Our last photo session for my new book was SO exciting!  This is a composite photo of what will probably be the beginnings of each of the twelve chapters of The Fresh Honey Cookbook.  Aren't they beautiful?

 

The art director asked for a number of different shots.  This one is a look at all the twelve honeys in glass bowls.  The variety is so amazing to me.  I mean, the bees gather nectar from where they live and turn it into honey.  Honey is a result of the distillation of that nectar and the color, which is so varied, just appears as the water of the nectar evaporates and the liquid thickens into what we know as honey.

 

Monday September 10           

Chicken and Green Tomato Gumbo with Basmati Rice 7.95

 

Tuesday, September 11          

Late-summer Ratatouille with Couscous and White Beans 7.25 (GF)

 

Wednesday, September 12    

Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes 8.50

 

Thursday, September 13        

Jamaican Jerk Pork with Coconut Rice 8.25

 

Friday, September 14             

Laurey’s Crabcakes with Spicy Roasted Potatoes 8.25

 

 

Chicken Pot Pie

Whole: 35 Half: 17.50

 

Beef and Mushroom Lasagna

Whole: 59 Half: 29.50

 

There is another snap the art director requested and that is one with all twelve honeys stacked in rows of four jars.  Charlotte found these cutie pie jars and methodically poured the honeys in, making sure they all were filled to the precise same level.

 

My friend Deb has such lovely penmanship.  I asked her to come and write out the labels for the jars that will appear in the chapter openers.  I also did some (in the picture of the little bowls) but mine, which take about a half a second to do, look like it.  Hers, which take much longer, are so perfect and clean.  It will be a pleasure to me if these pictures make the final cut.

 

Taking pictures of my food is one thing that I am very comfortable with.  But taking pictures of ME with my food is a whole different story.  My pulse races, my body sweats, my internal critic has a field day.

 

But the team rallied, prompting me with, "looking good!"  "Nice!"  "Ooh that looks good!" comments.  I sort of feel like I am on a red carpet, "over here Laurey!" but really I am standing in the front of my shop on a Sunday morning and Biltmore Avenue is just on the other side of the window and I'm just cutting tomatoes and there is no need to be nervous.

 

Whew! 

Done with the Laurey shots!!!!

September 8, 2012

Oh frabjous day!

 

I have very good news. I went to Chapel Hill yesterday to get checked. The day started with a 7AM MRI, always a fun thing to do first thing. I then had an hour or so to have breakfast and pray before going to see my surgeon who would, by then, have read the MRI and would tell me how I was doing.

 

The last time I saw this fellow he reported that I needed to start chemotherapy treatments again because the first round got a lot but not everything and some really pesky, persistent cells had managed to avoid getting zapped and had started to create new tumors. That was really hard news so you can imagine my nervousness going into this session.

 

Well, my doctor showed up smiling, gave me a quick “Things look good. See you when you’re done treatment,” and left the room. So, that’s really good news and I cheered my body and all, but was glad that his assistant came in and spent another half hour with us, going into detail and answering our questions. I did have four suspect spots and now I only have two, both of which are significantly smaller than they were a few months ago. I will go back in November to reassess but for now I can jump for joy again, thrilled that all I have been doing and all that is being done to me is, indeed, working. Chemotherapy is no fun so it’s a huge relief to know that my body is responding in such a positive way.

 

Whew!

 

In other news, we’re moving along here with our new signage, integrating our new logo into our printed and visible materials. Adam has been visualizing a reconfigured shop area which will evolve and be implemented over time. It is a fresh feel and I like it quite a bit. I have mostly been a stick in the mud when it comes to change, but now I feel very differently. Change is good and it is nice to include others in making things better. Those who know me well will double over with laughter at this simple news item, and it is safe to say that I still don’t want to move my desk, but I feel different after going through this enormous health challenge and some things just don’t matter – like keeping everything as it always has been.

So there.

 

The photographing of my book is a huge pleasure for me. I wrote the thing, of course, and was deeply involved in its conception – all by myself for the most part. But then I included the folks who tested the recipes and the folks who proofread the book and let me know if something was wildly incorrect in terms of the bee information. Now the project is filling out, including yet another group of people – the book’s editor, the art director, the photographers. I just heard from the publishing company’s PR person and that makes my pulse race – in a good way this time.

 

All in all it fills me up to get this project to work on and think about and dream of sending out into the world. And it is especially fine for me to have it to focus on while I sit in the infusion room accepting another round of magical chemicals that, I am so happy to know, are making me into a healthy person again.

 

Now I’m going to go hear some music and then tomorrow will get on my bike and then next week I’ll work a little and get another treatment and carry on. I am blessed to have you to help me as I continue on this path. I am surrounded by prayer and love and care and belief that I will make it through and that means so, so much to me. Thank you. Don’t stop yet please – we’re not done, but know that all that you do is helping me.

 

I’ll be in touch next week, maybe with a picture of me with my new bicycle!!!!

 

Ciao,

And in the meantime I am getting a few of these cards every day these days.  They are from the Iowa ride and were each pinned onto one of the Livestrong team rider's bike jerseys one day on the ride.  Each rider thought about me that day, even though none of them had ever met me.  But they knew I had wanted to be on the ride and they knew I could not do it while I was in treatment.  Each card has a note to me on the back.  Each one tells me that I am on the team even if I was not there in person.  Each one tells me they hope I get better soon.  And each one tells me they can't wait until next year when, they hope, I will be with them.