Look, it's spring. Covid-19 can't stop the unfurling of what's probably my favorite season of the year, although fall does have its merits, even here in the South. So I left my condo on Daniel Island today, because it's difficult to stay inside when the natural world is bursting with life, oblivious of human concerns.

Pulling on my togs and heavy duty sneakers, I ventured out, with extreme caution of course, to find something fresh for my pantry, and if lucky, score some tp too. I scanned the aisles of a nearby Publix, some decimated but many not, and found slender stalks of springtime asparagus on sale for half the price I normally see. I grabbed a bunch and headed home.

With plenty of time to play in the kitchen, here's what I did with these beauties. But not before I stepped outside and walked a while--oyster shell-strewn trails surround the island-- inhaling the briny breeze off the Wando River, and stretching my hamstrings in a favorite spot overlooking marsh where egrets and marsh hawks patrol, and signs have sprouted up, warning that here, alligators may live. A few of the things I feel lucky to have in my life.

After a little research, I found a recipe online that satisfied my criteria: a pasta dish that was super comforting, incorporated a hunk of gruyere cheese leftover in my fridge, would not require baking (it’s 80 degrees here), and of course, showcased the lovely asparagus I’d brought home. I adapted Martha Stewart’s Cheesy Asparagus Pasta, substituting what I had on hand for a few of her ingredients. It gave me a fun project to play with, and the results were amazing! Thanks, Martha xo