I woke up and thought to myself yesterday… is there a full moon soon? I’ve had the weirdest thing happen. Not weird, actually… just inconvenient.

Some back-story that no one asked for… I really, really enjoy keeping my car clean. Well, the outside, anyway. My dad was meticulous about washing and keeping cars clean, as is my stepdad, so it just kind of took when I got my first nicer car. It’s never really been a problem, except when I’d go to the beach and the birds by the brush/woods would target the chrome accents on my Jeep like a B29 Superfortress, canvassing it in bird waste, and then smearing it everywhere as they tried to fight their own reflection like a total weirdo. I was excited that my newest car is blacked out and without any chrome…. a first-world problem now eliminated, right?

WRONG.

I back my car into the same spot every day, and behind it is this little wood-post fence, and some bucolic tall grass and wildflowers that sway in the breeze. I hear the birds chirping, and smile – how lovely!

I return from the car wash, having mooched the codes my stepdad gets every week from his own washes. All is right in the world, my car is mirror-shiny and sexy. Until I hear a chaotic tapping the moment I shut my car off. What’s in my trunk? Did I leave an animal back there? Surely Sydney’d make a bigger sound if that was a thing? Did I inherit a rodent from someone and forget?

WRONG, AGAIN!

Some weird bird has taken a liking to throwing himself into my trunk, pooping himself in his state of fury. This bird is really trying to do something too, because he’s used his beak to help smear bird poo into my car. Why? Why do you want that, bird? Am I being punished by nature for wasting precious water keeping this car too clean? Am I being punished for being a stickler about this particular parking spot, so now nature wants to rebel against me? Probably. I have no idea.

I did buy a plastic horned owl, hoping to deter these pesky flying potatoes from wanting to get near my car. So far it hasn’t stopped them. Could I move? Sure. I will not be bullied by a half-ounce song sparrow, though. I’ve tried to smack him away, but he’s too fast. I’ve considered other methods of elimination, but everything I think of is either frowned upon, or not nice…. so I can’t do them. It wouldn’t be very Snow-White of me. Not very yoga of me to disrupt nature, either.

I was trying to remember the point of this story… but I think this may be beyond what the full moon can be responsible for. This is the last super moon of 2021, and it’s in Capricorn – so emotions are heightened and confidence is at an all time high. Actually, this explains this bird’s beef with a 2-ton vehicle… very ballsy. This bird’s about to @#%& around and find out.

Carrying on the carrot theme here with a delicious take on a local restaurant’s soup I enjoyed last Friday! I was hoping to not tag Sovana Bistro in a post alongside my vendetta with a bird, but I guess that’s life… highs and lows, right? Anyway, this soup is delicious – theirs was flavorful, refreshing, and… VEGAN! Had a punch to it with some kimchi. I got so much of it, I had to take it home. Then, I left it out all night and had to pitch it 😦

From that, I decided to recreate my own version to pay homage to one of my favorite restaurants that’s now open again. This version may have a bit of creative license used, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Cheers to a more peaceful Full Moon evening.

Coconut Carrot Soup with Kimchi, Lime and Chili Oil (Paleo, Vegan!)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 8-10 large carrots, rinsed, stems removed (peeled if the skin has blemishes), and cut into ~2 inch pieces
• 1 small onion, cut into 1-2 inch pieces (no need to dice!)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 tsp red curry powder
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt, to taste (I likely used ~1 tsp in total)
• ~1 cup kimchi, finely chopped (can vary depending how much garnish you’re serving with each helping)
• chopped cilantro, for garnish
• optional: chili oil, for garnish

Directions

1. Add your carrots, onion, ginger,  1/2 tsp curry powder and garlic to a stockpot, covering with your vegetable broth, over medium high heat. Sprinkle with salt to impart some flavor into the vegetables. Add more broth, if necessary to cover. Bring to a low boil, and cover.
2. Simmer your carrots until tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. They should be somewhat fork-tender. Remove from heat and drain, reserving your vegetable broth to the side.
3. In a blender, add your vegetables, your remaining 1/2 tsp of curry powder and your coconut milk. Blend until smooth (remember to be careful – hot stuff expands in a contained blender!)
4. Once pureed, return to your mix to your pot, allowing the flavors to meld.
5. If the soup is too thick, use your leftover vegetable broth, adding 1/4 cup at a time to achieve desired thickness. Since it’s summer, I don’t like this as thick as, say, a pumpkin bisque, so I like to thin it out just a bit. Once you achieve your desired thickness, check for salt needed. I don’t do this until after, because adding the vegetable broth adds hidden sodium flavor.
6. Allow to simmer for another 4-5 minutes. Once finished, add your lime juice, stirring together.
7. Serve topped with a tbsp or two of kimchi, cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil.

Enjoy!

-S