Home Made Ginger Ale

 

Ginger root chlorine free water love.

Hidden potion store caught by iphone.

You might call it a subconscious selfie.

Aging women duck posing sans lipstick. 

Are you also obsessed with jihadist poison?

Epicurious ginger beer recipe soothes souls.

The root is poverty, shame, and gnarly inside.

Eating slowly they say coke dissolves a penny.

But not ginger beer secured in ancient bottles.

Probiotic magically changes like our prayers.

Chanting joy in my garden heals the earth.

Rain feeds wildflowers up in the canyon.

Have a sip and sing to overcome hate.

Caroline Gerardo copyright © April 11, 2016  Home Made Ginger Ale Poem

House Burning

Burning

Wild chicken dance.

Maui feral birds, aren't edible, neighbor speechless mess. 

Arms flap she's at my door running in circles, "house burning!"

Put down panel of glass loading in the rental.

Thick green liquid is about to go in the trunk. 

Grab tool box, "here's a crow bar, come on."

Doors locked while bacon and eggs tremble.

Fire alarm shrieks from inside the kitchen.  

Flames belly dance out of pots on the stove.

All dam doors, garage and windows secure. 

Pound out the hinge pins from patio door. 

From the plastic chair I fail without anger.

"Call 911!" I tell her. 

Eggs invisible from the outside. 

Fumes fill house, mourning doves scatter.

My iphone4 is in my car two doors down.

I smash laundry room window with the pry bar.

Icy pieces of safety glass clang. Metal scrapes the window clean.

Reach, unlock the door, sirens approach. 

Inside smoky dark I locate a fire hydrant. 

A small hand held method to end danger.

Loud male voices shout,"Who is inside?"

"Me." I'm coughing."We got it from here."

 Neighbor stands under pink blooming tree.

Dancing and muttering, "house burning."  

"No everything is okay," I say. We hug.

I pick up two of the flowers from the ground

crushed by the boots of handsome firemen, hand her one.

Perfume carried in my pocket today.

"Thanks," I say. I'm late, appointment.

 Hustle the windows for glazing repair.

Will I love neighbors when I move? 

House built of kindness and compost

Creosote rail road tie in summer sun,

community tar hangs on my day. 

Caroline Gerardo copyright April 1 2016

Not April fools - this was my morning 

Peony

Peonies Poem

Sweet peas open over hillsides of the dump.

A closed landfill, named for a historic battle 

where Natives buried unaccounted.

Methane feeds flowers, glory sunset, 

launching torches of perfume.

Peonies are my 'besties;  

I've rose patents

certificate Master Gardener, 

but children won't listen

when I strum Richie Blackmore.

Peonies don't care for heavy metal.

Farmer's Almanac spouts herbaceous  

require certain cool nature.

My parents were screamers.

Never hit mine. 

My knee required stitches, 

after two weeks 

dentist said, 

"OOH, too late for pediatrician,

sewing was needed."

Wounds heal with care - not time.  

Treasures prefer relaxing Epsom baths.

Ghosts jump from 

blue plastic tarps brittle, pillows

and bobs needing recycling.

I worked, planned, cried, 

worked planned

did I do enough 

by myself?

Peonies 

Please

tell 

them

your

secrets.

Caroline Gerardo copyright 3/28/2016 Peony Poem

Avocado Salad To Die For

I wrote before about my vegan daughter and meat eating son.

My son surprised visited home for Easter Weekend, but flew

home before dinner.

Saturday night I prepared this easy healthy yummy salad 

that is vegan.

Ingredients:

3 fresh corn husks

*2 fresh great tomatoes

*1 red bell pepper

1 can black organic beans

*half a red onion

*2 cloves garlic

3 limes

salt pepper paprika to taste

if you like it hotter a sprinkle of red pepper

*1/2 cup cilantro

teaspoon of great virgin olive oil

3 ripe avocados

Remove husks of corn

Snap in half and cover in pot of water. 

Boil corn for 3 minutes. Allow to cool in the water.

Chop all the * ingredients 

Combine in bowl

Do not cut - save the avocados until right before serving

smash and chop garlic  and cilantro very fine

Zest of one lime on top,

Juice and squeeze out every drop of lime juice into the mixture

Add light salt and pepper - light and check it later before serving

1/4 teaspoon sugar 

Drain the beans and rise in cold water - toss them in whole

Cut the corn off the cob and that goes in the bowl as well

Stir and cover - at least 2 hours but overnight is better

refrigerate the chopped salad

Right before you serve cut the avocados in half, remove pit

and slice

Add a teaspoon of olive oil on top.

Stir taste for salt, pepper sour... maybe add red chili pepper if you like

Can be served on top of bowl of torn greens as the most healthy salad.

I use mustard, kale and romaine as the base. If you are trying this on 

pciky eaters use milder butter lettuce 

Salad greens mixture should be 1/3 of the whole - or in other words

each bite should have two pieces of avocado and yummy veggies

The creamy avocados make this luxurious.

My children never leave left overs. 

Pico de gallo and guacamole flavors will start your party!

I served this Easter afternoon. My son was still eating a bowl

on the way to the airport. His comment:

"I'm sad that TSA doesn't allow food in the Airport. I think if I let

them have a taste they will let me bring it in?" 

Natural Organic Easter Eggs

Organic Easter Egg Dyes from

turmeric, nasturtium, lavender, borage, 

celery leaves and fever-few

all edible flowers and plant material

Cut flowers from garden.

Put a teaspoon of vinegar into each color bowl

I used a mortar and pestle but you could just cut up and smash

Add flowers into vinegar and tablespoon warm water

Paint or soak boiled eggs with the colors and have fun

Okay some of my Easter eggs are great but the lavender ones look grey, and paprika turns out ugly

My children are college age but they still like a little holiday fun