My husband eyes the overstuffed bags of groceries in the back of the car and starts hauling them in. “I know why you got so much food,” he said. “Our son is coming home.” “Yeah, and I now I am competing with Google”, I replied. Most kids away from home and out in the business world are nostalgic for their mom’s home cooking…
Two years ago I wrote about the first pair of osprey to build a nest on the osprey pole that we share with our neighbors, Garth and Ollie Edwards, who are in their mid nineties. Their appearance and industrious efforts raised great hopes for permanent nesting at a location that had been empty for around 20 years. Alas, their nest was flimsy and they abandoned it. Last year, hopes onc…
If you are hungry when visiting my house, then it is your own fault. At least that is what I tell any guest who is reticent to rummage through my fridge and pantry to find a snack or lunch, but especially breakfast. I generally don't prepare breakfast for anyone but myself. In fact, with all my work lately to get my book out, I try to block off every morning for writing and website work, e…
Enough about the loss of contact and community that is engendered by our modern obsession with electronic gadgets,Twitter, Facebook, blogs and smart phone apps! Let’s forget for a moment about the daily online and print reports of cyber-bullying, sexual predators, and addictions to online pastimes. Last Sunday gave our family a chance to experience the best use of internet co…
As the Easter season approaches, I am reminded of another one, long ago and far away. The story is one of the first I wrote when I began writing about my life in food and the people with whom I have shared so many meals. Adam’s introduction was a godsend for two weary travelers with no itinerary, not much…
He looks like a little fluff muffin, but his fuzzy-around-the-edges demeanor belies an independent spirit and a soulfulness you can see in his dark liquid eyes. Wally, a half Maltese and half poodle with an almost all white coat came to be a part of our family just a year ago. A younger friend who is still in the whirlwind of little league, carpools and school meetings as she raises …
It’s November, almost Thanksgiving. Once again, lifestyle magazines are offering “tips “ for navigating the holiday season. You know-making perfect decorations, gift wrapping shortcuts, holiday menus and recipes galore, or creating new family traditions and rituals. The overall message of this barrage of “useful” information is that we, mostly women, can &ldqu…
I don’t buy many new cookbooks these days. After giving away at least half of my massive collection before moving six years ago, I have been careful to not replace them all. But like so many others, I am drawn to the cookbook sections of bookstores...checking for new titles, looking at photos, absorbing new trends and ideas. Sometimes, I am rethinking my own dining habits or perhaps …
Everytime I think about going to NYC and what fun it is to eat there, I think of my husband Buck's Uncle Chet. I wrote this about him many years ago and I still smile when I read it. Enjoy! The line at the Carnegie Deli is already threatening to block the sidewalk, and it is early yet for the Saturday crowd. Aunt Blanche and Uncle …
“You can’t see the pattern while the shuttle flies.” I have heard my mother, Dolores Parrish Gurley, say this many times in recent years-usually when she is in a philosophical mood, a quiet time of reflection, or when she is reassuring a younger friend or family member. At 90, we are all younger than she. The quote originated with my grandmother Lena Cashion Gurle…
I am a cook. I hunt and gather. I read and listen. I stir and chop and re-form what I find. I nourish myself and hopefully, others.
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Coming July 2012