oh, how i have missed blogging! and i have missed interacting with my readers! i hope you all have been well and that life has been treating you with love and grace.
so much has happened this year {and last year} for me and although i would love to go into great detail about it all, after much consideration, i have decided to refrain. i have been taking some time to journal some thoughts down and i think that will be a good way to release it all first. then, if i decide to share, i will.
it suffices to say that i have grown tremendously over the last 24 months and i sit here writing this post with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and relief! the past is in the past and i am here, now. although, the time is always now, you know?! if we are fully submersed in the moment, we are always in the now. the past is behind us and we can’t change it and the future doesn’t even exist yet… so all we really have is now. and it is always NOW. i am {re}learning and remembering how crucial this simple truth is to keep in the forefront of our minds. it is far too easy to get caught up in other things and especially other thoughts.
and here at food and foto, we like to keep it as light-hearted as possible. or at least, as “positive” as possible. i have been thinking a lot about what we choose to focus on; what we allow our minds to be occupied with. and for me, it is extremely important to find a way to disconnect from our seemingly ceaseless thoughts… to find a zen space. and that doesn’t exactly have to be a physical place. although – it can be found in nature, in a park, in your bedroom, at a church… but basically, being “zen” is truly a state of mind. it has little to do with location.
however, it is true and i do find that some places bring me to a more “zen” feeling than others. for example, i did like living in the mountains and especially in the tiny home, as it was a life-changing experience… one that many people dream of. however, i never quite felt “zen” while i was there. at least, not like i do when i am near the ocean. i love listening to the sound of the waves as the water ebbs and flows… it reminds me to breathe in and breathe out. i love the smell of the salty air breezing through my hair… it reminds me to stay in touch with my intuition and appreciate the moment. i love sense of wonder and awe i feel for the unknown that lies beyond and beneath… it keeps me grounded and humble. truly, nothing makes me feel more zen than being near the ocean.
i am a water baby at my core and i basically believe i am {or was} a mermaid. therefore, i feel truly at home when i am near the vastness of the big blue. something about being around the water gives me a sense of peace like nothing else does. it is truly my zen space.
with all that said, i would like to share these fotos i took while visiting the atlantic ocean recently. i had a little fun playing around with some different filters. also, it’s pretty satisfying to be able to dip your toes in the warm sand in november!
where do you find your zen space?!
…a long overdue update!
stay tuned. i’ve missed blogging so much. i apologize for my absence and lack of presence. there is so much to fill you in on!
i truly hope you all are enjoying the best time of year and soaking in all the yummy fall harvests, the beautiful colours of the trees, and the warm-ish sunshine while it still lasts!
hey gang, happy summer!
i hope you are enjoying the season, wherever you may be reading this.
here in colorado, it has been very hot… like in the high 90s and even 100 degrees! yesterday, to officially kick off summer, i walked to my local pool for a dip. it was the perfect way to welcome in the new season!
another fun thing i did to celebrate summer and the solstice, was make this beautiful solstice summer tea… or as i named it, “prosperi-tea” … cuz i’m cute and nerdy like that. plus, it sounded super magical.
the idea came from an online source that suggested putting various herbs and flowers in a pitcher and sitting it out in the sun during the day of solstice. here’s what i put in mine :
fresh lettuce leaves, pea shoots, roses, lilies, strawberries, succulent, snapdragon, various flower petals, mint, and tons of sage.
all of the ingredients came from my local community garden… the pea shoots and lettuce came from my plot! 😀
here is the finished product :
someone said to me, “it looks like perfume!” which made me giggle. in a way, it IS like perfume in that it is made from beautiful summer flowers! 🙂
this lovely “prosperi-tea” was so easy to make and it was delicious, too! it was light and soft and refreshing. i also love the colour it developed! i put a lot of love into this tea as well, which i believe makes a big difference! 😉 ❤
—–
what did you do to ring in summer?
just a simple little recipe to share.
i love to make dishes that can be made in one pot or skillet. dishes that are simple and require little cleanup. this dish fits the bill and is also full of colour and nutrition, which we just LOVE here at food and foto. 😉
these were so easy to make, too! i thought i would share the fotos and easy recipe since i enjoyed it so much.
i simply used about 4 oz. of chopped steak, onion, garlic, mushrooms, red bell peppers, and sugar snap peas. i cooked the veggies down and then tossed in the steak at the last minute. i sprinkled in some spices like cumin, coriander, sage, parsley, and S&P.
voila! a simple, healthy, easy dinner. or lunch. or breakfast! 🙂 top with an egg or some fresh avocado…
nom nom!
pizza… and me in this hat!
geese everywhere for days… and creepy, unexplainable masks…
culturally cool bikes… !
large groups of ninjas practicing with swords… and this…
stickers on electrical posts… and graffiti in hidden spots…
broken glass that looks like art… and bright colours…
stickers everywhere for days… especially funny ones…
this cool lamppost… !
tweety bird driving {what appears to be} a pimped-out dunebuggy… and awesome murals…
bbq pulled pork sammy w/ mac n’ cheese & a rich brown ale… flank steak salad w/ chimichuri…
breakfast! w/ salmon, avocado, & a purple sweet potato… a variety of cheeses & caviar!…
hearty tomato soup w/chicken salad over a bed of arugula… a beautiful spread of tapas…
mixed green salad w/carrot ribbons & cilantro dressing… potato waffles w/creme fraiche & smoked salmon…
potato parmesan soup w/garlic foccacia breadbowl… pastrami sammy w/ceaser salad…
colourful roasted fingerling potatoes… israeli cous-cous w/ fresh herbs over a bed of spinach…
eggs benedict two-ways… prosciutto & manchego pop-tart w/ balsamic glaze drizzle…
those of you have been following me for a while {thank you, and welcome to the newcomers!} know that i am obsessed with romanesco. and clearly, i’m also obsessed with “baby” foods… as in, super tiny versions of amazing fruits and veggies.
well, you can imagine my excitement when i saw BABY ROMANESCO at my local grocery store!!?!? i will say, it is not at all organic and it is not at all in season… however, it is still magical!!!
…right?!?!
also, how adorable is my cute cutting board?! 😀
i hope i can find a way to grow these myself some day soon… i would love to find a way to become or marry a farmer… seems like the most appropriate lifestyle for me.
😉 ❤
a customer left this on a table for me… and i pretty much melted.
it always feels so good to be seen.
❤ ❤ ❤
once upon a time in february it was 70 degrees, and I walked around a lake in a t-shirt…
along the way, i spotted lots of beautiful and interesting things… like naked trees and cracks in the earth…
like, crazy amounts of cracks… like the earth is erupting from below!..
along the way, i also spotted crazy amounts of geese… walking around, and walking on ice…
and speaking of ice, i spotted parts of the lake that were still frozen and parts that were melting…
it was a lovely site… the wind blew crazy in my face and yet the sun on my face kept me crazy warm…
the clouds were very interesting… and this picture looks like an alien ship about to land!…
cat tails… everywhere!!!
shout out to the east coast… and to interesting angles!…
…
art… is… everywhere…
once upon a time, i saw interesting patterns in the ice… and in my shadow…
and in the geese’s {is that right?!} foot prints…
and then… one of the geese flapped his wings… and a ton of birds flew by…
———
j.good would appreciate this blog ❤ i hope she reads it!
—
thank you {again} for the lovely flowers, D.A.! 🙂
like most pet-owners, i’m a little obsessed… and i’m pretty much in love with my cat. ❤
i mean, how can i not be – look at how cute my callee kitty is!!!!
i love it when she stands like this or when she looks at me like that…
and i love her crazy long whiskers and when her ears go back like this…
she’s mildly playful, and also easily annoyed when her claws get stuck in things…
and it’s fun when you scroll through film and find pics like these! 😀
i’m just in love with my cat! ❤
food & foto 