How strange. One of the things my husband cannot understand about me is why I enjoy two things: cooking and gardening. He perceives them as hard work, but I see them as something fun, relaxing and enjoyable that I get to do. I would rather be outside pulling the random weed or watering or something than just about anything else I know, but my second favorite place is in the kitchen making dinner or baking (or a recent and addictive love ? canning!!). I do grow things I use often, but mostly just herbs and peppers. My lemongrass is three feet tall this year (how cool is that?) and right out the back door with the other herbs. I think it?s inherited. My mom (excellent cook) always gardened ? flowers, veg, whatever. However, of the four of us kids, I?m the only one who does. ~ Jenn

Wheee! So fun to see this... Thank you so much for the kind words! xoxoxox

What's mysterious or strange about it? I tell you what's strange: it's strange that people have become disconnected or detached from this process.

Growing food, preparing food and eating food is naturally linked. It represents a basic human instinct to nurture ourselves and our loved ones in a way that's as hands-on, intimate, and personal as possible. I garden, I cook, I shop locally, I'm smug as a bug in a rug providing meals for people I love.

My opinion is that food industries intentionally separate us and distract us from the process of putting meals on the table. If more of us were aware of what's involved in getting fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, and so on to our table, I think we'd make more educated choices. As Maya Angelou said, "When we know better, we do better."

Hi Ivette, I am Jet Guer (love your blog)and I know you are a lover of flowers, so I wanted to show you my flickr album with lots of pictures of flowers that I have taken from my garden and maybe you can help me identify some of them because I don't know what most of them are.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jetguer/sets/72157601839863372/

Thanks a bunch!

I discovered long ago that I loved to cook, it's only fairly recently that I uncovered a love for gardening. My reason was simple, I love preparing fresh and exotic veggies, you know, the kind that are ridiculously expensive at your local grocer. So, I decided to start growing some of the stuff I use daily, like chives, green onions, chamomile, etc., but quickly concluded that I would save tons of money just growing as much as I can myself. Now my apartment is overrun with containers of this and that, but I'm gonna have some really awesome, home grown, organic okra for Thanksgiving this year!

Katef -well, thanks for the inspiration, Doll! And thank your Mom for me, too...

Grdn_jr & Susa - I totally understand why Grdn_jr's huband thinks all this 'pioneer' stuff is strange - it isn't just the food industry that distracts and separates us from the making and serving of our meals(although I am not letting them off the hook, by no means), it's the entirety of modern life. The pace we are all supposed to perform at, the cost of living, the pressure to be someone who has a career and raises the kids - where is the time for most people? Thankfully, the importance of what we put into our bodies being of quality is really hitting home, and more of us are carving out the time to do what Susa describes. Many of us have to learn how to do this from scratch, on our own, having been the daughters and possibly granddaughters of working mothers who had to depend on the quick, easy pre-packaged foods made readily available for less money (and time) than fresh foods - see, there's that food industry! I think many people my age had never seen such complicated meal-making, which is why I understand G_jr's response. Of course he'd see it is just hard work, rather than the pleasure it is. Thank goodness for Kate's mother, who has kept up the radition of growing and cooking good food and has created another generation of foodies. And Susa, for who these issues are as important as breathing... and for Gayla Trail, who is mentor to a whole new wave of food growers and thoughtful consumers - I learn so much from you women ... Thank you, thank you, thank you!
(and I'm talking about you, too - you know who you are...)

Jet - I never get tired of hearing that! Thank you! I can't wait to look at your flower snaps to see if I can id some for you - check back on this comments page later, okay?

Akame21 - the theory proves itself again! When you love to cook, sometimes the only wayyou can get the things you want (in the quantities you want ) w/o spending your Whole Paycheck (ha ha... get it?) is by growing your own. Okra - yum... I cooked up my first batch of it recently with a knowledgeable Southern friend. I can't wait to pop some in my garden ... thanks for reminding me! I'm also addicted to Lacinato kale - for the quantities I need, I keep Whole Foods in the black. But no more! I join the ranks of the growers of food!

BTW, I thought my mom was going to sign up so she could comment, but she asked me to thank you and tell you to stop by any time you're in Eugene! They LOVE feeding my friends, so...seriously.

Katef -- How sweet of her! This could be step one in my nefarious plan to get adopted into your family! Well, it isn't exactly nefarious, I'd just love to eat and hang out... and it really looks beautiful over there! Tempting...

JetG, I posted some IDs for you on Flickr - check out my pictures! Finally, Su's Garden:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65465029@N00/

Thank you very much! I saw your pictures and I love the variety of exotic looking flowers you have. BTW, love your LV room.

Susa to the rescue! Jet, I forgot all of my passcodes for flickr(It wasn't letting me do anything - it was against me!) and got frustrated because I wanted to post the id's and congradulate you on the amazing flowers you have! Wow! Walking in a garden like that is a wonderful reason to wake up in the morning ... and do you realize how many people would KILL for gardenias like that? They look like they were grown for the floral trade! Do you upload garden images often? I'd love to keep on checking in to see what's blooming.

You are great! I do feel really happy to be able to live in such a great area. I just started posting pictures of flowers, but I will keep on posting pictures as flowers bloom. So you can definitely keep checking and see what new flowers come up.

What a beautiful garden! I have been living in New York for 6 years now, and keep toying with the idea of moving to Oregon- these pictures certainly make me want to move there as soon as possible. Like most urbanites, I have limited space in which to garden. I have to make due with window boxes and containers on my fire escape, but I keep hoping one day that I will have the garden of my dreams. And yes, it makes all the sense in the world that those of us who love to cook, love gardening as well. What could be better than growing your own food and then being able to feed people with it?

Thanks for the lovely images! Juree