The Quirky Turkey

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How To Let your Quirks Fly:

LET'S FACE IT. . . We all have a quirk. There is no such thing as “normal”. Sometimes we feel like we need to hide these weird parts of ourselves, especially in social situations including… holiday gatherings. Holidays are another one of those schemas that feel completely different when you are a child versus when you are an adult. I don’t know about you but I LOVED the holidays as a child. I loved seeing my family, eating big meals, having more than one dessert option, listening to music, and shaking my TAIL-FEATHER!!! 

      I'm not sure when it happened, but as I grew older things have slowly shifted. I feel more stress, more anxiety associated with holidays, and family gatherings. Maybe because of the expectations I have of myself and of others. Maybe I just want these things to feel as amazing as they did when I was a little girl. Maybe instead of trying to live up to an ideal or fit into a mold, I just need to be brave. Just be me. I’m going to try and take more steps forward. I’m trying to let more of my “quirks” out. Feel the freedom that I had as a child to be myself.

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     Since starting Story Spectacular. I have heard from people all over who are connecting back to their childhood through my stories and songs. I am so thankful for this. Anyone reading this note, I am thankful for you too. Now come on everybody, let your quirks out. It’s time to celebrate!

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Come on . . . get QUIRKY!!!

 

The Baby Foodie: Great Corn Crusader

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How to Eat your Way to a Good Story:

SINCE MOVING TO MAINE IN 2007 . . . I have watched this small city become a food destination. It is such a pleasure to taste new foods. To learn about the farmers and foragers who take such care in sourcing their ingredients. My favorite part of traveling is the cuisine as well. The first time I went to Puerto Rico I picked a ripe mango from a tree. Living in Maine my whole life, I never had the pleasure of eating a mango so fresh. It was such a joy! I wanted to create a series of stories for families that would celebrate food from all around the world (without taking itself too seriously) and so… the “Baby Foodie” was born.

               Shrimp & Geechie Boy Grits at Hot Suppa Restaurant

               Shrimp & Geechie Boy Grits at Hot Suppa Restaurant

      The first story installment of "The Baby Foodie" is inspired by a very special family and a very special farm. I had the pleasure of traveling to Charleston SC in 2015 and sharing a meal with husband and wife who in my opinion, (and many others),  make some of the best grits in the whole country. They use heirloom corn and an old gristmill to stone grind the corn into grits. The process is laborious and the results are DELICIOUS! I loved their story so much that I thought a corn farm would be the perfect place for the Baby Foodie to journey to first. Enjoy this tasty tale!

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Geechie Boy Mill - Edisto Island, South Carolina

 

Monster SMASH!!!

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How to Make Scary... SPECTACULAR:

FOR THE WEEK OF HALLOWEEN . . . I wanted to take some things that I once found scary as a child and make them not so scary. The list of things I was once fearful of is LOOOOOONG!!! Snakes, Ghosts, Sharks… ONIONS…(No SERIOUSLY!) Bats and Monsters were up there too. As I have grown older and slightly wiser, I have come to the realization that most things lose their scariness once you learn a little more about them. Like BATS!!! I have found some wonderful podcasts and articles about bats that have allowed me to admire and appreciate these incredible animals. I now consider myself a bat advocate.

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      My fear of monsters, on the other hand, is a little more difficult to overcome. "Monster" is another one of those words that means something different as an adult. I think of people being Monsters now. It can be a hard world out there. Writing adorable stories for kids helps me cope. We have all gone through times in our life where maybe we felt a little like Monsters. I was a “Monster” of a teenager (Sorry Mom). My youngest brother had a real bad case of the Terrible Two’s. I think he was escorted out of most public areas for bad behavior during those troubling toddler years.

      The cure for solving “Monsteritus”? Finding a creative and/or physical outlet. For me it was art. I drew a lot of interesting things during my Monster teen years. It really helped me figure some stuff out. For my youngest brother, it was sports. He loved smashing a ball with a bat or getting to kick and throw various “sports” balls. I think we all know a misguided monster out in the world. Let's try and learn a little more about them and help them find a way to put their unique talents to good use. Happy Halloween everybody!!!

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Happy Halloween everybody!!!