In the world of blogging I feel like I’ve arrived late to the party.  The number of blogs in existence rival the stars in the sky.  So, why me?  Why now?  And who on earth do I expect to read it?  Well, my Mom.  A couple of sister-in-laws.  My Aunt Donna will find it delightful.  A cousin here, a cousin there. Add three friends.  An audience of nine.  Guess I have to start somewhere.

So, why now?  I’m a 42-year-old career woman.  Married.  Lost my best feline friend to cancer in December so I am currently without cat…which sucks. Particularly on the weekends. No kids.  I live in Western Washington.  I love the area.  Close to mountains, ocean, cities.  Pretty much in between both families. What more can a girl ask for?

The idea emerged as a result of some recent personal angst.  Mid-life crisis?  Perhaps.  I had worked my way through a number of books about people pursuing their passions:  A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (a fellow Washingtonian), My Life From Scratch by Gesine Bullock-Prado, On the Noodle Road by Jen Lin-Liu, The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn and Wild by Cheryl Strayed.  It probably didn’t help that I read them all within the span of a month (add voracious reader to the list).  The more I read the more discontent I grew.  Don’t get me wrong…I have a pretty great life.  A wonderful husband, a beautiful home, good friends, great family.  The regret I found surfacing was that I’m not, from a career stand-point, pursuing a passion.  I find myself envious of those who had the foresight (or dumb luck) to pursue specific occupations (engineering, medicine, education).  Or brave enough to cast it all off mid-life and pursue their dreams.

While in the midst of my angst I made a trip to Crate and Barrel (always a soul soother).  My purchase, will I will discuss at a later date, compelled me to begin making a list of things I’ve never cooked (either due to intimidation:  “Too hard!” or laziness:  “Too much work!”).  Things like cream puffs, crepes, french onion soup, risotto.  Once I started writing the list I thought to myself, “Would this make an interesting blog?”  Followed by, “Yes, but that’s not enough content in-and-of itself.”  Okay.  So, I love to cook.  There’s also the love of the wine and the cocktails.  My husband I love to hike and I take a ridiculous number of photos while “on trail” and (undoubtedly) exhaust my friends and family by loading many of them onto Facebook (guys, that’s not going to end).  Why not take all of the things that float my boat and blog about them?  And you know what?  The thought made me happy.  So here I am.  Some days you’ll be invited to join me in the kitchen, others on a hiking trail (I’ve never met a flower I didn’t like), others we may simply discuss a good book.

I’m glad you’re here.  I hope you hang around.