Last week I had a Birthday! I am a proud dreamy, sensitive, emotional, and creative Pisces. In following my astrological sign through the years, one of the things I’ve learned is that some Pisces carry their hardships in their feet. Pisces are fish and they have no tootsies! So that makes perfect sense, right?
There are medieval correspondences between star signs and the human body starting with Aries at the forehead and go right down to Pisces at the feet. Ancient medical astrologers would deal with a problem in a particular part of the body by first identifying the associated sign/planet.
In the study of zodiac signs, each sign has internal, external and structural rulerships. Internally, Pisces rules the lymphatic system, synovial fluids (what are those you ask? I asked too! Google said those are the fluids in our joints that reduce friction in our cartilage,) and functions of the glands in general. Externally, it rules the feet and toes, and structurally the bones of the feet.
Every year I travel to India with my friend Bryn and she has graciously learned to tolerate my whining about walking barefoot through temples and always having to leave my shoes as we walk through sacred dust and murky holy waters. She's gotten really good at looking out for me and checking in with me and my little toes even when we're not in India. I sent her a link to a building that I hope to move into this month, Savoy Park, in Central Harlem. She sent me back a picture of this plaque! It's on the grounds of the original Savoy Ballroom - a famous ballroom where the dance floor was integrated with blacks and whites dancing together for the first time in history! The plaque on the grounds commemorating this historic site calls the Savoy the Home Of Happy Feet! I'm taking this as a good sign! Thanks Brynnie, for looking out for my tootsies, once again!
As I take off my slippers and crawl into bed each night I say aloud, “Thank you feet for being my feet.” I love my feet. My feet have made quite a few appearances in All Good Things through the years. They carry me everywhere and are literally the foundation of every move I make. So I take great care of them. I get regular pedicures, massages, and reflexology treatments. Last December I increased my self care by finally going to a podiatrist. How have I never done that before?! (Those are my bones down there in that X-ray! Creepy and cool at the same time.)
As I enter my 46th year of life I want to think about taking baby steps. There is no hurry. No need to make great strides. I’ll get there. I want to think about putting my best foot forward. Am I giving my all? Am I arriving on time? Am I smiling? Am I showing up with an intention? (This is my biggest fail - I oftentimes just show up and forget that intention makes the entrance.)
Henry David Thoreau said, "As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives." So every step I take is an opportunity to be mindful and present as I put one foot in front of the other. I’m leaving an impression and clearing a path for others to follow. This is no small feat for my feet!
No, I’m not cooking fish this week, or pigs’ feet... I came across this two ingredient magic trick from my favorite kitchen inspiration Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. I followed in Heidi's footsteps who followed the lead of Amanda Cohen of Dirt Candy. Thank you ladies for clearing the path to this magical treat! I put a little ‘spring in the step’ of winter citrus by making their candied oranges. Get yourself a candy thermometer and make these easy little lollipops!
Two Ingredient Candied Citrus Pops by Heidi Swanson
30 small-medium citrus segments
(mandarin, orange, grapefruit, blood orange, etc.)1 cup granulated sugar
Place a piece of heavy styrofoam or floral foam on a platter or counter top to hold the skewers upright.
Push a bamboo skewer through each citrus segment. Pour the sugar and 1 cup of water into a small-medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. heat the mixture, without stirring, over medium-high heat until it turns light brown and registers at least 275°F on a candy thermometer. Let the mixture go a bit darker if you prefer a stronger caramel-molasses flavor. Resist stirring.
Very carefully dip each citrus segment into the hot syrup, coating thoroughly. The syrup will burn you on contact, so be extra careful and deliberate here. Repeat with the remaining skewers, sticking each skewer into the foam upright to allow to dry, forming a hard shell.
Makes 30.
Adapted from Amanda Cohen's Candied Grapefruit Pops recipe in Cherry Bombe: The Cookbook by Kerry Diamond & Claudia Wu, (Clarkson Potter 2017)
PREP TIME: 5 MIN - COOK TIME: 10 MIN
PS - if that recipe seems overwhelming, that's ok. Break up this chocolate and serve it with plain peeled oranges and call it dessert. Everyone will love it and feel like they're eating fancy chocolate AND making a healthy dessert choice.
