where the heart is

This is what it is all about for me--friends gathered in the kitchen, laughing, cooking, drinking wine, telling stories. This is the spice of my life. This weekend I had nine out-of-town house guests from five states and Australia, plus my partner and son and my mom and step-dad--fourteen of us for the Saturday pitch-in dinner! It was crazy and loud and hectic and people were sleeping and eating in every corner. But they are the extended family of my heart and the kindest people one could ever hope to know, and so it was all wonderful. By Sunday morning, we'd gone through several pounds of coffee and more good food than you can imagine. Folks showed up with baskets and boxes of baked goods, snacks, homemade soup ingredients, you name it. They showed up with their arms and their hearts wide open. It was so joyous to be surrounded by this bunch of people I have come to know and love over many years. It was joyous to watch my son get hugged by his five additional "aunts and grandmas". It was joyous to share the aspects of my life I often write about--cooking, my garden, kicking back on the back porch, the chicken, the farmer's market, the coffee shop, hiking in the deep ravine off the edge of my property. In short, it was a magical weekend.