Welcome to Fireside.

My new, cozy corner on the internet. 

I’ve been rolling around the idea of this newsletter in my head for months now but I haven’t wanted to rush into anything without giving it some real thought and intention. The world is loud, already filled with so many voices and I know that I am not alone in my feeling overwhelmed by the constant barrage of news, tragedy, and things that I’m simply not caring enough about. Or so I’m told. 

So I sat. And as I did the nudge within that originally sparked the idea continued to get louder and with that my excitement grew for building this space. A space that, I believe, can be so very special, sacred even. The truth is I miss you all. I miss the long form intimacy that I once shared on the blog. I miss the community created in the comment section and my inbox being filled with messages that were a constant balm to my soul. I’ve been missing the vulnerability felt while sharing the mess, the less-than-perfect, the moments that don’t fit snugly on the feed. 

There’s another thing too. I’ve changed, you probably have too. As humans we were created to change, evolve and grow so I celebrate my growth and yours too. While I’m not saying goodbye to Not Without Salt I am feeling like that is not quite right for me any longer. Or at least right now. I want to share with you how I’ve been growing, what I’ve been learning and to hear the same from you. I want us to grow together and if it fits, perhaps we can even work together on making our neighborhoods, our communities and our world a better place. 

One thing that hasn’t changed is my love of food. The kitchen helps me make sense of a broken world. It’s the greatest distraction when it all feels too much. It is the best way I know how to say I love you or I’m sorry you're hurting or how can I help. And most recently it has been a place that continuously reminds me of how interconnected we all are through the earth that abundantly gives. 

So in this warm and inviting space I will be sharing stories and recipes as I have for many years. As this lands in your inbox for some strange web-centric way that already makes it feel more intimate, so expect the words to reflect that feeling in me. We’ll share what books we are reading, what is inspiring us, we’ll celebrate together and we’ll help one another on our toughest days. And through it all we’ll cook together. Food that’s heavily inspired by the seasons and the world around us.

I’m calling this new space Fireside to evoke the intimacy I feel while sitting around the fire. That’s always been my favorite part of camping. When everyone gathers at the end of a long day, around the fire, to sit, talk or not talk, and just stare into the dancing flames. There’s a wildness to this name that calls upon my continually growing passion for finding myself and food in the outdoors.  And of course you probably all know by now how much I love cooking over the fire so there’s that too. 

For all these reasons and many more this next step feels right and I do so hope you’ll join me here.