Thirty is the New Sixteen

For the last several weeks I’ve been feeling like adulthood is hard.   More than once I’ve fantasied about being 16 again, carefree and under supervision.

Over the weekend I found the cure to being happy with 30; twelve hours with eight teenagers over three days.

I spent the weekend in West Virginia choreographing a modern dance piece on Trillium Performing Youth, a great group of sweet, quick-learning, intelligent teens.  But teens nonetheless and I was reminded that 16 is no easier than any other age, in fact it might be harder.   30 is starting to look better and better…;)

In addition to many hours of dancing and choreographing I got to stay the night on the farm I was raised.

And dig sweet potatoes!

These babies were massive!

I can’t wait to bake ’em up.

My papa also had a bumper crop of Butternut squash this year, one of my favorite.

 

And Sunchokes/Jerusalem Artichokes.

 

Have you ever cooked with or eaten these flowering tubers?

It’s part of the sunflower family, has long stalks, yellow flowers, and it’s roots are yummy!  Think of the sunchoke as the baby of a potato and an artichoke; earthy, grassy, and starchy.  I plan to roast some and make a soup with the rest.

Speaking of roasting roots and boiling soups, it’s cold and wet in Central Virginia, time to dig out the hat and gloves!