A Gilt Nutmeg

 At the Abandoned Zoo in Griffith Park, LA

What have I been doing since last summer?  Ohhh just hanging around…

But seriously, I’ve heard you.  I miss you, too.  It’s been a strange and difficult time since I last posted all those months ago for a couple of reasons.

There was my first hospital visit ever -nothing serious, apparently my body decided to discard of a kidney stone I didn’t know existed, and I was definitely thrown off for a while after that (after all, I’d never had an IV full of pain killers before!).  There was the fact that I’m terrible at forming habits so once I got out of the habit of posting, it seemed nearly impossible to start back up again.  There’s, you know, being a twenty-something trying to make it in the world like a character from Sex and the City and still pay all her bills at the same time (for the record, I thankfully do not have an addiction to overly-expensive stilettos).

But most importantly, I’m more human than I wish to admit.  I see all those fantastic super-bloggers out there, who post amazing pictures and daring recipes and I wonder ….where do they get the time?  Where do they get the money for ingredients?  Where do they store these billions of props and HOW do they find the time to take such beautiful sun-lit pictures?  I say sun-lit, because I can’t seem to get fake lighting looking natural and since I have to be at my office job 8am - 5pm, I leave before the sun rises and come home after the sun sets.  Weekends?  I’d love to, but sometimes I’m just as busy (or demanding to be lazy) on weekends.

But I’ve been hearing things.  Family members prodding me about why I stopped writing.  My sister’s best friend texted to say her aunt missed my posts.  Random messages on Facebook.  Gentle emails asking if I’m alright.  There’s also been those funny moments this holiday season where people say, “Hey!  How’s the blog going?  What did you post this week?” because then I knew they don’t actually read the blog, they just use it as an easy talking point.  But, in the end, I truly appreciate the kind words and it’s been the kick in the pants I need to remember that I should be doing something that I love.  Thank you, to all who have contacted to me, even those who just pretend to read.

I read an article today titled “15 Food Blogging Trends That Have to Stop” and, after I got done laughing, I took some of those things listed to heart.  Like confining myself to the “rigid seasonal food blogger schedule”.  I have an amazing Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola recipe that I wanted to share with you back in October, but for whatever reason didn’t, and thought it would just have to sit for a year.  You’ll appreciate it anyway, won’t you, even if I give it to you now?  After all, canned pumpkin is always at the grocery store.  Or the trend in over-propping a photo.  My cupcake tins are newish, but they aren’t those gorgeous antiqued tins that some people have and I need to be okay with that.  And who has room for an antique cupcake tin anyway?  The tin I actually use to bake those cupcakes takes up all the allotted cupcake tin space in my cabinet.  I also don’t have antiqued wood pallets, though I admit I still covet one.  Most of all, the article said that we all need to be kind to each other and I realized I need to be kinder to myself and tell my Martha Stewart Complex to hush.  Sure, there may be weeks I don’t post, but that’s okay.  Maybe I won’t work my way back up to posts 3 times a week, and that’s okay, too, because I really just want to share tasty things with you, work on my photography skills, and continue to try to fatten my beloved boyfriend up (he never gains an ounce).

That all said, sorry, 15 Trends article, you can’t get me to throw out my baker’s twine.

So here I am, trying again.  Words of encouragement, words of discouragement, funny words, whatever words, feel free to send them my way and we’ll get A Gilt Nutmeg rolling once again!  Anyone up for a Strawberry-Infused Chocolate Vanilla Cheesecake?  Or the phenomenal Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup my sister made for a Christmas dinner starter?  It was so good, I’ve vowed to make it as soon as I get home, perfect for a cold winter’s night…