bubbling brew

It has been a very long time. The summer for me is a very active time, a time when much of my creative work is expressed more bodily through my work growing and making food. During the fall my work with deafblind students ate up a lot of my energy as the school year began. And now I feel the chill of winter begin to descend. I am certainly an animal who hibernates. In the cold months I slow down and rest. With that rest comes reflection, time, and the words slowly begin to trickle again just below the surface.

In the time away from writing I have experimented with many other food crafts. I continue to bake but have also tried pickling and other lacto-fermentation methods, assorted food preserving methods, brewing mead and ancient beers, and cheese making. All of these foods share one thing in common – certain unseen forces make the food possible. Microorganisms fervently living and working away at their small lives gives each of these foods their character and taste. Indeed participating in these foods is quite a magical experience – I am not necessary. I set up conditions and then the rest is done by small but powerful energies in the universe that just so happen to make something quite delicious. I am lucky and thankful.

I have found much inspiration from my experiences brewing. Of late I have done some reading not only about how to brew, but also the ancient methods, beliefs, rituals, and purposes for brewing. Every part of the process is paired by an understanding of a spiritual presence. The magic of bubbling brew and the beauties of intoxication are believed to be truly mystical and divine. This has excited within me a desire to seek out the magical experiences that are rife in the every day. Everywhere bubbles the presence of unseen forces.

I would like to write more specifics about this idea later. But, as I restart my rhythms of writing I will leave it here and continue these thoughts in another piece. Till then…