midwinter gardening

As the chilliest-days-of-the-year bright sun shines in and the snow crunches beneath our feet, we decided to do a little indoor gardening.

With the help of some terracotta friends, we planted chia seeds, and crossed our fingers. Maybe it's the sun or the watering or the teal-colored thumbs, but we haven't always had the best of luck with chia seeds and indoor gardening. But this time, on these terracotta holders, they seemed to take really well.

In the process, we learned that chia comes from from the Nahuatl word china, which means "oily". Chiapas, the Mexican state, actually derived its name from "chia water or water". They are super healthy - containing lots of protein (lots of which is ALA), dietary fiber, phytochemicals, essential minerals and even a tiny bit of potassium. I'm swapping some out for the hemp seeds I usually put in my morning granola. Topped with the sour cherries I canned last summer. Oh my.

And these little gardens of green are such a sweet spot in the chill and white of winter. Someone I know can't wait to give them a haircut.