The day was wearing on… another long day after a series of long days. And it was somehow already suppertime and I had no idea what was in the cards for my family’s supper. Fortunately, the garden had me covered. After convincing my hot, bothered, and tired children that a trip to the garden was necessary, our first stop was the blueberry patch. Fresh blueberries have a way of ironing out any wrinkles. And to take the edge off of our hunger, allowing us to think about what was next on the shopping list. In a sense, we indulged in dessert first… I mean, why not? As we moved through the garden, a little nibble here, another nibble there,  our harried mission to procure supper slowed down. We all found ourselves laughing, smiling. Grumpy mama saw the bigger picture and realized that a mostly foraged supper is ok. The garden was filling us with more than just food. We were being filled with a sustenance far beyond mere calories. The evening light, the subtle breeze, the vivid colors, the earth between our toes, the first bats to take flight for the evening… all these things added to our gourmet meal experience. While I did manage to cook a simple meal (including these very potatoes) when we returned from the garden, I probably wouldn’t have had to. The kids had plucked what they wanted and needed from the garden’s many offerings and showed little interest in eating any more. For my own sake, however, I relished the potatoes fried in butter, red peppers, garlic and onions and sprinkled with fresh minced hot peppers. And the fresh mozzarella and basil salad. (My delusion is that I’m doing all of this stuff for my family… truth be told, I cooked that meal for my own taste buds. Ahem.) And now the house is still and quiet. In the darkness outside, I only hear the cacophony of toads, crickets, and katydids. My sweet family is resting with bellies and hearts filled to the brim. Whew. I’ve pulled it off again, just barely. Another day, another supper, another bedtime. There’s no way I could have done it alone… thank you, lovely garden, for lending me a much needed hand.