Gifts from the desert

 

 

"O for a beaker full of the warm south!" 
John Keats, Ode to a Nightingale

A welcome gift this dark time of year-- my sister in La Vegas sent pomegranates from her backyard tree, a generous gift. Mailing anything is so darn expensive! But these homegrown fruits are much superior to those from the grocery store.  

I once made a balsamic salad with yams, pomegranate and carmelized shallots, which was perfect for Thanksgiving. We're slowly gearing up for the holidays. Wasn't it just Christmas a couple months ago?

In other news, you've heard me moaning about being one of those unlucky people who always gets a strong reaction to immunizations. I had the flu shot yesterday, and surprise, nothing! Not even a sore arm. The only effect was sleeping for 8 restful hours. My upper limit is 7.  Maybe I should get a flu shot more often. 

Speaking of flu, apparently a nasty new variant popped up this summer after the vaccine was formulated, and they don't expect the shot to be very effective. Still, any protection is better than none. Eat healthy fruit.