Bountiful Gifts On My Doorstep

November Morning

by Evaleen Stein

A tingling, misty marvel

Blew hither in the night,

And now the little peach-trees

Are clasped in frozen light.

Upon the apple branches

An icy film is caught,

With trailing threads of gossamer

In pearly patterns wrought.
The autumn sun, in wonder,
Is gayly peering through
This silver tissued network
Across the frosty blue.
The weather vane is fire tipped,
The honeysuckle shows
A dazzling icy splendor,
And crystal is the rose.
Around the eaves are fringes
Of icicles that seem,
To mock the summer rainbows
With many colored gleam.
Along the walk, the pebbles
Are each a precious stone;
The grass is tasseled hoarfrost,
The clover jewel sown.
Such sparkle, sparkle, sparkle
Fills all the frosty air,
Oh, can it be that darkness
Is ever anywhere!


A few weeks ago, I wrote about Dandelion Organic Delivery, an organic fruit and vegetable delivery service in my community.  I am pleased to announce that after growing my own vegetables from spring to fall, I have rekindled my affair with Dandelion Organic.


My bin of goodies is faithfully delivered to my doorstep every other Tuesday.  Each delivery is different.  There is a newsletter on the top that includes the bin contents and recipes.  This week the bin included Gala Apples, Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Kiwis, Braising Mix, Bunched Carrots, Purple Kale, Yukon Potatoes, Leek, Parsnips, Cauliflower, Pie Pumpkin, and Avocado.  The crops are farm-direct, local or northwest grown. 


My excitement grows each time I put my old bin on the front doorstep and wait for my new bin to arrive.  I  take it into the house and set it on the counter, pausing for a moment to take a deep breath and then slowly remove the lid.  The silence is deafening.  The suspense is culinary madness!  It is almost as if something magical is about to happen or something unbelievable is going to appear out of nowhere.  My heart races with overwhelming delight as my eyes gleam over the beautiful splendor before me.  Oh, the opportunities that await my needy and demanding taste buds!


As I mentioned before, one of the best things about this is the way I am forced to step outside my routine and try new flavors.  Perhaps, take a risk that broadens my culinary scope.  Learning about food and preparation is of special interest to me and I welcome the challenge that waits for me on my doorstep.  Someone asked me once if I get through my bin in two weeks and use all the contents.  My answer is yes, and my secret is to make something 'freezable" in order to do it.  It is irritating to me to see food wasted.  I support composting, but like many people, my life is hectic and I just don't have time to do it.  If I can make a soup or prep a side dish, it is really a shortcut. It eliminates food waste and contributes to my success with getting healthy meals to the table for my family after a long day at work. Not to mention, when the weather gets poor, it is comforting to me to know that I have a freezer with something good in it.


If you are interested in your own goodie bin, research organic suppliers in your area.  If you live in Whatcom County, you can contact Dandelion Organic Delivery at www.dandelionorganic.com or by phone at 360-933-1130 and tell them you heard it here!  You won't be disappointed.  And while you are doing your research, I am going to be dreaming about my Thanksgiving bin!
 The picture portrays actual bin contents in the exact way it was delivered to me.  There were no changes made to the appearance of the contents.  I did, however, remove the flyer so I could capture the "moment" and share it with you.