view from the kitchen sink

© 2009 Ingar Brunnett, original illustration VIEW FROM THE KITCHEN SINK: duo of roses, potted basil + chives, fresh cut daisies, bowl of cherries being washed......


I read somewhere that adding illustrations onto your blog will add depth and interest to your blog. Not that I believe everything that I read but it made me think about a series of pen and ink illustrations I created during the years that we lived in northeast Ohio. So I thought to give you a glimpse......

I was also constantly *preggers* which seemed like a 5 year span in my life.

My memories of Ohio: I remember lots of pot lucks, lake effects snow, lots of sleet, driving on ice, skidding on ice, maple syrup, being pregnant (hah! I already said that!), more pot lucks, more snow, falling on ice, really good corn on the cob, orchard apples, my Mennonite best girlfriend forever Ida, having babies, late harvest grapes, mud, having a *mud room*, writing poetry, my writing circle, my first writing mentor and another best friend forever, the blanketed silence after a heavy snowfall, the maple syrup festival, harvest festivals, children's tea parties and the memory would not be replete without my kitchen window.

My kitchen window looked out to our back woods. We had close to an acre of woods (which was a lot of space for someone growing up in California) full of oak and maple trees. Many times deer ran through our backyard.

One time, when my kids were toddlers they were playing in the sandbox in the backyard. I was doing something over the kitchen sink and watching them here and there through the kitchen window. I loved the view from the kitchen window into our backyard. It was always a beautiful scene that changed with the seasons. The children were quietly playing making sand mounds.....then I happened to look up and I saw a male buck charge toward the sandbox! I screamed at the kids out the window and then ran out to the back yelling at them to get into the house. The buck continued to charge at them and suddenly steered away when he saw me run out with my hands swaying, hair flying and me, mama bear going crazy.

We still talk about that day and now we can laugh about it.

It was really weird that happened since the kids were just in the sandbox and not doing anything to provoke the deer.

Just a glimpse of a memory to share......while I am working on my next savory post.

something about strawberries....

dairy free + free love: coconut cream, mango + chocolate......such bliss and no soy


Finally, today and I realize all of us have such a diverse stance on life, politics + even food (the *diversity*; isn't that fantastic?!).

Perhaps just for one day we can be t r a n s p a r e n t.

As always, the rest will just trickle forth and fall into place.

*A day to celebrate our similarities, embrace our differences, send good vibes + prayers and just chill the f*ck out*

As a recovering Type A personality ~ I do try to relinquish to this on a daily basis { lol } My life of organized synchronicity which also included the every so often rewards of planned chaos that celebrated the artist in me came to an abrupt halt once I started having kids.

The more children arrived, the more everything became, you know?

So { { { s i g h } } } 'tis better to sink into the bliss of happy rather than restraining order.

Even in art school I was quite an odd egg. I think I was the only art student/artist that had to have my studio in order, car cleaned + check book balanced in order to go forward with whatever spectacular project I was working on.

Do you ever find you just exhaust YOURSELF?

Maybe it's just me.

By the way, always ALWAYS celebrate + live the artist in you. Perhaps if there were more arts funding + flourishing + beauty of the creative life encouraged......what if?

as for me and my house......all heck has broken loose.

January 17th: My dad's birthday.......Happy Birthday Dad as you're forever in my heart.

January 19th: Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as you are forever reminding us so eloquently of the importance of our dreams.......

January 20th: Inauguration Day here in the states ~ A place my parents have held in their hearts to be their homeland.......whatever our differences, I truly hope today will spring forth a new era for you, your lives, surrounding communities we all touch, as well as throughout globally.

non-dairy, non-soy, nothing artificial + lotsa organic loving care.....ice cream made with coconut milk ~ tastes just as creamy as the real thing without the dairy

I have been in the process of making dairy free, young coconut meat + milk based homemade ice cream. It will eventually get posted here.

Meanwhile, I discovered PURELY DECADENT non-dairy frozen dessert (I call ice cream since it tastes just like!) at Whole Foods recently. It is not considered a raw ice cream. But I find this a great transitional ice cream for those increasing raw foods in their diet, or even if you are looking for dairy and soy free alternatives.

The ingredients are quite pure including organic coconut milk and organic agave syrup instead of white cane sugar.

Life is pulling in various directions so instead of striving for order today, I thought to let loose on my canvas of colors and even dessert.

Talk soon,
xoxo

Yes ~ amazingly enough it's strawberry season in Florida right now......


By the way.......Happy Blessed New Year to you!