Thoughts on Summer

With Memorial Day just a few days away I figured I would officially call it for Springtime. Heat and humidity wise (when it's not raining that is) it basically feels like Summer and this weekend marks the commencement of Beach Season which everyone equates with Summer around here anyways.

Speaking in terms of my blog but also in terms of my life, as this little online journey has reflected very closely with my very real and actual world, Winter was the time for me to get back on my feet. It was cold and dark and I placated my Debbie Downer attitude with warm food and lots of memories and getting over it the only way I knew how. I started this little blog, I got out, I made new friends and became closer with old ones. Then Winter more or less just kind of shifted into Spring and with the change in weather also came a time for challenging myself and embracing the renewal of life.  And I loved and conquered every minute of it. Now here is Summer knocking at the door and with it lots of other new and exciting happenings in my life and I thought I would reflect a moment on everything I want to get out of this new season.

Hello Summer

 After Winter, the Summer season is probably my least favorite but not this year. This summer I will embrace biking again (also get my bike tuned up asap as I have been slacking/too busy) and partake in numerous bike rides around my neighborhood and the park. I will get more comfortable with riding on the streets, because I am greater than my fear! How's that for a pep talk? And now I have a new bike shop right around the corner from me... not that my neighborhood was lacking on quantity, though definitely lacking for quality.

I'm using one of my lovely work perks and purchasing a brand new, wonderfully purple (to match my bedroom) Dyson Animal. Someone may or may not have worked on a firsthand pitch to a client who may or may not have offered up some wonderful friends and family perks, so the organization and cleanliness freak in me is absolutely overjoyed with this purchase.

I've also taken some steps to upgrade this little blog, with some results you've hopefully noticed already. I've had numerous internal talks with myself about where I want to go from here and the simple truth is that this has been the best therapy outlet possible. I love cooking. And I've loved sharing nearly as much. I thought this blog would be something that anonymous-loving me would completely freak out over but I haven't been nearly as afraid to share my journey of life in my kitchen (and let's be real, outside of the kitchen too) as much as I thought I would. And lately I've started to spread my wings to concentrate on quality over quantity, and have found myself on others food blogs, looking for ideas but also "oohing" and "awwing" over the beautiful photos. I didn't really have the time or the means to look into a major purchase, but somehow the change in weather combined with my own personal itching to take up a new hobby, though one that will benefit my current hobby, has led me to start research and pricing out different cameras.

This really just came about by me looking for tips of how to improve my food photography. But as the first seeds that led to this search happened, I went to the pros. The food blogging pros. I knew I'd love to have a camera where I could take beautiful shots from all travels, of my beautiful neighborhood, but first and foremost it was my little blog. And almost all my favorite sites will at least tell you the photography equipment they're working with, if not give a little tutorial on the subject and what led them to their purchase.

• 101 Cookbooks- Really great tips for food photography. 
• Simply Recipes- Another place with some great tips, as well as a compilation from other sites and goes in depth into the equipment she uses
• Smitten Kitchen- My personal favorite for food photography. Love the close, sharp and distinct photos
• The Wednesday Chef- The first place I went to get ideas, really more just a blurb on what she uses, but a good jumping off point
• Homesick Texan- again, just a little blurb on what she uses, but being one of my absolute favorite food blogs, another first place to check out

Really, all you need to do is google "food photography" or in my case "amateur food photography" and just go from there. I'm one of those people that can easily spend months researching and comparing and when it finally comes down to making a purchase have completely mastered the terminology... which in this case I've got the work cut out for me to find the perfect camera.

And other summer plans? Just get out an enjoy. I've got 2-3 different mini vacations in the works and knowing me probably more once it all works out, numerous concerts to attend, both a lake house and a beach house to spend time at, I've got canning to do (and just took a wonderful class on), a beautiful neighborhood and park to spend plenty of time in, and so much more I can't think of just this second.