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Meet Beth

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local milk is a journal devoted to home cookery, travel, family, and slow living—to being present & finding sustenance of every kind. It’s about nesting abroad & finding the exotic in the everyday. Most of all it’s about the perfection of imperfections and seeing the beauty of everyday, mundane life.

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A long time ago in a different life (or at least i A long time ago in a different life (or at least it feels that way) I was riding in a car at night with @whereissionnie to meet up with @ruthielindsey and @1924us for bonfires and general cabin shenanigans outside of Nashville. 

I remember the drive so well. It’s a conversation that always stuck with me. We talked about trauma and crisis. And I don’t know much, but I shared the only thing I know, a thing that has served me well through the natural undulations life is bound to bring.

And that is simply sometimes you have to cling to the mast. You aren’t doing anything but surviving but that’s the most important work of all. Because the storm WILL pass. And you‘ll be left standing.

And when it does you can mend the sails. Untangle the ropes. And get on with the business of sailing.

I’ve learned to give myself permission to do nothing but make it through. To sleep a little too late. To dance in front of the mirror and feel myself even when I look ridiculous. To load and unload the dishwasher and allow that to be a great victory. To dress like a cartoon character in nothing but white t-shirts and denim shorts.  To eat mac & cheese from a box and frozen chicken nuggets sometimes. To not respond to text messages. To flail and get back up over and over. To ask for help. A lot.

And also permission to feel it all. Rage. Grief. Joy. Hope and hopelessness. And sometimes all within the span of a few minutes. 

And most of all, whether navigating calm waters or stormy ones, what matters more than anything is the crew you’re doing it with. Surround yourself with solid people.

People that challenge you with compassion. And humor. People whose strengths buttress your weakness. People that don’t judge you. That believe in you even when you think they’re maniacs for doing so.

I know a disproportionate amount of us have had rough seas this year. Cling to the mast in the storm. Choose your crew wisely. No storm ever lasted forever. But there never was a last storm in the world. Accept that they will come and be prepared.

Honeysuckle Lemonade

Libations

06.29.2014

Honeysuckle Foraging

Honeysuckle Mint Lemonade

Honeysuckle Foraging

Sometimes tectonic plates shift in the ether. Sometimes celestial orbs of fire, great, hot and inhospitable, align in deep space. We call them stars. It begins, in this story, on a country rode somewhere outside of Albany, where the honeysuckle that’s already bloomed and fallen in the south still weaves alongside the road. A week later—a week of snap peas in the garden, airports, 1000 photos, rolling pastry crust, the varied terrain of  faces you love, days without sleep, a backyard dinner all Marrakech meets Nashville, and so much work and all of it good—they complete their slow trajectory. The angles are perfect and so perfect. A great softness descends. You give the universe what it’s asked of you for a long time, what you’ve suffered for not giving. And the moment you do it gives you validation. And you know it doesn’t always work this way, and you’re just grateful that just this once it did. It feels like death, the best kind. And then, for a moment that hangs suspended in the air you have electricity, mostly white with shocks of blue, running through your veins instead of slow, warm blood. Your skin shudders and sloughs off. And you experience that delicious faith, amor fati.The pain and frustration and wildflowers all the same—you love them. It can happen somewhere nowhere on I-75 while Dolly sings Jolene. Eternal return.

These great moments happen in the slow moments. In the moments where I find time, despite a marathon of work, to stop by the road for five minutes and clip an armful of honeysuckle. Find time to pluck each bud (it’s tedious but smells wonderful at the very least) with a cup of Earl Grey because I have a thing for bergamot, even though I can never pronounce it correctly. Then, after dinner, laying in bed, I remember that I’ve left the buds, painstakingly gathered, laying on an Edwardian napkin to wilt. So I tiptoe downstairs, boil two cups sugar with two cups water and slice two lemons in the mean time. One handful of flowers, about a cup I reckon, goes into one jar, another  cup in the next. I squeeze the lemon over the flowers, one lemon for each jar. When the syrup comes to a boil, I pour it over the flowers, half in each jar. I give them a stir, cover them, and let them sit out on the counter through the night and on into late morning. Around noon the next day I strain it and find time to make some lemonade for myself and my friends Tara & Percy, a.k.a. the Jersey Ice Cream Co., while we work. It’s simple. And it’s good. You can find the codified recipe for honeysuckle syrup here. But the above instructions will work just fine, and can be made half asleep in the middle of the night, as is evidenced here.

My birthdays are coming up, I turn 31 on the 2nd of July and will be 3 years sober on the 12th. I had an auspicious week. A week where I let go. And this next year will be about quiet creation and small dinners with friends. About seeing how, no matter how insane the external circumstance, the problem and solution ultimately lie in me. My reactions are the only place pain and stress can occur. They are in me, not in the world. I live in light when I choose to. I live in darkness when I choose to. It’s not always an easy choice; it’s easy to get married to the dark. To feel like the dark is just. To feel, in the end, like a victim—be it of an irritating red light or an unhealthy person. But from the little aggravations to the stomach knotting troubles, peace is always in me to find. This year will be serene. Because I choose serenity. Here’s a song for you that makes me feel that.

A few things…if you’ve missed out on passed workshops I have a couple coming up. In July I’ll be teaching photography in upstate New York at Cook n Scribble’s Food Media Boot Camp. Tickets are on sale now.

And if you live on the other side of the world, in case you missed the post announcing it, I’ve teamed up with Luisa Brimble and Rebekka Seale to teach two Slow Living workshops, one in Sydney and one in Melbourne. We’ll be exploring creating content through food, florals, photography, and textiles. You can find tickets here.

A warning: Do your homework before foraging! There are over 180 varieties of Honeysuckle in the world, and some, mostly found in Europe, can be toxic to humans. The varieties found in the North East and South East of the United States are largely edible. I only use the flowers for infusion. But they could be dried for tea as well.

Honeysuckle Syrup

Honeysuckle Mint Lemonade

Honeysuckle Mint Lemonade

Honeysuckle Foraging

 

Print
Honeysuckle Lemonade

Ingredients

  • 1 cup lemon juice, 5-6 lemons
  • 1-1.5 cups honeysuckle syrup
  • 4-5 cups water, to taste
  • ice
  • handful of fresh mint or basil for muddling (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a glass pitcher mix the lemon, syrup, and water. If you like it less tart, add the 5th cup of water. I don't. If you like it sweeter, add more syrup. I like just one cup. Lightly muddle the herbs, if using, in the bottom of the pitcher with a wooden spoon. Add plenty of ice and serve.
3.1
https://localmilkblog.com/2014/06/honeysuckle-lemonade.html

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tags: cordial, easy, honeysuckle, lemonade, mint, perfect lemonade, syrup

40 thoughts on “Honeysuckle Lemonade”

  1. Medha says:
    June 29, 2014 at 5:24 am

    This is lovely! I was just reading a post about savoring each moment. I think it’s so important just to slow down and take a few seconds to appreciate our human experience. I’ve always loved honeysuckle as a scent- it was one of my mother’s favorites and we had fresh honeysuckle on bushes in my yard, but I’ve never had it in food or drink before. Combined with lemonade, it feels like summer!

    Reply
  2. sue obryan says:
    June 29, 2014 at 6:51 am

    Oh my am I ever glad I found your blog (via Manger). It is so beautiful and your writing is unique, personal and poetic. Congratulations and happy birthday . . . I am right there with you in Aug. except 47 years and 9 years. The recipe is also beautiful and looks delicious. More more!!!

    Reply
  3. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says:
    June 29, 2014 at 7:47 am

    This lemonade looks like the perfect summer treat! And I love the flavour 🙂

    Reply
  4. Laurel @ Sweet Laurel says:
    June 29, 2014 at 9:42 am

    My favorite song. Oh, thank you thank you thank you, for the reminder. Holding on as we speak. 🙂

    Reply
  5. ติว gat says:
    June 29, 2014 at 11:08 am

    It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to
    this brilliant blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS
    feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will talk about this website with my Facebook group.

    Chat soon!

    Reply
  6. Kristie@birchandwild.com says:
    June 29, 2014 at 11:50 am

    Gorgeous photos. Stunning really. I love the look of honeysuckle, but I am not sure I can get it in Northern Canada. At least I have never seen honeysuckle anywhere. I will just have to continue to live vicariously through your beautiful photos.

    Reply
  7. Skye says:
    June 29, 2014 at 12:28 pm

    So beautifully written, Beth. And – as ever – stunning photography. I love honeysuckle – I used to pick armfuls of it when I was little and relish sucking the little bit of juice out of the bud… God – 31?! That one is coming for me too soon… I thought that 30 was big enough milestone! Xx

    Reply
  8. sue/the view from great island says:
    June 29, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    I made a honeysuckle iced tea and was amazed at the amount of sweetness that those little blossoms infused into it, what a delicious idea to use them in lemonade!

    Reply
  9. beth says:
    June 29, 2014 at 6:05 pm

    maybe you’ve talked about this before, but i am relatively new to your blog and i wanted to ask what you shoot with? i have been a pentax lover forever, but it’s time to move on and i love your photos so much, that i thought it would be worth asking. thanking you in advance!

    Reply
    1. beth says:
      July 3, 2014 at 12:16 am

      I shoot with a canon 5d mark III w/ a 50mm 1.4 lens…but I think there are lots of wonderful cameras out there and that a good piece of glass is more important than the camera body. You also might be able to find a good deal on a mark II 2nd hand. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  10. phi says:
    June 29, 2014 at 6:13 pm

    serenity is my cup of earl without your honeysuckles but your words. hope you are finding some time to close your eyes and maybe dream about sleep?

    xoxo

    Reply
  11. Resting Roost says:
    June 29, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    That looks delicious! Fragrant and sweet.

    Reply
  12. nichole says:
    June 30, 2014 at 1:14 am

    Your words and photos are succulent. Thank you always for sharing bits and pieces of yourself here with us.

    Reply
  13. cristina says:
    June 30, 2014 at 1:48 am

    your words never fail to move me .

    Reply
  14. Sini | my blue&white kitchen says:
    June 30, 2014 at 3:04 am

    Consciously, I decided not to read this post until Monday morning. Why? Because it’s always good to start the week with a good read. With words that you can think about through the week. I knew I would find them in this post, Beth. And so I did.

    ‘About seeing how, no matter how insane the external circumstance, the problem and solution ultimately lie in me. My reactions are the only place pain and stress can occur. They are in me, not in the world. I live in light when I choose to.’

    Reply
  15. Maja says:
    June 30, 2014 at 4:35 am

    <3

    Reply
  16. Reni says:
    June 30, 2014 at 6:16 pm

    This sounds amazing! I have to try!
    And the pictures are just beautiful.
    the little lion girl

    Reply
  17. Anne says:
    July 1, 2014 at 6:59 am

    That looks absolutely amazing!! I love lemonade and honeysuckle just makes it seem all the more inviting! Beautiful writing also!

    Reply
  18. Francesca says:
    July 1, 2014 at 12:00 pm

    It’s been a while now since my first visit here (visiting your blog has now become a moment of indulgence all for myself!) but I never left a comment.
    Now..I just want you to know I admire you so much and even more after what I’ve read in this beautiful, touching and poetic post .
    Happy Birthday and congratulations for your 3 years.
    Your pictures always amaze me!
    Francesca

    Reply
  19. Alison Dulaney says:
    July 2, 2014 at 12:01 pm

    Beautiful photos and loving the idea of adding something besides jasmine into a tea. I bet this tastes like summer in a gulp.

    Reply
  20. Pingback: Beth Kirby | Logging
  21. Lindsay says:
    July 5, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    This looks so tasty!

    Reply
  22. Pingback: 7 Blogs You Should be Following | Paper and Stitch
  23. Pingback: Limonadă cu flori de caprifoi - KissTheCook
  24. Meg @ Beard and Bonnet says:
    August 7, 2014 at 11:19 am

    This honeysuckle lemonade is simply brilliant! When I was a little girl in Chattanooga my grandparents had a huge honeysuckle bush. We used to pick all of the blossoms run up to the porch and savor every last one of them. Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
  25. MELISSA says:
    August 26, 2014 at 8:03 am

    This is absolutely gorgeous. I found your blog through CookRepublic and added it my list on my website. I love your photos and your writing is lovely. Not to mention the food… Oh, the food.

    Reply
  26. michaela says:
    November 3, 2014 at 9:12 pm

    exactly the quote i needed right now.

    “About seeing how, no matter how insane the external circumstance, the problem and solution ultimately lie in me. “

    Reply
  27. Mary says:
    December 10, 2014 at 3:37 am

    Looks so tatsy… I recommend all of you to see this recipe of lemonald from Tyler Florence:
    foodeaser.com/en/2014/05/28/vodka-lemonade/

    Reply
  28. Mahee Ferlini says:
    December 17, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    This looks delicious. Beautiful photos too!

    Reply
  29. catwelfare society says:
    February 10, 2015 at 12:40 am

    It’s going to be end of mine day, except before end I
    am reading this fantastic paragraph to improve my experience.

    Reply
  30. Pingback: Local Milk | Honeysuckle Lemonade · Genuine View
  31. shelley says:
    March 17, 2015 at 6:29 pm

    such beautiful pictures and style.
    would love to know where your glass pitcher is from. so hard to find a gorgeous one. but you did!!!

    Reply
  32. Pingback: Drink profile | Lemon - Brooklyn LivingBrooklyn Living
  33. Lorilyn says:
    May 6, 2015 at 11:37 am

    I absolutely love your site. Just a question on the honeysuckle recipes. Can you use dried stored honeysuckle to go back and make the syrup the same way as using fresh flowers?

    Reply
    1. beth says:
      May 6, 2015 at 2:03 pm

      I don’t think dried will yield the same flavor, unfortunately!

      Reply
  34. pamela says:
    May 18, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    just always to leave some leaves on that stem when you pick them. they only blossom on the last years growth.. and if you just want some stems in a vase, crush the ends of the stems so they can draw up water

    Reply
  35. Pingback: 1Day1Post #29 – Summer Drinks | Kutch x Couture
  36. Julie says:
    July 30, 2015 at 10:35 am

    Surprisingly. The recipe is too simple to make. Your post always contains nice pictures, easy and healthy recipe. I will follow on you.

    Reply
  37. loanemu says:
    October 10, 2015 at 1:37 pm

    This is one awesome blog post.Thanks Again.

    Reply
  38. dámské brýle says:
    January 2, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    this looks great cant wait for summer..

    Reply

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