edible blackberries—the kind that don’t ring

Last weekend we wandered outside the Beltway and camped in Shenandoah National Park, less than two hours from our high-rise. After a seven-year sojourn in the Midwest, the joy in being so close to the mountains and the ocean is never lost on me.

Lil’ Blue (the Civic) merged onto Skyline Drive and my BlackBerry promptly lost service. I could not have been more delighted. Like all wannabe-campers, we purchased firewood, pitched our tent 15 feet from our vehicle, and applied bug spray. We had two coolers of junk food and only one immediate concern: kindling for the campfire. The Eagle Scout tromped into the woods wielding his beloved hatchet (and boot knife, and Swiss Army knife) and I picked up a few twigs.

Then I spotted them. The real blackberries. The ones you can eat. I picked just a few (I swear!) and heard a rustling down the hill. A buck was enjoying some berries, too. In another wannabe-camper moment, I delighted in the fact that so shortly after leaving the office I was already communing with nature. The hot dogs and beers weren’t bad, either.

Update: The “Stuff White People Like” blog’s most recent post makes fun of how we camp.

i'm hungry ... what's on TV?

Michael Pollan wrote an insightful article for The New York Times Magazine recently, exploring trends in food television and analyzing why we would rather watch someone cook than actually cook ourselves. As a former Food Network fan, I can sympathize with Pollan’s skepticism of its programs that highlight consumption and provide entertainment rather than actually showing people cooking. I’ve ditched cable and I now enjoy public TV (WETA’s “Create” channel) where “America’s Test Kitchen” and “Lidia’s Italy” actually teach recipes.

He says, “Today the average American spends a mere 27 minutes a day on food preparation (another four minutes cleaning up); that’s less than half the time that we spent cooking and cleaning up when Julia [Child] arrived on our television screens. It’s also less than half the time it takes to watch a single episode of ‘Top Chef’ or ‘Chopped’ or ‘The Next Food Network Star.’ What this suggests is that a great many Americans are spending considerably more time watching images of cooking on television than they are cooking themselves — an increasingly archaic activity they will tell you they no longer have the time for.”

Even if you’re completely uninterested in food TV, Pollan’s article is worth a read. He recalls growing up with Julia Child on the television, and explores how her commitment to excellent food actually ran alongside the feminist movement rather than contradicting it. By contrast, the Food Network’s evening lineup of grilling-fests and diner tours shows a concerted attempt to attract male viewers. (To be fair, they still host a number of cooking shows during the day.)

Also, this reflection by David Frum echoes some crunchy con themes, as he sees the conservative values in manifestoes like Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma.

home-making

Here are some pictures of our new place and new things: books, reading chair, quilt, balcony. We have turquoise & brown curtains to hang in the living room, but the hanging has become a summer saga. The plaster is too thin, the concrete too stubborn. So the curtains are pending.
The dining area and living room (above) are not as gloomy in real life.

Wes' grandmother made this quilt for us this spring. I helped pick the pieces!

Still getting organized in here...but we've made many a good meal.Just found this set -- for our very narrow balcony -- on clearance.
Wes is sitting in this chair, sipping mate, as we speak.