Spoon & Suitcase

Sparky

January 24, 2020 By Mary 11 Comments

The Sparkle in my Life March 2009 to October 2019 My dearest Sparky, Even though you have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, I feel your warm spirit and vibrant energy beside me. Oh, the adventures we had! From the oceans to the desert and the mountains. Joy was our middle name. From the moment I laid eyes on you as a six-month-old skinny pup from Baja, I knew we were destined to be best friends. The way you nuzzled my neck and clung to me tugged at my heart. Of course, those big pointy curious ears, bunny-soft tan, and white fur and a tail that curled tightly above your back ...

Homegrown Potatoes

June 7, 2019 By Mary 12 Comments

I’d never thought of growing potatoes until I visited my family in Denver last year and my green-thumb sister-in-law, Mirna, showed me how. Her homegrown potatoes were finished for the season in October and I helped her dig them up before the first frost. The yield amazed me - at least five pounds. ...

Food Photography, Santa Fe & A Cake

May 29, 2019 By Mary 7 Comments

On a plane en route to Albuquerque, final destination Santa Fe, I devoured a book by one of my food writer gurus, Ruth Reichl. Her latest book, Save me the Plums, was just released and is a memoir of her life as editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine, my favorite food magazine - ever. I have read ...

My 5 Favorite Memories of The Beach House

May 17, 2019 By Mary 12 Comments

Our family beach house of 57 years is now a memory. I spent much of my childhood here, in the tiny 1929 blue cottage with brick-red shutters along the shores of Mission Beach. Her living room was covered in a driftwood-type paneling, a fish net hung in a corner, stuffed with shells. The floors and ...