The weeks to come

All I have to say about yesterday is this:

Finally! I had almost forgotten what it feels like to go outside in a t-shirt, be glad for the breeze off the ocean, and come in after two hours with a ruddy sunburn. Between the warmth and the lamb and the hot cross buns and the family, it was a pretty unbeatable day. I even got my geraniums planted.

Thank you spring.

It was the kind of day, in fact, that makes me feel like a list—an inspiration list, a happy cooking list—to usher in all the good things that come with sunny, cheerful May. The rhubarb and asparagus are up—here's what I'll be making just as soon as they're big enough for a trim:

—the Rhubarb & Raspberry Crostata from this month's Bon Appétit, but instead of raspberries some of last year's frozen strawberries that we're still going through

—a varation on this with spiced up tomato sauce from the freezer, our own asparagus, and a few of my nieces' eggs

—Crab Louie with our own lettuce & asparagus, farmers' market radishes (in Orleans, it's May 14th!), local eggs, & Maine Jonah crab meat (Alex sells it at his markets and I have recently become completely addicted)

—Brooke Dojny's Skillet Rhubarb-Ginger Chutney for spreading on sandwiches with leftover chicken or pork

—something like this Rhubarb-Cranberry Cobbler with our own rhubarb & the last of last fall's cranberries (I'm thinking either a whole wheat biscuit or this cornmeal variation might be nice)

That's all for now, I think. May the weeks to come keep us well fed, warm, and busy.