Sunday, December 18, 2011

Fa La La La Lovely

Happy Holidays to all! I'll admit, until it snowed Friday night, I was in total Grinch mode. I cannot bring myself to feel merry when it doesn't look and feel like a Currier and Ives photo outside. 
But it snowed just enough to look festive, and now I'm in high Christmas spirits. While it's easy to be overwhelmed by the never-ending to-do lists (can I get an "A-MEN?"), once again the prospect of a house filled with giggles, hugs, and loved ones will carry me through the exhaustion.
Christmas music will blast all day, the vacuum, steam cleaner (NEW! Is it wrong that I'm so excited about this?!?), washing machine, and dishwasher will be a-humming, and by tonight, one of the many lists will be tossed. And Wednesday night, the hugs, kisses, and laughs begin! I am SO blessed.
Ho, ho, ho, and to all, a good night!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Food, glorious food

Not gonna feel badly about it---I love food. I love buying it, I love growing it (even with my limited success rate), I love smelling it, I love cooking it, I love touching it, I love sharing it.
One of the true pleasures of my week is taking my time to peruse the produce aisle of my Co-op. Everything looks so lush and delicious; though I shop with a list, I frequently grab an item I hadn't planned on using, just because of its color. I love food photography---looking at it, not creating it---and I've recently discovered this book, which makes me salivate and tingle with joy.
I'm also lucky to live near a city which has the largest weekly farmers' market in the Midwest, and I can spend HOURS just strolling by the stands, touching, sampling, sniffing the delectable displays. Yesterday I wandered through a Market filled with the scent of fresh-cut pines wafting from Christmas wreaths, gentle Celtic fiddle tunes from some local musicians, and air filled with rich coffee and bakery smells--it was a heady, satisfying experience. 
I'm grateful for the abundance of food in my life (if not grateful for its abundance on my hips), and I'm grateful for the senses--smell, touch, taste, sight, hearing--that allow me to fully enjoy food.
http://philip01pd2012.wikispaces.com/file/view/istockphoto_7938700-five-senses-icons.jpeg/214347722/istockphoto_7938700-five-senses-icons.jpeg