Sunday, June 15, 2008

Un-sorry

I just read that readers find constantly apologetic bloggers annoying. So I am un-apologizing. I am retracting my sorry attitude and even being so bold as to venture into atypical territory in this blog entry.

Nothing dramatic. Just no recipe. No apologies. Still plenty of pictures.

I loved cooking and baking before I started this blog. However, I did not realize how much I loved taking pictures. I always enjoyed looking at photography and trying my hand at it while on vacations, but that was about as far as I got. It has been a joy to incorporate my camera lens into my (almost) daily life since One Hungry Soul began.

In the next month and a half there will continue to be pictures and stories posted on this blog, and while there may be stories about food, it will not be the central content. Without apologizing to you readers, who I very much appreciate, I will extend this question:

Do you mind? I hope not.

I'm doing a lot of traveling from here on out and simply won't have much time in a kitchen. Also, I need a break from pouring over recipes and from the immediacy mentality of our consumer culture, at least in food form. It is a constant desire of mine to find balance in aspects beyond this as well. But for now, I'm looking to eat simply and gratefully (not that a food blog cannot be maintained in such a manner) and will enjoy the jumping on and off planes I get to do until the end of July.

I've embarked on the first leg of my summer adventures, which means that I'm sitting at my aunt's computer in northern California. The crickets are creating a unified buzz outside (...or maybe that's the power lines) and the not-quite-full moon is shining down from an otherwise blank sky. I love this kind of weather. After a hot day, when windows are able to be kept wide open until 10:30, and the cool breeze is fully appreciated.

I did not find Washington in such conditions. Our windows remained shut during the two weeks I was there, and my mom and I spent several evenings curled up with blankets watching movies together. I began to feel like I had traveled too far north (or south) into winter.

The weather didn't keep the kids I babysat one afternoon from taking me to their mossy forest playground. They are sweet old family friends and easy faces to photograph.

Today was my first full day staying with family in California, and I was awakened by my little cousin who was likely sent in by my aunt when I still hadn't gotten out of bed by 8:30 (a late hour for this crowd). Only two things helped me get up: my alarm clock was still set to Central Time, so I thought it was 10:30, and my camera was within arm's reach so I couldn't resist using the morning sun to get some shots of my cousin, who, in all her cuteness, was alternating between jumping on top of me and tugging my sheets off the bed.

We went to the farmer's market this morning. Another sweet reminder of why it's nice to be on the West Coast. The fresh fruits and vegetables are so abundant. And my favorite Indian food stand was still there, so we left with samosas, raita, and two other sauces/dips.

I have two more days here before I fly to Hawaii. Oh. the pictures I will get to take there! I have missed my sweet Hawaii, but more on that later.

4 comments:

Rachael said...

Thanks for bringing me closer, kind of like I get to travel with you...thru your photos and writing.
You won't lose me, I love your way with words and the photos too.
Thank you for the special times when you were in cloudy paradise, sorry you missed our brilliant weekend.
Enjoy the sight, smell & taste of Hawaii again... loving you, Mum

Brent Johnson said...

I'm looking forward to seeing pictures from Hawaii! That’s where I had my first macadamia nut. I remember it well. I was in a public market where there was an extensive variety of fresh fruit and yummy candies. So why would I pick a nut? Well I didn’t, my mom bought a bunch of them and I tried one. It was great (that’s why I always get the white chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookies at Subway if I go). But that one taste got me hooked!

Anonymous said...

I just love your blog. You inspire me to take better photos and do something creative in the kitchen.I hope you have a wonderful summer. Come back soon to Abilene and Saturday AM coffee.
Love , Darlene

Lael Meidal said...

Brent: Great story. Aren't macadamia nuts amazing?! We even stopped by McDonald's one afternoon because they were advertising macadamia nut iced coffee. You won't ever catch me buying McDonald's coffee again, but that once it was alright. I miss Hawaii!

Darlene: I was thinking this past weekend of how excited I am for Saturday AM coffee next semester, so you can expect to see me there! Thank you for your encouraging words.