Today by Billy Collins
If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze
that it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house
and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,
a day when the cool brick paths
and the garden bursting with peonies
seemed so etched in sunlight
that you felt like taking
a hammer to the glass paperweight
on the living room end table,
releasing the inhabitants
from their snow-covered cottage
so they could walk out,
holding hands and squinting
into this larger dome of blue and white,
well, today is just that kind of day.
While summer in Montana is often heralded as the premier season, there’s a rawness in springtime that simply cannot be beat. If you’ve been on retreat at the Feathered Pipe Ranch in May or June, you’ve surely received a dose of that magic Montana springtime- sunny and warm one day, perhaps cold and raining the next. I started this blog post as a love letter to spring. I was trying to describe just how much I love it; indeed, you can be skiing powder in the backcountry or mountain biking through fields of green, possibly on the same day. Indeed, you can jump into a lake of snowmelt, crisp and cool, and feel the sun hit your face when you get out. And you can inhale deeply and fill your lungs with the scent of fresh pine and dew, lupine and balsamroot. Yes, these are some of the many reasons I have a paramount love for spring.
But my love for it goes deeper, so I’ll relate it to something Sam & I love dearly. In backcountry skiing, there is always a threat of an avalanche. Each year, under gloomy skies and freezing temperatures the snowpack builds and settles, creating distinct layers. Some are weak, some are strong. When a slab of snow sits atop a weak layer, and enough pressure is put onto it, the slab can shear off to create an avalanche. But something happens in the springtime, with warming daytime temperatures and sunshine. The snowpack becomes more cohesive through a series of freeze-thaw cycles, creating better bonding between layers and decreasing the overall likelihood of an avalanche.
In short, springtime brings strength, stability, and cohesion to the mountains. Playfulness abounds, the creeks start swelling with fresh flowing water, and we can ski to our heart’s desire. Come May, we too are like the snowpack and new grass shoots; strong, stable, tender, and full of life. And I think that’s where my love for Spring really begins. As the flowers begin to bloom and the buds on the trees grow ever larger, I start looking back on the strength and stability that I’ve gained over the past winter. My muscles are stronger after months of playing on snow-capped peaks, and my mind is stronger, too. Spring is the season of renewal, and I’m here for it.
So in honor of my favorite season, I figured I would share one of my favorite springtime-inspired sweet treats. The lemon brings a pop of brightness, the earl grey a little bit of bold bitterness, and the lavender and vanilla bean round it out with a gentle and mellow sweetness. In like a lion, out like a lamb… This recipe comes together so easily and it’s perfect as a snack on any backcountry outing when you’re in need of a little boost to reach the next summit!
Earl Grey, Lemon & Lavender cookies
Makes 19 cookies
Ingredients:
— 270 g all purpose flour
— 1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea
— 1/2 teaspoon finely ground lavender
— 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
— 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
— 2 teaspoon high quality lemon extract
— 250 g granulated sugar or cane sugar
— 227 g butter, softened (salted or unsalted is fine)
— 1 large egg
— 2 teaspoons high quality vanilla extract plus beans from 1/2 a vanilla bean pod
— 1 teaspoon lemon zest
— Pinch of salt
Recipe:
— Mix flour, earl grey loose leaf, lavender, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
— In stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add egg, lemon extract (can add optional extra 1 teaspoon for a stronger lemon flavor, or 1 tablespoon lemon zest can be used in place of lemon extract as well) and vanilla extract.
— Gradually add dry ingredients and continue beating on low for 30 seconds.
— Bake at 350F for 8-11 minutes or until cookies are just golden brown.