eating what is around us

we are not eager meat eaters. we are sometimes too sensitive about an animal we don't know to feel completely at ease nourishing ourselves with it. there are of course exceptions, occasions and kinds of hunger and in this case it was a gift. a friend with a good eye, a soft heart and a good many friends gifted us a hefty portion of elk meat she got from last fall's hunt.

this gesture is slightly foreign to me- to load oneself with loud and sharp and bring home food in the clearing. but in other ways it is honest and humble and it is truly unusual to be so touched by every part of the animal's life, departure and presentation in one meal. this is a feeling i get also when the gifts of salmon and halibut are stacked carefully in the freezer. friends returning from the coast up north, friends whose boats tilted in breezes and swells and who hauled up, with sweat and jaw set, animals that feed their close families. we ration this kind of food, save it for evenings when we can sit quietly before it, spend time in the kitchen paying close attention, and making all gestures rituals before eating.

this morning, through previously uncharted territory, we had elk steak and eggs for breakfast. it was a good start to a day with a long walk and a big moon on the rise. everyone was grateful. dogs included.