Category: Articles

Eating Holly Leaf Cherry Kernels

August 3rd, 2022

In commercial agriculture, we love cherries for their sweet fruit and discard the pits. However, when it comes to wild cherries—those who naturally have less fleshy fruits and much, much larger pits, the tables have turned. Besides acorns, the kernels (the seed inside the pit) of holly leaf cherry (Prunus ilicifolia), were one of the most important sources of food for the native people of Southern California. Despite containing prussic acid, it can be safely enjoyed when leached properly.

But what’s the big deal about prussic acid? This compound is a type of hydrocyanic acid that is metabolized by the body into cyanide, which is toxic to most animals including humans. Consequences of eating too much of this compound is severe and deadly. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include headache, nausea, vomiting, fast heartrate and shortness of breath. As a side note, prussic acid and amygdalin are compounds in cherry bark that is used medicinally to ease coughs and as a sedative. When cooking the kernels, you’ll notice a fragrant almond or marizpan aroma emanating from your cooking water. This is the prussic acid. Sounds a bit scary and daunting, no?

Sounds a bit scary and daunting, no?

Many other foods commonly eaten must be properly cooked first in order to render them safe to eat. For example, if we do not cook potatoes, lima and kidney beans, many wild mushrooms, cassava, eggplant, elderberries, acorns and of course most all raw meats, can be toxic.

Cooking plants that are inedible when raw has increased the number of species (and nutrients) we can utilize from our environment—contributed to the survival of our species when other foods were less readily available.

Ready to try holly leaf cherry kernels? Let’s do it.

Identification

Holly leaf cherry (Prunus ilicifolia) and its relative Catalina cherry (Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii) are evergreen shrubs native to the west coast chaparral regions, especially north facing slopes, from Mendocino County, California to Baja California, Mexico and east into the Mojave desert. Their white flowers appear in late spring with round, reddish fruit ripening during the later summer months. Their plump fruits are deceiving as they are mostly seed and very little fruit. But, pop one in your mouth and chew off the sweet flesh for a tasty treat and spit out the pit. They often fruit in abundance if you get to them before the birds and coyotes do (you’ll see mounds of the naked seeds left behind on the trails as they have passed through the digestive system of the animal intact).

Processing

After you’ve collected a good amount of fruits, say a small bucketful (ensuring that you leave plenty for the wildlife to eat—this is a crucial time for critters to find fruits that offer much needed hydration during the driest part of the year), give them a quick rinse to remove any dirt and debris, discarding any that have been already gnawed on or infected with bugs.

I’ve tried plenty of different methods of removing the fruit and none of them are incredibly effective. Best tool are your hands. Peel the fruits by slicing the skin with your fingernail (for efficiency… if you’d rather use a knife, go for it, but you’ll much prefer using your fingernail after cherry number three) and working off the skin. The fruit sticks readily to the pit so I just do my best using my fingers to scrape it off and into a bowl.

Note on using holly leaf cherry fruit: Separating the fruit is arduous. The fruit doesn’t fall off the pit like commercial cherries. It’s not fun, it’s a mess. Unfortunately, I find them to have some bitterness in large quantities like when I’ve tried to make a sorbet, ice cream, jam, sauce, etc… you have to add a ton of sugar to attempt to balance it out. And I don’t like adding sugar. They may do better cooked down. But anyways, we’re talking about the kernels here.

A few hours later, you now have a bowl full of holly leaf cherry pits. Awesome. Well done. Now we have to crack those shells and remove the kernels. Wait, what? Yep, let’s get back at it.

I find it best to rinse off the pits and clean them briefly of any remaining fruits. Keeps them from slipping around when you crack them. I use a heavy duty stone molcajete to just tap the shells which usually crack nicely right along the seam where the two halves meet. Pick out the kernel, again with your fingernail, or a walnut pick can work too. Sometimes a second crack with the stone is needed to dislodge the kernel.

Now, a few more hours later, you have an even smaller bowl full of kernels. Excellent! Now, using that molcajete, smash and grind the kernels into a pulp. This helps to more effectively extract all of those hydrocyanic acids once in the water—and yes, make the job of straining and changing the water even more difficult if they had been left whole. Easy peasy, right? No, don’t answer that.

Add your ground cherry kernels to a pot full of water. Bring to a boil and soon your kitchen will smell delightfully of marzipan and almonds. Again, that is the cyanide being released. Boil for around 15 minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer (I like the stainless steel coffee strainers) to separate the liquid. Discard the liquid and return the pulp to the pot with clean water. Bring to a boil and repeat the process. After the second boiling, taste the kernel pulp and it should no longer be bitter. And its totally okay, you can be surprised at how pleasant it tastes.

Now the fun part! (Wait, we haven’t been having fun all along?!) At this point you can decide how you want to use your holly leaf kernel pulp. It can be eaten as is, kinda like a porridge… add some honey, spices, throw in some of that cherry pulp you have left over. Tasty. Or, you can dehydrate the pulp and grind it into a fine flour to use anywhere you’d use a nut flour (like almond.. which technically, is pretty similar). I’ve made cookies, pie crusts, cakes, breads, crackers (yeah, you can try savory too!)… so many uses. It stores well for at least a year or more.

California bay nut chocolate and holly leaf cherry kernel pie

Have you tried cherry kernels? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear how others use this tasty food.
Prickly Pear Succulent Salad

July 2nd, 2022

…& Prickly Pear Margarita!

The most commonly eaten cactus worldwide is the prickly pear (all Opuntia species are edible, though some are tastier than others). It is both a fruit and a vegetable. This cactus is widely abundant in many geographic areas, though they prefer arid regions like Southern California.

This popular plant is enjoyed and cultivated worldwide but can still be found growing abundantly in the wild. You may even have some already growing in your own backyard or in your neighborhood (be sure to ask permission to harvest if they are growing on property you don’t own).

Some folks are turned off by the cactus’s characteristic “slime.” While there are ways to combat this to make it a more texturally appealing meal, it is good to keep in mind that this is where all of the beneficial components are found and cooking heat will degrade those nutrients.

Health Benefits

There are plenty of reasons to go to all the trouble to harvest such a hostile plant. This cactus is hailed for its excellent and well-documented health-improving qualities such as high vitamin, antioxidant and mineral content including calcium, magnesium and potassium. The green pads (nopales) contain compounds that fight inflammation, high cholesterol, obesity and even combat hangovers—so don’t feel too guilty making the Prickly Pear Margarita recipe below. They also contain about 90% water.

How to Harvest

Using leather gloves, a bucket and metal tongs, collect new-growth pads that are about the size of your palm. Beware that even though the young pads will lack the larger and more obvious thorns, they still have tiny hair-like spines called glochids that are difficult to see and are very irritating once they’re in your skin. Use the tongs to grab and twist the pad off of the supporting segment. If they do not separate easily, the pads are likely too mature to eat. Once in the kitchen, carefully scrape the spines off each side and trim along the outer edge. Once you carefully rinse the pad, it is ready to use in any recipe.

Prickly pear fruits are similar in their harvest. Collect them with tongs and, using gloves, slice off each end and peel the fruit. The leftover skins can be dehydrated and powdered. To make juice, place the fruits into a fruit press and strain the resulting juice with a very fine mesh sieve or coffee filter.

Succulent Salad with Cilantro Lime Cream and Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette

The seasonal foraged salad can be made from ingredients you foraged yourself, or from a more urban foraging: at the farmers’ markets. Purslane, wild greens (or mixed greens) and jicama can all be found during the summer months at local markets.

For the Salad:

Salad Ingredients:
2 prickly pear pad (nopal)
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup purslane leaves
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 cup chopped kale or other wild greens
1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded jicama
Cilantro Lime Cream see recipe below
Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette see recipe below

To prepare the prickly pear leaf, see above How to Harvest, then dice into small bite sized pieces and toss with two teaspoons of salt and let rest for 10 minutes in a bowl. Rinse thoroughly and drain in a colander.

Combine rinsed prickly pear with remaining ingredients and drizzle with Cilantro Lime Cream and Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette and serve immediately. Raw prickly pear does not store well and should be consumed the same day it is prepared.

Cilantro Lime Cream

1 avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
Zest of 1 lime and juice
1/4 cup water
Salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and adjust flavors to your preference.

Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette

1/2 cup hemp seed or cashew
1 shallot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup prickly pear juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and adjust flavors to your preference.

Prickly Pear Margarita

Salt & prickly pear fruit powder mixture*
1 1/2 oz tequila or mezcal
1 oz triple sec
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz prickly pear syrup**

If you have a juicer, you can make this cocktail with a little advance planning. Save and dehydrate the skins and pulp of some prickly pear fruits and then powder them in a high-speed blender. You can also make your own prickly pear syrup by combining 1 cup of juice and 1 cup of sugar. Simmer until the sugar is combined with the juice.

Wet the rim of a glass by running a lime wedge around the edge. Sprinkle the salt and prickly pear fruit powder on a flat surface and rotate the rim of the glass in the mixture so that the rim is lightly coated. Add ice cubes to the glass.

Combine the tequila, triple sec, lime juice and prickly pear syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously to combine thoroughly, then strain into glass. Garnish with a slice of lime.
Wildly Sweet & Savory: The Prickly Pear

June 9th, 2022
(Originally published in Edible Ojai & Ventura County, Summer 2022)

The most commonly eaten cactus worldwide is the prickly pear (all Opuntia species are edible, though some are tastier than others) and is both a fruit and a vegetable. This cactus is widely abundant though they prefer arid regions like Southern California. Because of this plant’s popularity, they are enjoyed and cultivated worldwide but are also found growing abundantly in the wild . You may even have some already growing in your own backyard or in your neighborhood (be sure to ask permission if they are growing on property you don’t own). Some folks are turned off by the cactus’ characteristic “slime.” While there are ways to combat this to make it a more texturally appealing meal, keep in mind that this is where all of the beneficial components are found and heat will degrade them.

Health Benefits: There are plenty of reasons to go to all the trouble to harvest such a hostile plant. This cactus is hailed for its excellent and well-researched health improving qualities such as antioxidants and high vitamin and mineral content such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. The green pads contain compounds that fight inflammation, high cholesterol, obesity and even combat hangovers—so don’t feel too guilty making the Prickly Pear Margarita recipe below. They also contain about 90% water.

How to Harvest: Using leather gloves, a bucket and metal tongs, collect new-growth pads that are about the size of your palm. Beware that even though the young pads will lack the larger and more obvious thorns, they still have tiny hair-like spines called glochids that are difficult to see and are very irritating once they’re in your skin. Use the tongs to grab and twist the pad off of the supporting segment. If they do not separate easily, the pads are likely too mature to eat. Once in the kitchen, carefully scrape the spines off each side and trim along the outer edge. Carefully rinse the pad and it is ready to use in your recipe.

Prickly pear fruits are similar in their harvest. Collect them with tongs and using gloves, slice off each end and peel the fruit. The left over skins can be dehydrated and powdered. To make juice, place the fruits into a fruit press and strain the resulting juice with a very fine mesh sieve or coffee filter.

See recipes below.

Prickly Pear Margarita:

Salt & prickly pear fruit powder mixture*
1 1/2 oz tequila or mezcal
1 oz triple sec
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 oz prickly pear syrup**

*Prickly pear fruit powder can be made easily by dehydrating and powdering left over skins and pulp of the prickly pear fruit after juicing.
- Purchase or make your own prickly pear syrup by combining 1 cup of juice to 1 cup of sugar and simmering just until the sugar is combined with the juice.
Wet the rim of the glass by running a lime wedge around the edge. Sprinkle the salt and prickly pear fruit powder on a flat surface and rotate the rim of the glass in the mixture so that the rim is lightly coated. Add ice cubes to the glass.
Combine the tequila, triple sec, lime juice and prickly pear syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously to combine thoroughly then strain into glass. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Succulent Salad with Creamy Cilantro Lime and Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette

Serves 2

Salad Ingredients:
2 prickly pear pad (nopal)
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup purslane leaves
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 cup chopped kale or other wild greens
1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded jicama
Cilantro Lime Cream see recipe below
Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette see recipe below

To prepare the prickly pear leaf, see above How to Harvest, then dice into small bite sized pieces and toss with two teaspoons of salt and let rest for 10 minutes in a bowl. Rinse thoroughly and drain in a colander.

Combine rinsed prickly pear with remaining ingredients and drizzle with Cilantro Lime Cream and Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette and serve immediately. Raw prickly pear does not store well and should be consumed the same day it is prepared.

Cilantro Lime Cream

1 avocado
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 cloves garlic
Zest of 1 lime and juice
1/4 cup water
Salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and adjust flavors to your preference.

Creamy Prickly Pear Vinaigrette

1/2 cup hemp seed or cashew
1 shallot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup prickly pear juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and adjust flavors to your preference.

Join me in the spring to learn about foraging cacti and all the best and tastiest Sonoran desert foods with The Wild Path School. Visit TheWildPath.org for more details and registration.
Rise of the Pandemic Era Forager

May 12th, 2022

(Originally published in Spring 2022 issue of Edible Ojai & Ventura County)
By Jess Starwood

Once an outright necessity of humankind, foraging for one’s sustenance in the wild had taken a backseat to the commercial food system, fading into obscurity and lingering only in stories of past generations—all in favor of that which is fast, aesthetic and convenient. Food has become safe, predictable, and mundane for the past hundred years. For most, if you are hungry, an easy meal is never too far away.

However, with a worldwide pandemic suggesting the very real possibility of empty food shelves in addition to entire populations quarantining without much to do, folks quickly found themselves curious about how to feed themselves if the system really did shut down. For most, it was the first time they had been confronted with an empty food shelf or the near-catastrophic shutdown of the restaurant industry. Food needed to be found. Many turned to gardening, others turned to foraging. These uncertain times prompted the biggest surge of interest in foraging during modern times. Sprinkle in an dose of dopamine for instant social-media fame by posting tidbits of regurgitated factoids sidled up to a snapshot of a funky mushroom and you’ve got yourself a recipe for the latest and hottest trend circling the internet of young adults showing off their newfound hobby. Hungry not just for backyard weeds and fungi, but also for those likes, follows, and shares for their latest “discovery.”

These nascent foragers are just far enough removed from earlier generations to not be able to learn about these modest traditions of everyday life from their elders that may have harvested huckleberries and hunted morels—surprisingly, all without today’s digital fanfare. Rather, these modern foragers are garnering their knowledge (and fame) from the visually flashy video clips paired with catchy tunes on TikTok and other platforms, soaking up the sound bites and passing them on to the next follower.

With renewed interest for the little bit of nature we have left around us, are these hoards of freshly minted foragers trampling about in the woods picking every fruit, berry and mushroom in their path causing harm to the environment? Or is this practice cultivating a new perspective on how, in dire times (which we are not out of the woods from yet) that we may someday need to rely on in this fragile and shrinking natural world around us? It just as well may be opening eyes to how destructive our blind consumerist habits have been on these rich and diverse wild communities that were once seen as “empty space.” Research has shown that once people understand nature has personal value and have developed a relationship with it, they become invested in its future and see it as something worth saving.

Foraging comes at a time when a relief from the fast-paced, manufactured, ready-made virtual landscape is needed most. While the pandemic brought people outdoors, it also brought us deeper into the digital realm more than ever before as the world embraced a new way to connect in all facets of our daily lives. It’s no wonder people found respite in a walk in the woods. Finding your own food in the wild requires a much slower gait than the typical Trader Joe’s run. Foraging gets our hands dirty. It’s tactile and ever-changing. Predictable, yet often surprising, it fosters a study of nuances and opportunity. Foraging requires a discernment between that which is edible or poisonous and a real-life investigation of its growing conditions. Nothing is neatly trimmed, cleaned and packaged—just raw, natural and untamed.

Will foraging replace commercialized and ready-made foods? Most likely not. The work that goes into collecting, processing and preparing a completely wild food diet is time consuming in a modern society known best for its insatiable desire for instant gratification. But by honoring the practice for what it is and using it as a catalyst for reconnection with ourselves and the fragile yet resilient natural world around us, foraging can help people to balance the fast paced virtual landscape that is slowly taking over our lives. Modern day foraging cultivates a sense of wonder and discovery in a familiar yet strangely unfamiliar world that we live in. Will it last into the post-pandemic years? Possibly—especially as growing populations continue to increase and dwindling food choices are available, wild foods will continue to have an appeal. Will the wilds be overrun with the latest wave of social media fame-seekers trampling the fragile wildflowers and digging up native species just to make a few bucks or even more valuable—likes, shares and follows? While it may be a passing fad for some, but for others, this newly established connection with the environment will give reason to protect, support and honor the valuable land that we live in for generations to come.

—Jess Starwood
Sonoran Desert Granola

March 24th, 2022

With coconut yogurt, western redbud and manzanita flowers

After harvesting the various desert fruits and seeds throughout the year, it has become time to clear out the pantry in preparation for the next season of harvest. The base of this granola is made with raw sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat groats which are light and airy but give a satisfying crunch. These were a key gluten free staple back in my raw vegan days and still keep their place on the shelf.

Desert Fruits: Featured here are the iconic prickly pear and saguaro cactus fruits (dehydrated and ground pulp), wolfberries, and elderberries. Other berries such as hack berry would also be a great addition, but last year I ate them all fresh and didn’t save any. Saguaro had an excellent year so I have tons of dried fruit and the seeds are abundant, so I used quite a bit here.

Desert Seeds: From barrel cactus seeds to saguaro seeds and of course one of my favorites, ironwood beans, all ended up in this granola. The ironwood beans have better flavor when toasted, so I roasted them briefly in an iron skillet… ironic, for ironwood, right? Plus, a little bit of mesquite bean flour for that nutty sweetness.

Making granola is usually very intuitive for me so it all depends on what you have on hand and ingredients can be substituted easily. Don’t have wolfberries? Easy, they are a close relative to the commercially available goji berries. Used all your elderberries for syrup over the winter? No worries, dried blueberries can be a stand-in. The seeds can also be swapped for any of your typically available or locally foraged seeds if you enjoy their flavor. Here’s my generic recipe to get you started:

SONORAN GRANOLA

Ingredients
3 parts buckwheat groats
1/2 part elderberries
1/2 part wolfberries
1/4 part barrel cactus seeds
1/4 part saguaro seeds & fruit powder
1/4 part ironwood beans, toasted
1/8 part mesquite powder
1/8 part prickly pear powder
1/8 part agave or maple syrup
Sea salt to taste

Sprout the buckwheat groats by soaking in three times the amount of filtered or spring water to cover. Allow to absorb the water, adding more if necessary to keep covered. Soak for 4-6 hours. Rinse very thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread onto dehydrator sheets and dehydrate just until dry. An oven on its lowest setting also works well.

Enjoy on top of yogurt, ice cream, acai, and more!
Baja Botanical Expedition & Adventure 2021

November 14th, 2021

Seven days in Baja California Sur exploring edible, medicinal, endemic and rare plants of the region. But not hesitating to stop for waterfalls, hot springs and natural pools. A photo review.

All images subject to copyright, Jess Starwood 2021.
Edges. An Alaskan Journey.

July 28th, 2021

As I start to wrap up my fifth summer of solo travels, I can’t help but look back on the journey so far. Five years ago I hopped in my Subaru and explored through all the western states, traveling alone for the first time in my life. It was eye opening and life-changing, which led to more and more adventures and stories to tell. (Have I told you about that time with the bear..?)

This summer I was ready to push myself a little bit more and the solitude of Alaska was calling (but was hard pressed to actually find much of that). I had originally planned to rent a Jeep and take ten days to trek up and back down the Dalton Highway just to dip my toes in the Arctic Ocean, and maybe a few nights backpacking in the Gates of the Arctic NP. But with the car rental shortage issue I wasn’t able to make it happen this time, so I had to come up with some other plans.

My mom was not too thrilled with my choice of adventure this year and was convinced that I would be eaten by a grizzly bear (by the way, I felt waaaaay safer in Alaska than I ever do in California). Even though I have no problem traveling alone in the wilderness and taking care of myself, I realize there are still so many more of my personal edges to push. I ran up against one of those edges I just couldn’t cross this time around. One of my biggest fears is flying and it took 15 years to overcome just to get on a commercial flight.
In a moment of courage, I booked the last spot for a flight on a float plane that left at 5:45am the next morning to Kenai peninsula to watch and photograph bears feeding on salmon in the river. However, the weather turned bad within those later hours and the pilot canceled the flight. Disappointed I headed back north hoping the weather there was better before it was time to go home. It came highly recommended to do a flight seeing tour of Denali on a small plane and my adventurous spirit was ready to take on the challenge especially with my fancy new camera lens in hand. But, my mind had too much time to overthink it and couldn’t make it happen.

If we could do it all in one fell swoop, life wouldn’t be that exciting. Leave a little something for the next time.

Denali National Park

Exit Glacier Hike

Northwestern Glacier/Fjords Wildlife Tour

All photos copyright Jess Starwood 2021.
The Shaman

April 9th, 2021

The shaman put the blindfold over my eyes. Lying on my back, I was instructed to let out a slow deep breath, and then another. Silence settled in, filling every pocket of space around me and I noticed the rhythm of my heartbeat. As the shaman began to shake the rattle nearly at the same pace as the internal metronome, I felt a pinched muscle in my neck from the angle of the pillow behind my head, but thought it would be disrupting to move.

I don’t quite recall exactly how I found myself making an appointment with the shaman and showing up at her secluded home in a remote woodland canyon, but I had come to the end of a long journey and I was desperate for answers that I didn’t have the courage to speak for myself.

I was ready for death. The death of a path that I had completed and which no longer served my soul’s journey in this life. I also wanted answers—I wanted to know that there was something worth the pain and anguish that was waiting for me on the other side. I wanted to be assured that there in fact was life after this impending death.

The rattle was getting louder and accompanied by a second, followed by incoherent words and phrases that were quietly, then loudly chanted. Rather than dropping into a dream-like state as I was lightly instructed to allow, I became hyper focused on the pinch in my neck that was worsening by the second. The stabbing pain was all I could feel or think about—I wished for the session to end but it was to last for at least one hour, or maybe more.

I wanted so badly to move. Even just to shift slightly. But I was immobilized by the fear of interrupting the healer in the middle of her trance state. I wished for death rather than to speak up. I instructed myself to focus on the rhythm of the rattle and drift off, but to no avail. After an excruciating hour the shaman was finished and the rattles came to a stop, the room fell silent once again. Finally, I shifted and stretched my neck, finding immediate relief, but the horror of having wasted hundreds of dollars for an uncomfortable hour-long neck ache. As the shaman came to, I could see a bit of surprise in her face at my swift alertness and she asked about the visions I saw. I had spent the entire time focusing on and fretting about my pain that I missed the experience completely. I said I couldn’t remember. She recounted the visions that came to her during the session—something abstract about a tiger, a butterfly, and a flowing river.

My frustrations escalated as I quietly gathered my belongings and thanked her before leaving for the long drive home to the life I was trying to escape from. It was many years later that I realized that the lesson I received was profound even though I didn’t have the sort of mystical experience I was expecting. Countless times in my life I have not spoken up when put into an uncomfortable situation, more worried about the other person’s feelings than my own well-being. It cost me my entire past life, rather than a few moments of discomfort for someone else. I missed out on the experience at hand while being preoccupied and trapped in the uncomfortable situation because I couldn’t speak up. This lesson brought an awareness of my patterns of a lifetime of self-betrayal.

Is it more important to be liked so as not to disrupt the other person, or to speak your truth even if it pushes others away? Being alone isn’t all that frightening—I’ve known loneliness my whole life and haven’t died of it just yet. I’d rather form deep relationships around honesty and truth instead of superficial niceties just because that’s what “we’re supposed to do.” I have found that I’m certainly not everyone’s cup of tea and that is okay, not everyone is meant to. I do things a bit differently and I continue to walk in two very different worlds. Being a good human is more than being only good to everyone else—I have to be good and honest with myself too. However, there is always still more work to be done.
The Guardians of Mojave

March 16th, 2021

Thank you to the desert for this short story.

“The Guardians”

The sun lingered, still bright and glaring in the late afternoon yet dipping down past the ridge line of the western bluffs. To the east, the shadows of the cholla and dried shrubs began stretching across the rugged canyon. Dusk was still a few hours out. Methodically, I set up camp for the night, in mid wood chopping, I paused. The doves softly cooed in the distance. The muted whisper of the wind through the blades of the nearby yucca. A smile a thousand miles wide spread across my face—there it was, the absence of human sound. No background whir of freeway traffic, no lawnmowers or leaf blowers, or barking dogs. The city was long gone. Only the occasional distant yips and song of coyote punctuated the aural landscape. That was what I came here for.

As the last orange rays of light evaporated from the canyon floor, leaving behind a blanket of violet and and indigo hues, I saw their shadowed figures standing motionless in the distance. Huddled together, they conversed about the stranger who had arrived. Whispering to each other, they were curious, but kept their distance and watched me as I started a small campfire. As I warmed my hands I returned their gaze. Soon the cold evening winds picked up—ushering me to seek warmth inside the shelter of my camper instead. I doused the remaining embers and closed up camp, but not without bidding goodnight to the figures who contentedly kept watch through the dark hours under a moonless star-studded sky.

I was awoken by the far off yips of the coyotes deeper in the canyon and the faintest glimmer of a fast approaching morning peeking in through the east facing window. Who would pass up a desert sunrise if they have the chance? What starts as a slow burning ember along the horizon, explodes into a roaring wildfire of colors stretching madly across the sky.

Edging open the door, bracing myself for that blast of crisp desert morning wind, I saw what I expected but no less filled with awe as if it were the first I had ever witnessed. I took it all in. As the light seeped into the desert, first among the neighboring ragged cliffs and then into the crevices between the cacti and dusty rocks, there they were. Huddled again, the shadowed figures casting sideways glances likely wondering if I had made it through the night. I poured myself a cup of tea, and through the rising steam I greeted them and thanked them for allowing a stranger to share their company for the night.