Northwest Edible Life

urban homesteading in the pacific northwest

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Happy New Year! (Or, Rumors Of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated)

Well, hello, beautiful readers.

I started this blog four years ago, and for much of that four years I have written something nearly daily. Much of what I’ve written you’ve seen here. Some has been sold to magazines or other websites as articles on gardening or cooking. Over the last many months, as my presence on this site sputtered and faded, I was writing harder than ever, wrapping up my first book manuscript.

I turned in that manuscript on December 1st exhausted, and with no desire to write. Not here, not for magazines, and certainly not on my book. I thought I’d probably never write anything, ever again.

And so, for a month, I kinda fucked around. First, I picked up half a hog from local farmer Adalyn Farm and put prosciutto, sugar ham, bacon, guanciale and coppa up to cure. I made pate de campagne and Canadian bacon and smoky ancho sausages and pints of rillettes and tubes of braunschweiger and quarts and quarts of pork stock.

Charcuterie_Platter

Then there was Christmas and decorating the tree with the kids and hanging plastic sparkly snowflakes everywhere we could. Family and friends rotated evenings around our dinner table. Presents were opened, wine glasses were raised, life was lived without that feeling that I should photograph everything for possible future posts. It was nice. And in between I thought about how I should probably get back to blogging, and instead I played Candy Crush.

Christmas_Tree

I needed that break. But, with the New Year comes a new opportunity to reflect and plan. It’s a time to punctuate the moving forward that will happen whether we wish it to, or not. I’m looking forward to coming back home, to this space where I feel most spontaneous and free with my writing, sharing and teaching.

Those of you who managed to stick through the several months of my absence here (what is that, like 17 years or so in internet time?), thanks for your patience. I look forward to starting the conversation back up.

In the meantime, Happy New Year and all my best wishes for a peaceful, prosperous, healthy 2015.

Love,
Erica

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Comments

  2. It’s good to take a break sometimes. I look forward to seeing how your return pans out :-).

  6. Since I tested two recipes for you in early fall, I figured you were finishing the book. Can’t wait to buy a copy! Welcome back. You were missed.

  7. Yay! So happy to hear from you, Erica. I thought of you often (I’m making that granola regularly and it always makes me think of you, but other times, too!) and always hoped your absence was just as you wrote, nothing more. Glad you got a break. Congrats on finishing up the manuscript, too. xoxo

  14. Welcome back, Erica…and congrats on the manuscript!! Got my first two seed catalogs in the mail the other day, and of course thought of you as I dog-eared pages and circled varieties for my zone. Glad you got your book done and a well-deserved break!

  15. Yay! Done is the most glorious word in the English language. Doors open only when others shut. The day after I signed off on my book and sent it to the printer, we took our first vacation in 10 years NOT on Highway 89. We weren’t in Torrey 30 minutes before I knew we’d be looking for property here. Now look what’s happened: geese, goats, 500 apple trees. So be careful what you do next!

    We need you here at the ranch to inspire us to do good with all this amazing food that is coming in from the homestead. I’m seriously thinking about starting +100 rhubarb plants, thanks to you and that rhubarb syrup recipe. And if I show DH your charcuterie, he may just decide to get that pig he’s been threatening lately.

    Glad you are back–happy new year to you and the gang.

  16. Glad you got some rest and recharge, Erica. Go forth and do what you want! Happy New Year to you and your family.

  17. I just knew you would be back. I was so happy when I opened my homepage and there was a new post from you. I was afraid you had gone off into podcast land or something. I prefer to read than listen.

  18. YAY!!!! Just YAY! I am so, so happy you’re back. Your light-hearted and genius posts bring such light to my life, and my husband’s life by way of my cooking your recipes 🙂 We’re starting our farm AND family this year, so I am so glad to have your blog as another beacon of light along the way. Blessings for a happy new year!

  19. Happy New Year. Your charcuterie platter is to die for. Amazing to know you made it all. Jealous, now I need to go buy some at a local shop in Sellwood.

  22. Welcome back! It’s been…terribly quiet on the internet without you. I’m glad you’re rested, and ready to write again. I’m relieved that your book is turned in for editing, and thrilled that you had a happy/productive holiday season. You have been greatly missed, but please know that we’d rather wait for you to be ready to write than have you trying to write even though you’re not ready. Here’s to a prosperous and fantastic 2015 for you and your family!

  24. I was just thinking about you today—I’ve missed you in this space. Looking forward to hearing from you again (and seeing the book!)

  25. I found you late this summer and gorged myself on your blog 🙂 I spent many nights canning to your pod casts and just loved so much of what I found here. Imagine my delight tonight finding you had posted! I was afraid that I’d lost you so soon after having found you and I am glad to know you plan to be back. So glad you had a break after such a large project!!

  26. I had just thought the other day that I hadn’t seen your posts in my feed in awhile so I thought my feed was broken…came here and nope, you hadn’t posted. Glad to see you back and can’t wait to read more about your book!

  28. What? you thought we weren’t here? we never thought you weren’t ‘there’ ! 🙂 …. busy (albeit quietly.. er, silently 🙂 doing wonderful, creative, delicious, delightful stuff that we’d… eventually… get to share 😉 All we have had to do is be patient …. and you’re so worth it! ox

  30. So glad you are back! I discovered your blog a couple months ago and really enjoyed reading about canning, your epic garden, your kiddo, etc. I was a little bummed when I kept checking back seeing the same interview set hero banner…I thought, “dang…another great blogger bites the dust.” Looking forward to a great garden this year with the tips I’ve learned from you.

    Thanks, and keep it up!
    Chris

  31. I had just discovered your writing and enjoyed so many entries, glad you’re back . I love your version of fu**ing around.
    Happy New Year

  32. It’s hilarious that you think putting up enormous amounts of products most people don’t even know how to make and serve fresh is just, ” kinda fooling around”.

  34. Welcome back, Erica. Looking forward to reading more of your posts. Also, congratulations on surviving the process of writing your first book!

  35. Also, thanks for remembering what’s important and spending time with your family and caring about what they eat and how they live. No names, but a homesteadish blogger who’s work and style I really enjoyed decided at some point to buy into the modern brainwashing that you-are-your-paycheck and you’re not a real person if you don’t have an office/timeclock away from home. I can’t remember the last time I visited there.
    Your posts about the Newtown,CT school tragedyhttp://nwedible.com/2012/12/being-the-gatekeeper.html, people who are always in a hurry, http://nwedible.com/2012/10/dear-busy-person-an-open-letter-to-you.htmland , and this one http://nwedible.com/2014/04/permaculture-parenting.htmle ; are brilliant and I’ve sent them to many people. I don’t begrudge another woman her life choices (and some women don’t have many choices at all) ,but I’ve never observed such insights from someone who is bucking for a promotion to Partner.
    Homemaking is a real career. Thanks for respecting it and sharing it with us.

  36. I, too, had thought I had lost you to podcasting. Welcome back. Your blogs always make me smile. One question though, when do you sleep??? All the best and a Happy New Year to you and your family.

  38. I figured you were taking a well deserved break, but I can’t express how selfishly glad I am that you’re back in time for the 2015 gardening year!

  39. No excuses, Girl! You deserve a break without guilt. Glad you had the time to do it. We can’t wait for the book to come out. I know just how hard that is, especially with deadlines and editor pressure and brain cramps and everything sounding exactly the same as it did no matter how many times you tweak it.

    Internet fame? Check!
    Television appearances? Check!
    Podcaster cred? Check!
    Book written? Check!

    Seems like all that’s left is a major motion picture. Save that for next year. It’s always good to have something to look forward to.

    Big fat thanks for all you do.

  40. Yay! Excited to have you back and glad you had a well-deserved break. It so happens your break came at a time when I was garden-less, and now I get to return to the patch along with you 🙂 Cheers!

  41. Happy New Year, I’m so excited about your book! But I sure have missed you. You feel like a friend that’s been gone on a long trip, we have lots to catch up on!
    Janet -Woodway

  42. Sounds like you took some much deserved time to focus on other things. I have missed the blog but have been going back and reading old articles. Happy Holidays!

  43. So glad you enjoyed a nice break. Well deserved, I’m sure. I’m looking forward to the book!

  44. Hooray! And Happy New Year to you and your family!
    Wow, that platter looks amazing – and the ham, bacon, too?….YUM! We all look forward to your book, too. Take care, write when it feels good, it’s gonna be a great year!

  45. Came here to find your preserved meyer lemon recipe and noticed the new post. Welcome back! I’ve missed reading your blog. 🙂

  46. So good to hear (or read) your voice again — I’ve missed you! Congrats on getting your manuscript to bed, and thanks for returning to your adoring fans.

  48. Glad you took a break. That’s important.
    And I’m glad you’re back.
    And I want to know ALL THE THINGS about curing all that pork! 😀

    Happy New Year to you, too, and I look forward to whatever comes next. 🙂