Ok, I’m going to just say it…the title of this post is misleading. Jesse is a fiddler–as in he plays the violin, sometimes in a bluegrass-esque manner. This post isn’t about violin playing, but it is about ukulele playing, and fiddlehead ferns!
Jesse’s new band, “A Few Good Ukes,” played a show this weekend at Nashoba Valley Winery about 45 minutes west of Boston (who knew that there were vineyards in MA). I went, because I’m a good groupie, and hey, what’s not to love about sitting in the sun, drinking home-grown cider and listening to great music. I may have taken about 500 photos, the farm was so picturesque with apple trees blossoming, the sun shining bright and kids everywhere! I’ll spare you all but a few of them below.
“A Few Good Ukes” singing on the left, and then all of the kids at the winery (because I guess kids like wineries too) joining in for You Are My Sunshine. At one point each band member had a kid on their lap helping them play the uke! It was the cutest!
The apple orchard in bloom.
A silly series of J&J photos.
And ferns–I just can’t resist…they’re my favorite plant. I think it’s the symmetry, the color, the simplicity. They’re just so photogenic, don’t you think?
Have you ever eaten fiddleheads? Oddly I haven’t. But it’s the season here in New England and I want to saute them up with butter and garlic! Here are some recipes from Saveur.
And here’s what Maine Cooperative Extension has to say about the edible fiddlehead:
Fiddleheads, an early spring delicacy throughout their range, are the young coiled fronds of the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris). Nearly all ferns have fiddleheads, but those of the ostrich fern are unlike any other. Ostrich fern fiddleheads, which are about an inch in diameter, can be identified by the brown papery scale-like covering on the uncoiled fern, as well as the smooth fern stem, and the deep ”U”-shaped groove on the inside of the fern stem. Look for ostrich ferns emerging in clusters of about three to twelve fiddleheads each on the banks of rivers, streams, and brooks in late April, May, and early June. Make sure that you have landowner permission before harvesting fiddleheads.
I like that last sentence–no fiddlehead stealing! Promise?
xoxo,
Jess
The Sound of Raspberries 