Food Glorious Food!

I don't know what it is but I really enjoy taking photos of food. Fresh produce, something I made at home, eating out, or at a street fest.   There is something very artistic about the way it looks.  If I could only capture the smell.

I am not a picky eater except I don't like cake or most sweets which I don't know where I got that since both my parents love sweets.  I will eat almost anything once.  I once ate monkey brains while on a trip in Europe, snails, alligator, frogs legs and shark.  Whether its in my car, on my bike, sitting at the beach I love the smells coming from restaurants, peoples homes or BBQ. Though I don't like the smell of Korean food or some Eastern European food.  I guess its a acquired smell.

We had a round table when I was growing up so my deaf sister could try and follow our conversations.  It reminded me of the Brady Bunch. As a family we almost always ate our meals together.  I wasn't a big fan of my mom's cooking (sorry mom) so I would give the dog my food or move it around my plate looking like I was done. "Can't leave the table till your all done."
I think my nieces in Australia adopted my tactic.  During Lent on Fridays we couldn't eat meat so my mom made fish sticks with macaroni and cheese or cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.  I love my mom's Thanksgiving when the house would smell so amazing.  Turkey, my grandmothers dressing, monkey bread, yams, cranberries and mashed potatoes with home made gravy.  It makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

I have favorite foods I could eat all the time.  Chips and dip, really good pizza, cheese, bread, fresh strawberries, corn on the cob...the list could go on.

Going to the farmers markets in the summer is the best! There is one here in Chicago called Green City Market that is supposed to be one of the best with lots of organic produce, meats, cheeses and breads.

Green
City Market

Family selling produce off the back of their truck

I think food really is the ritual of life.  We gather with friends and family to share something that comes from the earth made with love.  We eat to give us comfort, energy, and nourishment to keep us alive.  I can think of nothing better than sharing a meal with my friends or family! 

Pitchfork Weekend.

Pitchfork music festival is three days of great music, seeing some new friends and some old friends,  sunshine, heat, beer, water, some food, dancing, sunscreen, sing alongs,  and so much more.  I've been going to this festival since it began and always seem to enjoy hanging out with different groups of friends all enjoying the music together in the hot summer sun of Chicago.  This year 2 of the three days were sold out so it was really packed.  I say every year not sure I will go back but I keep doing so.  Was also great to have my niece Maggie up for one day.  She seemed to enjoy her first music festival and I think she may just come back! I'm only sorry I didn't get a photo of us together!  Maybe next year? Also thanks to my friend Carter who got me a pass for the weekend! Rocking good time! Thanks everyone for another fun festival.

Scars

My favorite part of one of my favorite movies Jaws is the scene when they compare scars. One trying to out do the other to see who had the best or worst scar and the story of how they got it.  I think scars are cool because there is always a great story behind them and they mark a moment  in your life you can't erase sort of like a tattoo but not one you chose.  I think some of my scars happened when I was too young to remember and people have to tell me how I got them.  Like the one over my eye which I was told our dog bit me.

The one on my head which you can't see and not sure how many stitches but my sister had to tell me she shut the car door on my head.  She says she didn't do it on purpose which we both laugh about now.  One on my leg I got from falling off a bunk bed though I think my brother pushed me off.

 One I have on my knee I fell out of my car trying to reach for something I dropped and my knee landed on a rock.  I was getting to leave for my grandfathers funeral in Ohio.  The worst one is the one I have on the top of my right rear thigh.  I was about 7 I think and a girl in my neighborhood ran into me with her bike fender.  I had over 100 stitches inside and out. I have 3 scars 2 on my back and one on my upper arm from having moles removed to test for cancer.  They turned out OK but I wear sunscreen religiously and a hat.  I'm a klutz so it seems I do have a bunch. I also think my lines on my face are also like scars that tell me I've lived and that is part of aging.  Some scars are not visible to the eye  but can have a lasting memory.  A smell or seeing someone or something can trigger that memory. Those scars can heal with time and hopefully aren't as painful as when you first experienced them.  Do you have a scar and a good story to go with it?

Red, White and Blue

 

When I think of the 4th I think of fireworks, BBQ,  parades, red white and blue everything,  apple pie, being with family and friends, flags and sparklers.  I did decorate my bike when I was a a kid and won a Polaroid camera. Since living through a 4th of July fire in the apartment I was living at the time I try and create new fun memories but I'm still like one of those dogs who does not like hearing their neighborhood exploding all night long.  I would sleep in the bathtub or under the bed if I could escape all the noise.   This year we did a quick trip up to Milwaukee on the 3rd which was my first time there.  Its an amazing city and had a ton of fun with my friends Margo and Monica.
We stayed at The Iron Horse which was so amazing.

Harley Davidson is based here so you see and hear a lot of motorcycles.
We ate and drank our way through Summer Fest.

Which is this very large music festival right on the lake.  They had fireworks that went on for an hour or so while we watched Peter Frampton sing.  Sure did bring back memories of high school.

Thanks Margo and Monica!