Rainy mornings and cooking

papaya, pineapple, mango, kiwi

It rained much of last night and continues to rain this morning; not a downpour, not a torrent, but a steady rain that is hypnotizing in sight and sound.  I am an early riser so I was up while it was still dark and heading out to get groceries, preparing to make several things today and tomorrow.  When I returned home, I set out fruit to prepare for smoothies, vegetables and chicken to prepare for later today, and started some music.  The doors and windows were open so I could see the rain and hear it as an accompaniment to Debussy's La Mer, Beethoven's fourth piano concerto, and Mahler's first symphony.  I kept an eye on the hummingbirds as they flitted from feeder to feeder, energetically consuming as much as they can in preparation for their soon-to-be migration south for the winter.  Sparrows and wrens congregated on seed feeders, and a pair of blue jays swooped in to nab peanuts in the shell and fly off again.  American goldfinches, bright yellow in the grey morning, eagerly pulled thistle seeds from seed socks.  The tall zebra grass was a little less tall under the weight of the falling rain, but beautiful nonetheless.    And inside, the aromas of papaya, kiwi, pineapple and mango, and then red bell peppers and red onions filled the kitchen ....  the feel of the fruits and vegetables in my hands as I scooped up the diced pieces and long strips and placed them into bowls .... chunks of chicken breast separated by the blade and ready for cooking en papillote .... what a rewarding way to spend a morning here at the beginning of autumn.

Today is for smoothies, blueberry snack cake, and chicken with curry and vegetables cooked in foil or parchment packets (I haven't decided which yet), and maybe some double chocolate pudding.  I have no errands to run today, no tasks to perform, a rare day in this modern world that seems to move so quickly at every hour of the day.  Cooking takes me out of that frantic pace, forcing me to pay attention to that most basic element of our existence: food.  And while I cook, I think about anything or nothing; but whatever my mind turns to, it turns to it organically as part of a natural flow of thought and idea that is created by the peacefulness that comes from preparing good food.