Scenic Idaho #6

A Frosty Morning in Southern Idaho

© 2007 SegoLily

Seasons

Autumn leaves on house lined streets – reds, yellows, and oranges swirling on a blacktop pond. Chilly air makes them dance in a whirlwind up towards a grey sky, then floats them back to the turbulent surface, bidding their branches goodbye. Bursts of color share garden space with limp plants who give way to the cold. Though soon, the mums, roses, and Michelmas daisy, will fade into lonely shades of frostbitten black – barely distinguishable from the bleak sky above. The plants will wither into the frozen ground under a bed of white snow; some are eased into a peaceful slumber while others receive a quiet death, never to return or grow. Birch, maples, aspens, and oaks are dropping their lovely cloaks; becoming skeletons for a winter graveyard – forlorn, bitter, and cold.

Yet still, the Golden-crowned Kinglet sings, eating red berries off an evergreen. Bulbs underground receive a trickle of water – nursing them for a sunny splendor. Perennials lay low for now, but oh the show they have in store. And the trees again, will don their cloaks with trinkets of flowers and seed pods galore. A time of rebirth comes year after year in a cycle of the seasons. And even in the coldest winter, life beats still and warm – and nature fills the land with beauty in various dazzling forms.

© 2007 SegoLily

Scenic Idaho #4

South Hills

What are you doing to reduce your ecological footprint? What has worked for you in encouraging others to make more eco-conscious choices? What can we do in our own hometowns – what services can we provide? And last, what more can we ask of ourselves? Click here to read the original article and join the discussion!

Non-Idahoans! Click here to see why this site is for everyone!

© 2007 SegoLily

Eat With the Seasons!

Fall has arrived and so has the harvest. If you've ever considered trying to eat seasonally, the bounty of fall offers an excellent opportunity to begin. Eating with the seasons is an easy way to support local farmers, reduce food miles (miles traveled from field to plate - fewer miles equals fewer harmful emissions released into the atmosphere and fewer fossil fuels consumed), eat food at its peak nutrition and taste, and an excellent way to vary one's diet, among other things. Seasonal eating keeps us in touch with the natural transitions of the earth's movement through the galaxy. Like pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, seasonal eating can comfort us by knowing that each season brings back familiar foods that have come to symbolize that time of year. Just because we can get fresh spring and summer produce year round, doesn't mean it's an ethically responsible decision. Now is the time to change the way we think about food. Include some seasonal fair in your next meal!

Here is a list of fall's bounty. A good opportunity to taste something new and learn some new recipes. It is encouraged to buy local and organic when available.

Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflowers
Celeriac
Celery
Chard
Fennel
Kale
Leeks
Onions
Peppers
Chilies
Potatoes
Pumpkins
Squashes
Spinach
Sweet Corn
Tomatoes
Turnips
Zucchini
Blackberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Apples
Pears
Plums

Do you grow any of these?

Do you try to eat with the seasons? Would you want to? Take the polls in the right-hand column and see how others are responding.

© 2007 SegoLily

Join the Discussion!

Beautiful Southern Idaho

The South Hills

The idea for this blog came to me in a second of brilliance (well at least I saw the brilliance in it). Now I've decided to run with it. The vision isn't entirely clear, but I know it includes these main points:



Community

Sustainability

Green-Living

A Love of Idaho's Landscape

Outdoor Recreation in Idaho

Idaho's Current Events

Issues Facing Idaho

Supporting Local Businesses, Farmers, Dairymen, and Ranchers

Sustainable Eating

Events for Local Gatherings

Open Discussion About All of the Above



An integral part of all of this is YOU! Join me in discovering all that Southern Idaho has to offer and learn what we can offer in return to our towns and the land.



Please join the discussion by leaving comments at the end of each post. I'd be happy to listen to any suggestions you may have to offer - it's all about community.



By the way, this post is for non - Idahoans as well. Feel free to talk about the above listed subjects that make your town the wonderful place it is. What's your town doing towards sustainability, protecting the natural world, and eating locally? What outdoor activities does your state have to offer? What are you doing to leave a smaller ecological footprint? Join the discussion!

© 2007 SegoLily