Here We Go!

I have this amazing friend, Ellen. As good friends often do, she makes me feel special. She makes me feel like I have something unique, and of value, to offer to the world. And because she is so smart, and funny, and wise, and has such amazing taste, sometimes I actually believe her. This blog is dedicated to Ellen.
And the thing about Ellen is, she sends me all kinds of amazing blog links. I think Ellen is the person who introduced me to P-Dub. And I know Ellen is the person who introduced me to Kathie Sever and Cynthia Lair . And The Mamas! Oh lawd, The Mamas. Austin has this amazing community of women who congregate in a Yahoo Group. These are some spectacular women. Writers! Bloggers! They believe in slow living. And crafting. I cannot begin to tell you how much I respect and admire the women behind these websites. They love what they do, and it shows.

I've been thinking about my life lately. And as usual, I've been thinking about food. And, I'll admit, I've been wishing that my life revolved around food even more than it already does. For a while I've wished I could work around food, somehow. I could open a restaurant! Except I hate getting up early. I could start a catering business! Except my kitchen is too messy (and too doggy, okay?) to pass an inspection. And besides, I’m not in a position, financially, to open a business. I could write a book! But first I’d need to build an audience. And content. Maybe a blog…..
And so the idea just sat in the back of my head, while I continued on in my life, cooking healthful meals for my family, loving my farm share, having a great time at the farmer's market, religiously monitoring what my kids eat, etc., etc.
Because the truth is, I don't have much free time. I work. I take care of two kids. I worry about my husband. I try to exercise from time to time, and I already wish I had more time to sew, and to cook. And my income is far too important to my family for me to NOT work.
But this morning, it hit me. I do ALL that, and I still take the time to prepare healthful meals for my cute family. Many of the books and blogs I love? They all started somewhere, right? And yet, none of them have exactly my passion. Yes, there are blogs about seasonal cooking. And slow family living. And balancing a career and motherhood. But how about the space in which those combine? The kitchen space, specifically, in which those combine. My space. And there is was.
So I give you, ladies and gentlemen, my first tentative step towards fulfilling a dream. This is it.
I hereby announce my intentions to blog about food MY way. Healthful, whole grain meals prepared at the end of an already long day. Healthy, balanced lunches prepared, simultaneously, with love and exhaustion. Parties thrown in a not-quite-clean house. Local food. Seasonal food. Plus, the activities that bring it to our home.
It's my hope that folks will find inspiration here, and learn about building healthy little bodies and full productive lives. I want to romanticize trips to the farmers' market as the mini-festival days they feel like to me. And by bearing witness to my own life, I intend to embrace the lovely tradition of mindful living. I think about what we eat. We eat with a purpose. We eat to nourish our bodies, and to cherish the earth.
So, you'll see healthy, seasonal recipes. You'll read stories full of humor and love. And together we'll share the expression of love that cooking is to me.
Our lives. Slightly off kilter, but still full of love and nutrition. That's what I'll share.
Full belly. Happy heart.