Anticipating Another Beginning
“Forging Ahead” was the title I gave an earlier post about my upcoming internship at The Forge Literary Magazine. At that time, in anticipation of beginning my online internship and feeling a bit overwhelmed between second semester responsibilities, travelling from one destination to another, and those unpredictable life occurrences that happen no matter what, it expressed the way I foresaw this new journey. I wondered if it would be a challenging beginning. I hoped I could manage the demands. What would the experience be like? It has been over thirty years since I was on the staff of a college literary journal. Would this involvement be like that? I quickly answered my own question. Maybe in some ways it will be familiar, but I have changed and grown and found my way through many landscapes of life in those thirty years. So, though my connection with The Forge may bring back memories, for the most part it would be a new marker. Hopefully this connection would demonstrate how much my life experiences, my being a writer and author, and the wisdom gained as I have aged would be useful in this new beginning.
I also wondered how my joining the team and reading and evaluating submissions would be received. Would Yosh, the editor of this online magazine, find me and my responses to the pieces I read helpful? All these concerns evaporated as I warmed from Yosh’s welcome email earlier this year.
“Welcome to the Forge Literary Magazine! We are thrilled to have you intern for us. We will start sending reading assignments your way very soon. We try to get back to our submitters fast, so if you are unable to read within one week or so, just give us a shout and we will reassign or pause your assignments. I know you have a set number of hours, so let us know If you are getting too many or two few pieces.”
Along with such a warm welcome, the moment I opened up the first email with a link to several titles (both fiction and nonfiction submissions), which I eagerly read and commented on, I felt my fit in this internship. That said, as I began going through the submissions – writings that I know the authors put their heart and soul into – I found that heart and soul did not necessarily indicate good writing. I somewhat reluctantly clicked on the “thumbs down” image to several pieces. I began to wonder if my assessment of the writings was too harsh. Maybe I was being too critical. So for guidance I went to The Forge website and read some published stories and essays. Doing this reminded me of the quality of writing that was accepted to this literary magazine. I returned to my assignments feeling more grounded and confident in my ability to discern different levels of writing.
Soon I was rewarded with a submission that shined above the others. Exceptional writing and wonderful story! I thought. I was on my way! What made my participation even more meaningful was that in one fiction piece that Yosh decided to decline, after the team had made their evaluations, she included part of my comment in her reply to the author. I had written, “How much can fiction be fictionalized?” In this piece of fiction there were inaccuracies in descriptions of important facts that could not be overlooked.
Yosh has also invited me to join the Fiction Forge forum where all the editors mingle and share their writings. As both a fiction and nonfiction writer I am so happy to be engaged in this internship. I have immersed in the flow of connection with The Forge. There was a couple of days last week that I did not receive any assignments. I missed those emails and inquired as to the pause. Yosh let me know that often happens at the end of the month. I eagerly awaited more submissions, which arrived this week. There are several awaiting for my attention. But, in this moment, as I gaze out at the blue waters of the Pacific, the waves flowing between the islands of Lanai and Molokai interrupted by splashes from whales breeching, I a bit reluctantly step away from my laptop. An island excursion with friends, who have joined us here on Maui, awaits. Aloha!
My Internship at “The Forge Literary Magazine”
As I explored an internship for this “Immersion in Publishing” course at Bay Path University, I went to The Forge Literary Magazine website. I was immediately drawn to the dark, powerful image of the red-hot curl of iron, the anvil, and the hammers, along with the burst of cobalt blue that offered a softness; soothed the heat https://forgelitmag.com/ (Links to an external site.) . The image I gazed at and felt seduced by played a huge role in my delving deeper into the magazine. Once I read a couple of the stories – one fiction one non-fiction – I felt this is where I belonged.
From the start of this process, I knew where ever I landed for this internship experience, I wanted to feel I belonged and feel creatively inspired. I knew that a sense of connection would facilitate my learning process and hopefully enhance my writing. I want to learn how The Forge works. How does the team of people behind this magazine, who I hope to get to know, work individually and together? How do they choose the right pieces, the best pieces, the pieces that fit into The Forge to give it life, the pieces that go out into the world? I want to learn more about others’ writings, and understand my own style of writing through the experience of reading submissions.
I so much want to immerse in this process of engagement and learning, at the same time my ability to immerse feels challenged by other aspects of my life. That is what causes me the greatest concern. Managing not just the demands of the course and the commitment to the internship, but also other life responsibilities. I gulp down my angst. I hate having to be so careful because of the pandemic. Monitoring everything. Every day I sense moments happening around me that I am not a part of. I catch hints of movement out of the corners of my eye that make me wonder what I am missing. What I am not seeing? Is this part of aging I ask myself each day?
I want to engage in those moments of life that bring connection and a sense of vitality. As always, I am torn between the writer in me who could just immerse into the creative flow of words and forget the rest of the world, while other parts of self are buoyed by being in the company of others. I thrive when enjoying and nurturing others through cooking and a shared a meal, having fun playing games like “Left, Right, Center” and laughing, connecting with nature, and taking photographs of the Maui mountains, the whales breeching off shore, and the sunrises and sunsets.
I struggle mostly with myself because when I commit to something I take my commitments seriously and try to do my best. Maybe I am committed to too many things! Yet amidst my trepidations, I am ready for my internship at The Forge. “The Forge Literary Magazine was founded by volunteers from the Fiction Forge, an international online writers’ forum, which counts amongst its members and alumni winners of numerous literary awards…. Our all-volunteer staff shares editorial duties equally, we pay our contributors, and our taste is wide-ranging and eclectic. The Forge Literary Magazine is a project of Forge Literary Press, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the state of California.”
And so with excitement, curiosity, and yes nervousness, I open the door to this new on-line experience with The Forge.
A Forty Year Affair
My recent blog posts are related to a course I am taking through Bay path University for my MFA in Creative Non Fiction
A Forty Year Affair
As I reminisce about the independent bookstores I spent time in over the decades I remember the enthusiasm, comfort, and nooks and crannies where discoveries were made. I think of relationships to the books, to the people in the store, and a growing relationship to myself. So many books holding authors’ words, thoughts and energies. I think of my journeys to get to the bookstores, and the journeys I took within the shop walls; once through the doors my eyes roamed the shelves, my fingers reached out for books that spoke to me. Sometimes I sought out specific titles, other times I waited for my intuition to guide me to a book. When that happened I would pull it off the shelf, randomly open it to a page and see if something on that page spoke to me. It often did, and so a sale was made. Going to the bookstores wasn’t just about the books, it was about immersing into the personality of the indie store and how I felt in it. It was about the way life slowed amidst all those books.
Four plus decades ago I discovered The Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley. As we got to know each other the bond grew into a long endearing relationship. Just as additions and remodeling have changed our home over the decades, so has the Odyssey changed in both structure and its offerings. In the early years of our connection, the Odyssey suffered two fires. It was hard to witness the loss of the bookstore we knew and took our young children to. Hard to learn it was a young man who lived in our neighborhood who was responsible for both fires. Yet the Odyssey survived and was rebuilt into an amazing bookshop.
We were so happy to bring ourselves and our children to the new store at the South Hadley Commons. On good weather days we walked there from our home. Yet for me the most special trips were the ones I visited the Odyssey alone. My favorite sections to explore were literary fiction, poetry, cookbooks, and the shelf of blank journals in hopes of finding the next one to write in. Sometimes, I would curl up in a comfy corner chair and just be. I got to know Joan Grenier the owner. For a period of time I volunteered at the shop helping to catalog books into a new data base. When the store struggled and came close to going out of business during the overwhelming challenges posed by the arrival of Amazon, and Barnes & Noble, the Odyssey community from near and far rallied and our local bookshop survived changing times.
Some special friendships started there. It was in 1996 that I met Suzanne Strempek Shea at the Odyssey. It was the evening she had her book signing for her first novel Hoopi Shoopi Donna. What an evening that was! After Suzanne’s reading, her mother served pierogis and other Polish foods. It was especially meaningful because of our shared Polish heritage. Suzanne became an inspiration to me. We stayed in touch and she was and continues to be supportive and encouraging of my novel Hattie.
Over the years, I attended many Odyssey author events. I loved hearing writers read their words. I loved asking questions. I loved participating in what felt deeply connected to my being a writer. In some ways the Odyssey was a home away from home. Then in 2012 it became even more special. I had my Hattie book signing there. I cannot begin to describe the exhilaration, the heart swell, the support felt as the shop filled with many friends, family and others to standing room only.
Just as my love of writing is in my blood, so my love affair with the Odyssey continues. Whenever I step through its doors I look for Joan to say hello, I make my way from the top level to the lower level trying to take everything in. At the bottom of the stairs as I look into the children’s section, I wonder if I will spot something for our ten year old grandson, who like our children when they were young loved hearing us say, “Let’s go to the Odyssey.” On the other side of the room I scan the literature and poetry books to see if something catches my eye. Before I leave, I peak at the shelf where my book Hattie sits to see if there are still copies available.
In recent years when I visit indie bookstores, I bring along a copy of Hattie and gift it to the store as I ask the manager or owner to consider carrying my literary novel. I am grateful to have visited many indie bookstores around the country before business for many of them changed. Once in a while, when I come across a store bookmark lodged inside one of my books, I am reminded of those journeys. The last one I found was from City Lights in San Francisco from a trip back in the early 1990s. Another one was from Elliot Bay Books in Seattle. Both of these indie stores are still in business though many others did not survive the changes and financial pressures created by book selling giants. Fortunately, Joan Grenier’s determination and hard work, and the support and love of her staff, her customers and Mount Holyoke College, keeps the Odyssey Bookshop’s heart beating. I hope in ten years my love affair with the Odyssey will still be going strong.
* The Odyssey Bookshop was one of many independent book stores featured in My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop, 2012.
What is a Colophon?
“A Finishing Touch”
The “Colophon” was so obvious and persistent in its presence as I looked at thousands of book spines over my lifetime. Yet, its meaning, history and significance were unknown to me. Also unknown was its relationship to “imprints,” another term I learned in my Intro to Publishing course. It’s not that I didn’t notice the different symbols at the bottom of book spines. I just never gave them much consideration, nor did I know what they were called, or what information this emblem offered about the publisher.
I recall the moment in zoom class when our teacher Kate mentioned this word amidst other information as we discussed major publishing houses and their many imprints (smaller houses within the larger ones). As the word colophon slipped past my ear I didn’t know if I heard it right. What did she say? “Colo…,” something or other? What was she talking about? What did I miss? Once our class was over, I followed up with a bit of research. There in the Oxford dictionary I discovered its meaning. “Colophon: a publisher’s emblem or imprint, especially one on the title page or spine of a book.” I jumped up from my desk and ran over to the small bookcase in our bedroom. With curiosity and enthusiasm, my finger moved from book to book, stopping at each colophon. I was amazed at the variety! Some colophons were rather predictable, others were works of art!
Searching for more information, I clicked links on the internet and learned much more about colophon and how it came into being centuries ago. Encyclopedia Britannica offered an interesting history. “Colophon, an inscription placed at the end of a book or manuscript and giving details of its publication—e.g., the name of the printer and the date of printing…. In medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, a colophon was occasionally added by the scribe and provided facts such as his name and the date and place of his completion of the work…With the invention of printing in the 15th century, printers gradually added a blank piece of paper at the front of a book to protect the first page from soiling, and they also added an identifying monogram, emblem, or a brief sentence at the rear of the book… In most countries, the colophon now appears on the page opposite the title page and consists of a one-sentence statement that the book was printed by a given printer at a given location.” Eventually the Colophon found its way to the lower spine of a book, but I have not discovered when this first happened.
So now I will tell you what I love about the Colophon. I love the way it is spelled and sounds. It is an artistic word with a hint of musical flair; the o’s are like notes. It inspires curiosity, adding a bit of romance for book lovers. I love the art work in some colophons and how they hint at the personality of the publisher; sometimes even reflecting their mission statement. The colophon also adds a bit of something special to the appearance of the spine. And if it could talk I imagine it telling a story about how the manuscript came to be acquired by the publisher.
Here in Napa Valley I don’t have many books. The majority of my books are in Massachusetts where over the decades they have found their home. When we return there I have an imposing task ahead of me. I have to empty out my writing room because we are having new carpeting installed. This means moving out all my things including my many books; a process that already seemed daunting. Now it is going to take even longer than anticipated because as I pick up each book, instead of just placing it into a box, my eyes will be drawn to the spine and to the design of each colophon. And I will pause for a moment and smile.
*The term colophon derives from the Late Latin colophōn, from the Greek κολοφών (meaning “summit” or “finishing touch”). Wikipedia
Accomplished?
Who and what determines what being “accomplished” means? I may identify someone as accomplished, but maybe they don’t think they are. Being accomplished means more than just finishing something successfully. For me it includes feelings, a connection with self and others, a sense of fulfillment from within, a sense of having done something meaningful.
As I age, some of my perspectives about what I have written and what I write change. I was sixty when I entered this MFA program. My purpose was to encourage and enhance my writing while connecting with a writing community. Amidst an active life that I shared with my husband, children and grandson, and many friends, I wanted to hold onto and nurture my creative self and writing practice. Being in the program did bring a sense of accomplished because I wrote pieces I never would have written on my own. But once we purchased our Napa house, and my husband retired, and our adult son was diagnosed with MS – all within a few months of each other – I put my MFA endeavor on hold. Even though I did continue to write in bits and pieces, what I had hoped to accomplish through the program faded into an unknown until 2020 when I decided to resume my MFA. Yes, I am again feeling some accomplishment as I take my courses and write more pieces that are well received, but until I understand my purpose – what I am to do with my writings – I’m in a “being accomplished” limbo.
I am a published author with my awards winning novel Hattie (2012), and my poetry published in Compass Roads: Poetry About the Pioneer Valley (2019). Thirty years ago when I finished writing Hattie, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment. For me, much of my writing and art involves soul work which does bring a sense of personal fulfillment and often joy.
Yesterday I made a special dinner for us and two other couples. I felt fulfilled as I served my artistically presented Tomato, Basil and Burrata salad drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, followed by my Mushroom Risotto recipe. Everyone loved everything, including the wines we savored. Our dinner was still being talked about and texted about this morning. I am pleased with what I cooked and served. I guess as a cook I see myself as being accomplished. It’s another talent. Another way of expressing myself and caring for others. Though honestly, it is different than the sense of accomplishment I feel as a writer when my words impact others.
I remember the first time I was published. I was in my thirties, working as a nurse, a wife and mother, I returned to school to expand my knowledge. I submitted some poems to the college’s literary journal and they were accepted. As much as I felt accomplishment in writing poetry, I felt greater sense of accomplishment when my poems were published. Seeing my words in published form was exhilarating. I would say being published provides another layer of accomplishment.
As I look back on my life I can identify some of the successes I have had because of my writing, but much of the time I don’t feel successful as a writer. I am rarely satisfied with my writing life and routine. I want to be more devoted to my writing like I am devoted to my family, and to helping others, and to enjoying life. Even though I do not often feel “successful” as a writer, I do feel that I am accomplished. I have written some profound pieces over the decades that have been well received by others, and even helped others in their life choices.
In trying to understand the difference between being successful and accomplished, I am realizing that when Hattie was finally published, and I held the hard copy of my novel in my hands, as I brought it to my heart I felt great accomplishment and joy, like I had birthed a child. When my novel began receiving accolades and awards, I was ecstatic and felt successful. So does that mean that success is determined by how others see one’s work, whereas accomplishment is based on how one feels about their work?
Gathering Wisdom
I often speak of the Universe and want to share what that means to me. I tend to use the word Universe interchangeable with the word God; the belief in and presence of a higher divine power in my life.
To me the universe is also a descriptive for not only the rich infinite expansiveness that is around us, but that which is held within each of us; I believe there is a deep universe inside of us and whether one was to travel through the universe of self or the universe outside of self eventually one would discover the same origin.
On a daily basis, I live connected to my intuition and spirit, and I strive to gain greater awareness of what exists in-between and beyond all that surrounds me; all that is part of the sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and what I touch and what touches me. I pay attention to what inspires and stirs me – mind body spirit and heart – and makes me feel most alive. It is in this expansive state of consciousness and awareness that we gain greater access to all of who and what we are in connection and relationship to our multifaceted selves, to others, and to the multidimensional world we are part of.
Tastes of Life: “Food for Thought” 44 years later…
As a 1971 alumna, I was proud and honored to give the commencement address to the Holyoke Catholic High School graduating class of 2015. A bittersweet time since this is the last graduating class because of an upcoming school merger.
Many people have asked to read a copy of my speech so here it is. Enjoy this “food for thought.”
JUNE 4TH 2015 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS by Anna Bozena Bowen
Good evening graduates and to all who are here in support of your life. Congratulations, as one journey is ending and many more beginning!
When I was asked to speak at your graduation I wondered what I could say to add meaning to this day. As I contemplated various topics I knew what I wouldn’t be talking about. I am not going to talk about your goals, or your education, what your plans are for the next year or two or four, or the state of the world.
In preparation, as I looked through my yearbooks and reminisced about my Holyoke Catholic graduation 44 years ago, I came to an important awareness. Graduating from high school is a day unlike any other. It is an occasion filled with an incredible array of conflicting emotions. There is joy, sadness, excitement, fear, wonder, anxiety, happiness, and relief, among I’m sure other feelings you could add to this list. And, on top of all this, you are entering adulthood where a newly found sense of freedom and responsibility is added to the mix…
What a remarkable and challenging time this is for you!
Then, tomorrow arrives, and today’s swell of energy, your huge heart which might not have known how many feelings it could hold, and the safety net surrounding you, begin to adjust and transform as you feel new ground under your feet. Each one of you will step away from this part of your life carrying whatever you are meant to take with you into your next journey…
Pack mindfully!
When I graduated, I took quite a bit with me. To share this story I’m going to backtrack to my freshman year. As I approached the freshman building, right here on the corner of Elm and Hampden St, I looked out over the many heads of other freshmen waiting to be let in on our first day of school. In the crowd I noticed a tall dark haired boy. “Hmm he’s cute,” I thought. There was also an intuitive nudge, the inner voice that said, “Pay attention.” I should have known the universe had a plan. Because of alphabetical order, we ended up in the same homeroom, by Sophomore year we got to be friends, Junior year we started dating, and Senior year a picture of us as a couple was posted at the beginning of our yearbook, and Doug was named best looking. I knew I was right in how cute he was! This October we will be married for 40 years!
Back then, we had aspirations and plans, but we did not know how life was going to unfold. Who really does? I had no idea that besides being a nurse, I would become a writer. Doug had no idea he would become president of PeoplesBank. Not knowing what life has in store for us is one of the wonders and great mysteries of our existence. The unknown is where many possibilities and gifts await. I believe we grow a deeper, wiser self from exploring the unknown, from those things that surprise and challenge our minds, bodies, hearts and spirits.
Recently, I came into possession of an autograph book that belonged to my mother when she was a teenager. This book held notes and well wishes from friends; much like how we sign high school yearbooks. The difference being that at the age when teenagers begin high school, my mother and father, who were each living in Poland when WWII broke out, were taken as prisoners of war. They were shipped in train box cars to Siberia where they suffered in work camps, and where many people died. After her release, the rest of my mother’s teen years were spent in Africa. As I read through this small hand-tied book, the writings spoke to how she Maria touched and inspired others’ lives. I am sure her heart was lifted by what friends wrote. And, maybe their inscriptions even helped her remember who she was during a time when everything in her world had changed.
Knowing and understanding the intricate, multi-layered nature of who we are in this world, matters. This brings me to the message I want to share with you. It is about the most significant relationship that you can explore and nurture. That relationship is with YOU! With YOUR SELF! No matter what you do, how you do it, what you dream, where you live, who you pray to, and who you love, all of these aspects of your life will flow easier and feel more true if you open up to the inside workings of YOU.
It is in the depths of self that you will begin to discover, appreciate, accept, and love all of who you are. You may be thinking you know yourself, and I believe many of you probably do know who you are at this point in your life, but trust me, there is going to be much more to you in the future.
Imagine your “self” as a landscape. What does it look like? Are you an open field, or a dense forest, is there a stream running through, or are you seeing a desert? Or maybe you are a busy metropolis. These days, we are fortunate to have GPS technology to help us find our way. Envision the GPS map of your inner self. As you experience life, that internal map will expand, gain greater detail, and look pretty amazing as you zoom in on YOU.
Every experience you have will offer opportunity to understand more about yourself, your connections to everything around you, your relationships to others, to your inner spirit, and to the Divine. You will be challenged by the best and worst of how you are, and who you are capable of becoming. Believe in yourself. Draw on your strengths and talents – discover your voice, express yourself creatively, be kindhearted, be grateful for your successes, and be able to admit your failures, for in them there are great lessons!
In our culture there are pressures to perform, to achieve, to “be” according to others’ criteria. These expectations can detour you off your path. Learn to trust your inner compass. Pay attention to your feelings and your intuition which can surface in a variety of ways – an instinctive knowing, a gut feeling, an inside voice, or like for me “noticing a boy in a crowd.” If you listen to your intuition, and learn its quirks and how to work with it, it will be one of your great guides in life.
Our hearts and souls are precious parts of who we are. It is vital to our soulfulness and to our humanness to share in relationships. Though technology and social media have their place, they do not replace a tender touch or hug, the sound of one’s voice, looking deeply into another’s eyes, enjoying the tastes of a shared meal, or together breathing in the scent of a new day.
The beauty in this ongoing “getting to know yourself” way of being is that the more you know and understand your “self,” the more you will understand others and attract caring, meaningful, supportive connections and friendships into your life.
Change is ahead of you. Change is inevitable. Sometimes we look toward change with joyful anticipation, other times, when the path ahead lacks clarity there is apprehension. How change affects you, and you affect change can be more empowering and hope-filled when you are mindfully engaged, and move forward with positive intentions.
We all have our reasons for what we reach for. Whatever your reasons for the path you have chosen to pursue, or in some cases maybe the path has chosen you, embrace your whole self – mind, body, heart and spirit- as you step into your tomorrows. Don’t underestimate the power of your presence in this world. Even the simplest act can have a profound effect on the lives of others.
As your story unfolds may it be above and beyond all your expectations!
Thank you and again congratulations!
Tastes of Life: Reminiscing …
Some of you may relate to those truly special journeys that seem like a gift from the universe because they end up being so much more than one can hope for. This Two Bordelais food and wine trip was one of those journeys, We all have certain expectations when we travel, but when unexpected, inspiring connections occur during a trip – moments that make us see a wider landscape of life, make us feel more alive, and make us sense the divine aspects of our existence – these journeys stay with us through our lifetime. This trip was filled with many wonders including intuitive and spiritual synchronicities which always make my heart feel full and lift my spirit. In this journey I felt in the flow of my life. There was a greater awareness of myself, an embrace of my surroundings, and a clearer sense of who I was, how I was, and how I was held and nurtured by the people, the land, the cooking, and by the delicious food and wine we tasted there.
When we arrived at the Moulle’s home, we stepped through the door into the kitchen.
In the rustic country kitchen, where we prepped and cooked with Jean Pierre, we felt welcome, at home, and like chefs (especially when wearing our aprons).
Besides the food adventures, there were also the wine trips one of which included a cave tour…
… and going to a Cooperage (barrel making plant). There we saw the barrel making process from start to finish including barrels being toasted. We were surprised when looking at the finished barrels to see one labeled “Caymus”
It’s always nice to be reminded about something familiar when away from home. Seeing Caymus, one of the wines we tasted and loved on our first trip to Napa California, at a cooperage in France, was sweet!
Tastes of Life: To the Market We Go…
In my last blog I hinted about more stories from the trip to Bordeaux. I have been trying to remember the names of the several towns where we went to the markets in the mornings to select the meat, fish, and incredibly fresh produce that we would be working with and cooking that day. Having never experienced a European market place, I had no expectations and so everything was a surprise as every one of my senses was stimulated, especially visually.
Indoor market
This new world I was exploring felt endless in the streams of people and array of foods that surrounded me. Thank goodness that Jean Pierre Moullé knew just where to lead us, though at times I was tempted to follow where my eyes were drawing me. I was mesmerized, curious, and wanted to see and touch everything; yes, I am one of those individuals who cannot resist touching things.
Jean Pierre, Deb, my husband Doug, and Charlie
As I write this I cannot for the life of me recall the names of where we went to the markets. I would like to blame the span of ten years on my poor recall of the locations, but sadly I have never been good in geography, and also not very good in remembering names. The ongoing joke as we age is that two heads, or three or four are better than one. So, I have reached out to our friends who we traveled with in hopes of getting at least a couple of location names. I had also emailed my husband at work though I imagine he rolled his eyes, because he had already written a couple of the towns down for me, but, as my writer’s clutter would have it, I have not been able to find that one small piece of paper.
Meats and fish at the markets were plentiful in various form.
Charcuterie
Lots of fish
Poultry
But the live fowl looked like they knew what was to come and were trying to find a way out. I was relieved that we did not carry anything that moved back to the country home kitchen where we would soon be preparing a variety of recipes.
Vegetables, as if posing in groups and calling out, “Take my picture,” summoned my attention. Every place I turned there was another food photo opportunity.
So much of everything was too beautiful to resist; I wanted to taste every color. It was hard to know what to buy to make dessert so we splurged and picked various fruits knowing that they would all be a part of something delectable. 
What an adventure in cooking we were going to have! Though I am not skilled in geography, and sometimes when coming out a door I will turn to walk in the direction opposite of the way I am supposed to go, I am confident as I travel the map of a kitchen. I love to eat and I love to cook, and was enthusiastic to try new recipes such as preparing and cooking mussels. But that is another blog. So for now, I leave you with a burst of sunflowers from a French market place to brighten your day. By the way, I am happy to say I now have the names of the towns where we went to the markets – Branne, Libourne, Creon, and Castillon. 
Tastes of Life: Cooking in Bordeaux
Lunch in Bordeaux – photo by A. Bowen
Ten years ago, the landscape of my culinary world expanded with an intimate cooking and wine experience in Bordeaux with Jean Pierre and Denise Moullé http://www.twobordelais.com/. I have to be honest and say that I was completely ignorant of what lay ahead in this cooking experience. Friends had interested us in this trip and I was just happy to be taking it. Cooking in France sounded intriguing though not intimidating because I was used to certain elements and styles of European cooking; both my parents were immigrants from Poland. That said, I had little knowledge of all that was ahead of me, especially the chef we were going to be cooking with and learning from. Jean Pierre was well known because, up until his recent retirement, he was for decades the chef at Alice Water’s restaurant Chez Panisse http://www.chezpanisse.com. And his wife Denise’s family – the Lurton’s – are highly respected in the wine industry globally. From the moment we arrived at the La Forge B&B I was charmed by the setting and fell in love with the colors of Bordeaux. I can’t tell you what got more use during this trip – my camera or my taste buds. Both matured in ways I never expected. One thing that trips like this don’t advertise is the amount of wisdom that may be gained from the connections and relationships experienced with people, with nature, with food, with places, and with self.
Artichoke – photo by A. Bowen
I had never seen artichokes in bloom. I had never eaten a baguette for breakfast, or gone to a different outdoor market every day just to select food to be prepared for that day. I could barely hold in my excitement and enthusiasm when we met Jean Pierre at the first outdoor market, shopped and then were taken to his and Denise’s country home to cook in their country kitchen.
Jean Pierre, me, and friend – photo by D. Bowen
Copper pots, an open brick oven, kitchen tools and knives, bowls, shelves with spices and unknown ingredients, and baskets of the produce we had selected at the market surrounded us, and the red and white checked plastic tablecloth over the prep area was just perfect in this setting. I felt very much welcome and at home cooking with this chef.
Baskets of produce – photo by A. Bowen
There are many more stories to tell about this trip, but today I am reflecting on the synchronicity that reconnected me to that Bordeaux trip; nudged me to go back through all the pictures I took, and to pull out the folder of recipes that we learned to cook there. In doing that I was reminded me of how alive I felt, how curious, how happy, and how blessed and grateful to have such an amazing food and travel experience. What brought me to this moment was that I discovered that Jean Pierre and Denise Moullé had recently published their cookbook “French Roots: Two Cooks, Two Countries, and the Beautiful Food Along the Way.” http://www.amazon.com/French-Roots-Cooks-Countries-Beautiful/dp/160774547X I immediately ordered it. When it arrived I paged through it and felt its beauty. Oh the fond memories it stirred! It felt so true to me, that I ordered two more copies to share with friends. This is more than a cookbook. It is a love story about the places, the food and the relationships this couple have lived. This book validates why our trip was such a lovely and meaningful experience for me; why it stays with me deep in my soul. So much of all that Jean Pierre and Denise engage in is with the deeply felt intention of enjoying life and all it holds together.
