Lazy Days on the Lake

My time spent in Michigan this summer felt like no other trip before it; I felt a sense of connection with the place for the first time. It felt like somewhere I could relax and appreciate the simplest of things-- the wind in my hair, farm stand hopping, sitting on the deck listening to bugs talk.

I have a hard time relaxing, especially at home in the same environment that fills me with constant worry about what will come next. In TC, I am not the expert on the fastest way of getting somewhere, and it didn't concern me. This is what my first day of a much-needed vacation looked like. More to come.

Moses & Meredith

Here are my favorite shots from a session I did in Michigan with Moses and Meredith. They make look familiar as I did a session with them a year ago. Moses was ready to go as soon as he saw my big camera
and Meredith was just as sweet as could be. Thank you for the great shoot!

I did not even tell him to get in there, I just let him do his thing. 

Let's Get Down to Business

Why, hello. Today is the first day I have been able to sit down at my desk and roll up my sleeves in what feels like too long. I took a trip to Michigan and promised myself I would relax and not worry about blogging, planning, problem-solving or any number of logistical photography issues. Of course, taking photos was not included in the ban, so I have a ton of photos to get through that I will be sharing soon.

Yesterday, I felt the beginning of fall in the too cool evening breeze as it hit me. After spending a week full of swimming, farm stand heirloom tomatoes and warm nights on the lake I can honestly say, I'm just not that into it.

Fruit or Vegetable? I Don't Care

Tomatoes, my second favorite food. One day when I have a backyard I hope to grow some of my own. I say hope mostly because I'm not great at keeping plants alive; I have killed a cactus or three. I'm thinking tomatoes and some other sturdy and relatively independent fruits and vegetables. Any suggestions?

What's my favorite food you ask? You must not know me very well. My favorite food is of course cheese, the greatest animal by-product in existence. If you didn't know that, congratulations, you have done an excellent job and tuning me out for however long we have known each other. I applaud your selective hearing abilities.

I made a couple recipes this weekend that I'm excited to share with you and on Friday I leave for Traverse City, Michigan. Cherry capital of the world, people. The world. And they also have that big ass lake. No big deal.

My Weekend

This weekend I went to the gravenstein apple fair with Janet in hot-as-blazes Sebastopol. I wasn't able to watch the whole pie eating contest because everyone looked like they were about to blow chunks and I'm a sympathetic puker, but I'm pretty sure America won. Check out my new friends down below. Happy Monday!

Pizza, My Favorite Food Group

I tried out this cherry tomato, bacon and blue cheese pizza from White On Rice Couple and it was super tasty! Of course, no cooking adventure story is complete without me having a blonde moment. This time, I beautifully decorated (probably not the best word choice for pizza-making) the pizza. On the counter. And then realized I couldn't move it. Then I stared at it to see if I will it to move. Nope, no super powers. Then Stephen suggested we fold it, pick it up and unfold it, which worked pretty well but ruined it looks. So I gave it a face lift and put it in the oven. Still tasted great.

Adventures in Grilling Peaches

I tried out this grilled peach salad with mint and basil pesto from Love & Lemons and it was super tasty. Just don't be a total ding-dong like me and forget to add the pesto, scarf down the salad and then realize your mistake hours later. The pesto was super tasty so I ended up using it for pasta, but I was still disappointed I didn't get to eat it with the salad. I even sat there eating the salad thinking, "I feel like if there was one more element this would be even better!" DUH, Nicole, that's because it is in fact missing one thing. I digress.

 Poor, neglected pesto.