With the autumnal weather (and by that I mean rain) that we’ve had here in the Northwest lately, many of the specimans in our yard have become aware of the impending fall season and are turning red.

Fall leaf

holly berries

Fall leaves

fall flowers

fall leaves

fall leaves

While a small percentage of my tomato plants have responded to this new season’s call to action…


tomatoes

most seem to have not received the memo regarding the coming equinox, and are holding on to a false sense of hope that summer has not left us.

green tomatoes

green tomatoes

Late last spring, at the same time that I was lovingly planting my tomato starts, I was also busy germinating a seedling of a very different type.

I have loved and nurtured it just as I would any plant in my yard by starting with good soil, talking to it, and not picking too early. I have fertilized it with stories, sprinkled it with great photos, and given it sunshine by sharing it with my readers.

If you know me, you also know that I am completely enamored by gardening. Working with my hands, digging in, learning, and creating something that I enjoy and will hopefully be enjoyed by others. Cooking is like that for me, and so is writing. This blog is about all of that.

I spent many years writing only for myself and talking a lot with others about food. I think I finally got it right though with the combination of these ideas – write for myself and others, and talk about food. I started this blog in response to my own need to create and practice my craft, and have dreams of it growing into something ripe and delicious. Over the summer I have watched my tomato babies as I have watched this blog, take root, flower, develop fruit, and mature. Unlike my tomatoes however, I hope that it never fully ripens – because if it were to, that would mean that I have stopped growing, and I hope to never do that.

I don’t imagine that there is another out there like mine because, not unlike my tomatoes, no two blogs or writers are the same. None of them have my heart, perspective or voice.

Recently I became a featured publisher for Foodbuzz.com and received a notice that they are hosting this contest in search for the next food blog star. Just as I see my green tomatoes as another opportunity to experience new things, develop my skill, and share (what can I do with those green lovelies anyway?) so do I see this challenge.

I once received this message in a chinese fortune cookie:

You see pictures in poetry and poetry in pictures.

I use these words as a guide in producing this blog.

So, to answer the first challenge question: Why do I “think I have what it takes to be the next food blog star” you ask, Foodbuzz?

Because, though I may be green…

Green tomatoes

I am definitely not yellow…

yellow tomato

And with all the love and care I have taken with it, my blog deserves to be red…

red tomato

Er, um, I mean “read”.

But in the meantime, while I wait…

tomato

for the votes to be tallied, I’ll just enjoy some of the fruits of my labor. 🙂

tomatoes

By the way, does anyone have a good recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes?

Note: As of now 9/20/10 voting is open. If you like this post, please vote for me by going HERE (you may have to register) Voting is open until 6pm Pacific Time, September 23rd. Hurry!