Mostly we can not see the sky directly, and pre-judge the fairness of the day by the quality of the light, the intensity and color. Today has been a rainy day, quiet thunder and steady drizzle sounding on the roof. Already the bright, enthusiastic young greens of spring are languishing, fading into the mature, solid greens of early summer, coloring the muted light that filters through the canopy to our cozy cabin in the woods.

Such days often seem to call out for a hearty stew or soup, and today is no exception. The children will not be home until late, and will have worked up an increase in their already healthy appetites. It is still too early for much help from our youthful garden and we still are relying on much of what we put away last season. Some frozen vegetables, quart jars of stewed tomatoes, the worthy produce of last summer's bounty, sustaining us until the current crops play out their life cycle for us to preserve, closing the circle.

Surveying the fridge, I find some chunks of venison and some mixed vegetables, and a few leftover butter beans, remnants of previous nights, and a fourth of a store bought cabbage, a refugee from the weekend's cole slaw. Roughly chopping the cabbage, I throw it into a stockpot and cover it with the jar of tomatoes and just a bit of water to thin. After it boils, softens and thickens a bit, I'll throw in the leftovers and once they are heated up perhaps a few wild greens, fresh and damp - gathered just outside, now that the rain has let up.

This minestrone served with some homemade bread, still crusty from yesterday's baking, and mugs of fresh cow's milk should sustain my little family until breakfast.

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