Food Vacations
The last few weeks have been.... well, chaotic. As I'm trying to return to the kitchen from what I'm choosing to term a food vacation, I'm fighting what feels like an uphill battle of exhaustion or burnout.
I've spent an enormous amount of time in our kitchen over the past 8 years and had my share of days just needing to take a break. But this time's been different. It's been nearly 3 months of wanting to be anywhere BUT the blessed kitchen. So, as I work on mind over matter in the climax of blueberry season, I'm getting back into a new groove of sorts. I hope.
Blueberry season for us means buying & processing 25 gallons of berries to put up for the year so we have safe berries for my daughter. The girl eats berries 365 days a year! And so far her body only tolerates them from specific local spray-free farms.
Springboarding off of & from her Big 5 birthday celebration is what is helping me build a new bridge into our kitchen and safe foods with new creative twists to our menus.
Letting go of old notions that don't work for us (parents) any longer and ones that never have worked for our kids.
Embracing what does work.
Letting go of what others expect or are used to because it simply doesn't work for us.
Embracing creative menus to fit in where we can & accepting that different is also just as perfect for us.
Grieving & letting go of ingrained food-centered traditions, finally after so many years of trying to "fit in".
Embracing what is ours - every single day - with love knowing we do what we do out of necessity to stay healthy.
Embracing what is ours with the joy of knowing we do all that we do not only because it's necessary & we're healthier because of it, but also because it ties us heart & soul to our local farm community with such a deep appreciation of exactly where our food comes from & the energy it takes.
Embracing this perfectly imperfect life as we do knowing that our family is thriving in immeasurable ways so much beyond just the food we eat. Even if all our allergies disappeared overnight, I know we will never go back to eating the typical American diet. While our journey into scratch cooking started out of necessity, we've had our eyes & hearts opened in ways that we can't ever go back. And don't want to.
This is not an "easy" life, but it's ours. For so many that don't or won't "get it", I understand how complex and different we are. We certainly don't expect others to adapt for us. So for those that join us on our journey by growing & sharing safe foods and those that put in a Herculean effort to learn & adapt for us - know that you are priceless and very much treasured. My culinary skills have blossomed along the way, too! The first birthday cake we made for our older child was absolutely dreadful compared to the one we pulled off for our younger's birthday this month. Almost too pretty to eat, right?!
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