Earlier tonight I decided to go through all our summer pictures that I have stored on the computer. I knew there were pictures of Offspring With Disney Characters, Offspring With Cousins, Offspring With Friends, Offspring With Dogs, Offspring In Water, etc., and so on, etc. And since I’ve felt a little crazed the last couple of days, I thought gazing at photographs of some of the people I love would be ever-so-relaxing.
But apparently, if my iPhoto is any indication, one of the people I love the very most is named, well, Food.
Y’all. We’re talking about an embarrassing number of food-related photos.
Now granted, some of the pictures were for blog posts that never came to pass. For example, I took an elaborate series of photos when I made a Hummingbird Cake earlier this summer, but the end result paled in comparison to the Coconut Cake Of Beauty I had made the week before. So I never mentioned it.
But in the interest of tying up loose photographic ends, here’s a picture of all the cake ingredients:
And, of course, the icing:
Which, added together, produced this:
For continuity’s sake, I should point out that I left the pecans out of the icing because they were somewhat mealy and bitter.
And while there are many qualities I look for in cakes, “mealy bitterness” is almost never one of them.
Oddly enough.
I also found a picture of a Southern spread Mama cooked back in June.
Now you would be completely justified in thinking that such an array of food was supper for at least twelve people, but it was LUNCH. For SIX. And one of those six people is only four years old. So really it was lunch for 5 1/2.
I feel it’s significant that I couldn’t even fit all the food in the frame.
Yet I wonder why I have food issues.
Moving on.
I have absolutely no explanation for this next photo. I guess I fixed a salad for lunch and thought it was pretty? Or something? Maybe?
You must feel like your life is infinitely richer for having seen that.
And just in case you don’t?
Hold on to your seats, internets – WE HAVE CANNED GOODS!
Now if memory serves, and we’re all sort of kidding ourselves if we think it does, I took the first Canned Good Still Life when the bug man was coming and I had to clean out my pantry. I have a vague recollection of thinking I would transform the whole sugar ant invasion / pantry-emptying debacle into some sort of blog post. But, you know, I didn’t.
However, now that I look at the picture, I totally should have issued some sort of Recipe Challenge and offered a prize to the person who could come up with the best dish consisting of evaporated milk, artichoke hearts, black olives, beans, pickle relish and a fruit cup.
Oh, it DO sound tasty, don’t it?
As for the second Canned Good Still Life – I really think I took that picture because those foods make me happy.
I mean, peanut butter, black beans, whole wheat noodles, chocolate chip cookies, bread and Ranch dressing – WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE?
And finally, just like the lovely Ms. Vanessa Williams, I’ve saved the best for last.
I call this one “Blackeyed Peas Coming To A Rolling Boil.”
Because, well, it’s blackeyed peas coming to a rolling boil.
WITH STEAM AND EVERYTHING.
Yeah. I know.
But don’t worry. My crazy really isn’t contagious.
It’s just increasingly difficult to contain.
And Now …..
Iron Chef – Boodawg Edition
Tonight’s Secret ingredient?
“Smiling Cyclops Peas”
Worry not – there are at least 2 of us who take pictures of stuff and either don’t blog them or forget why we took them. Or possibly, be afraid…be very afraid.
I know a many a Southern household that would be proud to have a large framed copy of those “Blackeyed Peas Coming To A Rolling Boil” over their living room sofa. “Course it’d be worth more if it was personally signed by BooMama. ;D
Have a good Sunday, S. You too, Sister.
Love and hugs,
Diane
I find it quite impressive that you can photograph steam. Maybe that’s because it’s almost 2 am, but I think it’ll still be impressive in the daylight. Don’t ya just love the Nature’s Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread? Only 1 weight watchers point for 2 WHOLE SLICES!!! And their commercials. . .”I don’t love you much do I, just more than all the stars in the sky. . .” sing it with me! It just makes me happy to serve a product with a good theme song to my family!
Nothin’ wrong with a couple of pitures of food. Nope, nothin’ wrong with that.
I especially enjoyed the plate of salad.
Hilarious! My husband is always going through the photos on our computer asking me, “Why the heck do we have a picture of THAT?!?!”
For the blog, honey. All for the blog.
It was a mighty pretty salad, BooMama. And the plate really made it pop. I think it looked like a Bon Appetit cover, myself!
Let’s start a food issues anonymous group. I’ll be a charter member. I’m certain I would qualify since the other night I took a COOKBOOK into a restaraunt with me so I could read it while waiting for our order.
Where on earth are the photos of your spices? Cans of tuna? Paper plates? I feel cheated out of seeing the ENTIRE contents of your kitchen.
That plate of salad makes me want a salad!
You’re not alone in taking pictures of food. I do it too. It used to be only for scrapbooking reasons.. you know the pie I made, or a cake, or something… pics to be used on a recipe page. But now I am taking pics of stuff for the blog too. Drives hubby batty.
…and they were all quite delightful pictures! Let’s throw all those ingredients together and create our own version of Bloggy Iron Chef. Too funny!
LOL! I cannot believe you have that many still-life photos of food options! You crack me up.
But I’m really a little bummed that I wasn’t invited to that heck of a spread for the 5 1/2 people. I really could’ve helped out. I’m sure my invitation just got lost in the mail. I’m so sorry. Please know my lack of arrival was a mishap! :)
Is it my imagination or is that pot of black eyed peas smiling back at you?
That plate of salad is food show worthy! Homemande croutons and everything.
Isn’t it fun the stuff that comes out of you when you start to blog? My kids think it’s absolutely wild all the things I now take pics of. They’ll even point out things and tell me to take a pic of it for the blog.
My life is indeed richer having seen those photos.
P asked me the other day why I had various pictures of my flip-flops saved on the computer. Did he even need to ask?
Recently I took a picture of a wooden object on the floor that I kept stepping on. Instead of picking up the object like a normal person…I was thinking about blogging it, complete with pictures. It would have taken 1 second to reach down and pick it up, but now I have at least 20 minutes invested in this wooded object. I truly am addicted to the blog. Good to know I am not alone!
Is it wrong that all those random combos of food made me hungry?
I could make a meal out of Still Life #2.
The salad was beautiful! I have so many of those things in my archive too. It is funny the images that wind up in front of our lens. I hope you are having a great day!
Too funny! Don’t you just love when you find a picture and all you can think is, “now really, why did I take a picture of that?!”
Gosh, I’ve missed reading you in the middle of an international move. Now that that’s all done – a little BooMama time is a healing balm. I’ll take your summer food still lifes any day, baby cakes!
LOL!!!
My 4-year-old son said something very BooMama-esque this morning. So, of course, I just HAD to blog ablut it. Here is the link if you’re interested.
http://methemama.blogspot.com/2007/08/hed-make-boomama-proud.html
I think finding weird pics is part of blogging. Or maybe its becuase we do weird things that we are all bloggers? Whatever, we all get you!
But, look! The Black-eyed peas are smiling. That is a good thing…as Martha says.
Keep on with the wonder-full recipes, Girl. And God bless you for liking food!
Love ya,
Holly
Funny.
And a little scary too. But mostly funny.
Last week our pastor told the congregation that you could tell what a person’s life revolved around by looking at their checkbook. “Oh my gosh!” I whispered to my hubby, “our life revolves around HEB!”
But at least no one’s goin’ hungry.
I especially appreciate the Southern Lunch Spread for 5 1/2 photo. It reminds me of eating lunch at my own mother’s house. Complete with 2 different desserts to choose from, because everybody needs choices. (and eventually, insulin)
I am too fixated on the Hummingbird cake to even look at the still life shots. Really, is there anything much better? My grandmother makes me one for my birthday every year…well, one of them does. The other one makes me a caramel cake. It’s like they are competing for the best birthday cake award every year. No complaints here!
Maybe it’s my Southern-ness showing but I didn’t think your Momma’s spread was overly large. Looked like lunch to me. = ) Well, not at MY house. But definitely at my momma’s house.
Have you ever posted that homemade crouton recipe? They look tasty enough to maybe lick the screen. Uh. Not that I would.
As a Southern girl – born and bred – I totally understand. There is comfort in food and no self-respecting Southern girl would live without her comfort.
And yes, we all have a little crazy that slips out now and again.
The cake looks beautiful and the salad looks delicious! I wish I could take a huge bite of each!
Are we not going to see “after” pictures of the clean up from the other day. You always give your peeps “after” pictures BooMama, always.
I am laughing out loud… thanks… because I have a lot of food pics, too! It’s gotten to the point where my husband doesn’t even ask WHY when I’m photographing our meals. I do post them on my cooking blog and on a recipe site, but like you, there are a lot of random ones, too. Glad to know I’m not alone!
Okay, I take pictures of food when I intend to blog about it or share some of my creative cookie decorating designs with my family/friends, so don’t feel too bad about all your food pictures! :)
You are crazy, and I LOVE IT!!
In my photos, there is a close up of Christmas thumbprint cookies, a breakfast casserole, the Thanksgiving turkey (still in the oven!) and a huge pot of chili cooking on the stove for the church chili cook-off.
And just think, I don’t even blog! :)
You are funny.
Um…the rolling boil thing…my husband would love for that to be pasted on the back of boxed rices, pastas…
…oops! Did I just share too much?
My HUSBAND is cooking and it’s food from a BOX!
Well, the cat’s out of the bag now! Or box, as the case may be!!!!
And I claim to be a Southerner, too! Florida cracker, no less.
I slink back into bloggity obscurity now that ya’ll know the truth.
This Florida girl don’t cook…much.
(hangs head in shame)
Alesha :-)
Well, they kinda look like HAPPY black-eyed peas. Cross-eyed, but happy.
Well, I love your smiling Cyclops peas – thanks for sharing. :)
This was just so funny that I had to send my readers over here. I am obsessed with food too, but it is actually my husband who enjoys taking the pictures of it…before consuming it, of course!
A woman after my own heart, Loved it!! Just found your blog, but I’ll be back! I totally get it. I work in a bakery and used to run a restaurant… food, food, food…. fantastic :-)
I have no idea how I managed to get on your web site today. Love the pictures did I mention to you that I Don’t like to eat. I believe that in this world there are those who LOVE TO EAT! There are also those who eat to Live. I am an eat to liver.
Have a great day and it soounds like you LOVE to cook!
Found you from a link at Kids Kitchen, you are a true HOOT! Your momma’s spread looks pretty normal to me – of course I was taught that you had to have at least TWO choices. Your blog is definitely going on my “favorites”. Keep on taking those pics – I had to delete a whole series I’d taken for my blog – food turned out nasty after looking SO good.!
Canned Good Still Life. LOL Good job, using those photos!
There are people who make a perfectly good living photographing food. You just may be on to something!!
i think that’s my new favorite saying: “my crazy isn’t contagious”
Ohmygosh. I do that too. I take pictures of all sorts of things -LOTS of pictures that I think I’m going to blog about. But then I have to pay bills or shave goats or serve tea or something and the entry never gets written. That’s when my husband asks, “Groovy?” (he calls me Groovy) “Why are there 14 photos of your new purse here?” and “Why do we have 7 photos of your feet?”
We creatives just don’t stop, do we?!
Smiling Cyclops Peas?!?! That is EXACTLY what I thought when I saw that lovely pan of peas coming to a boil in steam and all!!!! You are one creative pea-boiling chef! ROTFL!!! :D