Modernly Thankful

View from my kitchen window -- Merlot vines and our old hammock. Photo by Tamera
View from my kitchen window — Merlot vines and our old hammock. Photo by Tamera

My hunky husband is a bit of a naysayer on this whole social media “thing” of mine. Lately, enough to make me stop and think about why it is I enjoy sharing this lovely, beaded-brow world of food and wine with friends, acquaintances, and now a surprising number of global strangers.  I am first, honored. THANK YOU. And second, sincerely happy to see good folks all over this crazy planet eating good food and drink. Living our lives vibrantly!

The famed Allyson Wiley caught my hubby and I recently at a party in our Ruins.
The famed ALLYSON WILEY caught my hubby and I recently at a party in our Ruins.

Now, my husband is a fantastic man but he’s wrong here: this endeavor is not about Ego. Rather, writing and connecting on Instagram — the “happy Facebook” — makes my buttered pan runneth over!  My life in Sonoma as Mama, Wife, Artist, Cook and Friend is beyond full and joyous. Making my connections with fellow food nerds extra icing on the cake. Trading recipes, sharing ideas in the comments beneath a happy shot of something savory or sweet, chilled or hot… Is being apart of Our Food Culture. Be it regionally, nationally or globally. Even as some earnest amateur. Each photo or post is a contribution to our collective joy and passions.

Supremely talented ASHA from Food Fashion Party is my go-to blog for killer Curry dishes.
Supremely talented ASHA from Food Fashion Party is my go-to blog for killer Curry dishes.

Truthfully, I started on IG for the food but have branched into learning about Inspired jewlers like Michelle Hoting, beekeeping with Gretchen Bee Ranch in Texas, antique silver with Gryphon Estate Silver, vintage clothing (too many to list — who knew??), fellow Winemakers thanks to SONOMA VALLEY WINE I have yet to meet in person, recipe writers like Jessica in her Carolina Farmhouse Kitchen, and CURRY. Blessed, beautiful curries á la Asha on Food Fashion Party. To name a few.

A gorgeous mid-century silver cuff I had to have thanks to Instagram and GRYPHON ESTATE SILVER
A gorgeous mid-century silver cuff I had to have thanks to Instagram and GRYPHON ESTATE SILVER

Cooking away in our kitchens. Trading recipes. Mailing each other gifts and treats.  Shopping our markets. Raising our babies and animal friends. Giving garden tips. Styling our lives to make every normal day full of sunshine and smiles. And sharing them together.  So I told my husband to “bite me” this morning in more colorful language.

Pure perfection. I am 100% now hooked on Thien Gretchen's honey from Gretchen Bee Ranch after her thoughtful gift!
Pure perfection. I am 100% now hooked on Thien Gretchen’s honey from Gretchen Bee Ranch after her thoughtful gift!

But I wondered all day… What IS it that makes me feel like sharing pictures and recipes and thoughts?

Tamera, Adrienne, and me -- a rather grand cocktail hour here last month!
Tamera, Adrienne, and me — a rather grand cocktail hour here last month! Thanks to Tamera for the photos.

And then the beyond fabulous, crown-making Tamera Beardlsey wrote today about her coming to visit our lifestyle blogger and friend Adrienne Shubin (Rich Life on a Budget) and our happy cocktail hour we shared here at Annadel! Tamera started writing when her kids went off to college. As a way to help her find her path. I think many of us can appreciate that.

With two toddlers and a painting career, cooking and learning about food became my hobby. I love this photo Tamera took of my vintage light-pole canister. Makes my heart melt with memories of all those cooking attempts.
With two toddlers and a painting career, cooking and learning about food online was how I started blogging and enjoying social media like Instagram. I love this photo Tamera took of my vintage telephone-pole insulator. Makes my heart melt somehow.

My kids are still little but I started writing once I became a stay-at-home-Mom learning to cook and then jumping down the rabbit hole of food-history and food writing. Adrienne started her wine country lifestyle blog soon after the economic collapse of 2008 and has turned it into a gorgeous place for advice and style.  And we’ve all stuck with it for the joyful connections we make with sincere people putting their passions and hobbies “out there with honest intent.” Now Isn’t that just the truth? Thank you, Tamera for coming to meet me.  Thank you, Adrienne, for bringing we three girls together.  And thank you, Instagram, for introducing us all.

See? Now I have better verbage the next time I need to tell Dean “bite me.”

Happy Eating!

5 thoughts on “Modernly Thankful

  • I love meeting new friends, especially via Instagram. I first started meeting bloggers when I had all my blogs going as part of work for the library. Then all these other wonderful social media platforms kicked in! I love your description of Instagram as “the happy Facebook.” LOL so perfect. Pictures make me happy and why not make normal days full of color and joy?! Thanks for the friendship and here’s to meeting in person one day really soon. <3

  • I also found as a got older, now in my 70’s that social media was a way to connect to people all over the world. It makes my life richer. New friends (BFFs) of all ages. It’s hoot. I’m now learning Instagram. Loving it. I mean now I know you!

  • Just read this and thought how close to home it is. My husband too just doesn’t get it at all, this sharing thing that we artists just love doing. Strangely enough just reading a book which mentions a comment by Virginia Wolf a novelist from over 80 years ago …….
    (Behind closed doors, by Amanda Vickery) …who mentions eighty years after Virginia Woolf exposed the systematic privileging of masculine interests over feminine ones: ‘This is an important book, the critic assumes, because it deals with war. This is an insignificant book because it deals with the feelings of women in a drawing-room. A scene in a battle-field is more important than a scene in a shop –everywhere and much more subtly the difference of value persists.’
    So there you have it, it IS important to us, we don’t have to read the news about war and disaster, we want to be feel good, feel the love and share the good stuff.
    I love reading of your life, so different to mine, not better, just different. We are so lucky to be doing this and enjoying the day to day challenges, wonderful people we meet and just spreading the good stuff around.

Leave a Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


3 + = 11