Autumn: a photo, a poem and a plate

I posted a picture of fallen leaves on my Facebook page, and Maria Theresa, one of the subscribers attached a few lines from a poem by Maureen Kwat Meshenberg of Heart's Calling. 

When I saw your fallen leaves photos I thought it would be a perfect visual accompaniment to that line of poem, Maria Theresa writes.

With the help of Theresa, (thank you :) )  and with the permission of  Maureen Kwat Meshenberg of Heart's Calling (Maureen, thank you!) I am sharing the poem in its entirety below. If you love the poem, (which I'm sure you would) visit Maureen's Facebook page Heart's Calling for more poetry.  You will be enthralled by the magic of her words.

So for today's post, I am sharing with you Autumn:  a photo, a poem and a plate.  May you also find inspiration in unexpected places... Happy Wednesday!

A poem written by Maureen Kwat Meshenberg of Heart's Calling 

In this day,

in this morning-

I clothed my soul,

with autumn's dawning.

Beautiful colors

to fabric me-

rest to be, so freely...

touching my life,

with possiblities.

For in this breath of morning,

comes to me with beauty-

I choose how they hold me,

to wrap around me.

Breath to my waking,

I see sometimes breaking-

but spilling out of me,

are my colors to just be.

Lemongrass Pork with Shitake Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1- 1 1/2 lbs pork, butterfly sliced 

2 stalks of lemon grass (sliced and crushed)

1/4 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper3 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tablespoon fish sauce

1 lime - add the lime juice

4 clove garlic - minced
1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 cup soup stock
Cooking oil for frying
2 pcs carrots, sliced
1/2 c bamboo shoots (I used the canned one)
4 large dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in water then slice when soft)
1/2 cup straw mushrooms (I used the canned one)
1 stalk celery, sliced

Season pork with salt and pepper.  Dredge the pork in flour (also seasoned with salt and pepper).  In a wok, fry the pork in batches until slight brown. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine: hoisin sauce, fish sauce, soup stock, lime juice, sugar and chili garlic sauce. Whisk to blend.

Using the same wok, saute garlic and onions until fragrant. Add the lemongrass and pork. Pour the sauce mixture. Cover and let it simmer.  When pork is tender, add the mushrooms and vegetables.  Cover for a few more  minutes and voila it's done! Enjoy!

I'm sharing  more photos I captured around St. Louis for you to enjoy...