cook books a few shopping bags, and determined to buy up the makings for an Asian feast. We have eaten so close to home ever since we moved to the island, partly to keep within our new tight budget, partly because we can get such wonderful food straight from our own land. I felt like we could all use a trip away from our 10-mile diet and enjoy a vacation on our dinner plate.

A few hours later, I had bags bursting with all kinds of treasures from fresh Jujubes to pork belly, lacquered duck and Sechuan peppercorns. My head was filled with all the advice I received from proud merchants excited to see a tall out-of-place white chick looking to make a good meal. On my way out of the ID I grabbed a jasmine bubble tea with tapioca hopped in my yummy smelling car and headed for the ferry.

Back on the island we put in a team effort with friends to construct a feast of Cashew shrimp, Snow peas with fresh water chestnuts, Braised tofu with pork and mushrooms, Gai lan in ginger sauce, Pork belly with cabbage, and Crab in chile sauce.
We ate until we were stuffed, and the kids were running wild. We drank the wrong wine, and didn't care; we were on vacation from the norm.

At night's end we were sated and home again, on Vashon, with a list of farm chores longer than our arms. But just that little break, the different smells, tastes, techniques, and people, helped me return to my responsibilities on the farm with a renewed energy. It is so wonderful to live on an island that is just as far away from things as we want and need it to be.