the world is in a whirl, but life is beautiful.

~

“Three six nine, the goose drank wine, the monkey chewed tobacco on the street car line, the line broke, the monkey choked, they all went to heaven in a little row boat, clap clap!”

We found ourselves singing this ditty in the shop the other day, it seemed quite fitting as the year, another crazy and unsettling year in the world’s history, comes to a close. This year, the shop is grateful to be celebrating Christmas - edition 19. The year wraps up with many memories, both joyful and sad. Thankfully, the relationships we have formed with chefs, cooks and authors continue to nourish us, I delight in introducing new ideas and technique to you all. We all have a story to tell.

I truly think our presence in the community is to encourage the souls who grace our doorstep to embrace cooking whether living alone, or cooking for another, or many others. But also, I feel it important to understand where your ingredients are coming from, how they are produced, and how that production affects our world, though sometimes I think it best not to get me started into this conversation!

What I have learned from this year is to continue to feel empathy and show kindness, being cognizant of this has been a great help to move through the muck as I crave to be surrounded with sanity, truth and peace.

I leave you with this illustration I commissioned Roxanna Bikadoroff to create around one of my favourite quotes by Thomas Wolfe.

May you all enjoy the season,

Barbara-jo ~ December 15, 2015