Butter Soup for the Soul

I love this time of year. The days are mellow and warm, the garden is growing, cousins are visiting, and it's time for butter soup. (This will not be an exact recipe, because that's one of the rules for butter soup. I don't want to find out what happens when tradition is upset.) First, you must work in the garden. Do a little weeding on your hands and knees for a while. Feel the sun and the fresh air and the earth. Embrace your garden. (If you do not have a garden, get one. You can, of course, buy your vegetables. But it will not be the same. At all.) Then thin the carrots. You know, pulling the little guys that are getting crowded out and irritating the big carrots. Gather them up and put them in a bucket. Rinse them with the hose. Choose the biggest one and wash it carefully. You've been working in the sun. You need a snack. So eat the carrot, holding it by the green top. (Never snap off the top. Bad karma.) Mmm, baby carrots from the garden are sweet. Now that you've had a snack and a drink from the hose, move on. Thin the onions. (You don't have to eat the biggest onion. Unless you want to.) After the onions have been rinsed and added to the bucket, dig some potatoes. Choose a hill and loosen the dirt around it very carefully with a shovel. Now get down on your knees and dig with your hands. You are searching for the big ones of course, but also find every tiny one you can. Even the marble-sized ones. Especially the marble-sized ones. They are the best. Add the potatoes to the bucket, along with any green beans you can find. At this point, you can add more veggies to the bucket if you have them. Late peas, parsnips, etc. Now you are ready to make butter soup. Fill your soup pot with water. (How much depends on the amount of vegetables and the size of your family.) Add chicken bouillon, or you can just start with chicken broth instead of water. Put it on to boil. All the potatoes need to be thoroughly scrubbed, and the big ones need to be cubed. (Don't peel them.) And into the pot they go. They are followed by the onions, chopped. Next the green beans and carrots, cut into relatively small pieces. Cook until it's done. When you are ready to serve, add the butter. (Never, ever, ever use margarine!!) A few tablespoons is all. Just plop it right in and let it melt. The buttery goodness will spread over the surface in a swirly golden way. Serve with homemade bread, salt and pepper, and gratitude for your garden.