new moon
I've been working on a short story to publish here, the tree witch. I wrote the bulk of it about a month ago and picked tomorrow's new moon as a sort of deadline for editing. I have walking, painting, and trivia to keep me busy then so I'm writing my notice now, the night before, but won't actually be posting until tomorrow, well after the moon is peak new.
This morning we went out walking. We passed one man and his dog. I didn't catch a look at his face but wondered if there are birders for dog walkers. My attention was drawn more to the leaves.
I can identify fewer trees than birds, which isn't that many. I found berries in the backyard when we got home and checked a field guide for identification wondering if they were more fodder to forage. The closest I found were cherries full of cyanide. I tasted half of one and it was so bitter my stomach turned without even swallowing a bit of it. I flipped by the page on witch hazel and finally thought to read its entry, which mentions an unusual fall blossoming. There was an article in the newspaper this spring about their showy display going on at the local arboretums, now that seems like the oddity.
The guide also discourages its use as a reference for edible plants. I had already eaten the acorns before thinking to look them up so I technically didn't violate its advice. I think they're from a bur oak given the hats they were wearing. I had leftover acorns, a quarter of an onion, and half a block of tofu in the fridge and chili powder and a can of tomatoes in the pantry, which I fried and stewed with a potato for dinner tonight.