This week, guest host Ritva summons us to invite followers into our kitchens. Throughout my life, togetherness often started in the kitchen; warm ovens on cold days, fragrance wafting through the house, and a welcoming place to enjoy good food and conversation. On one end my kitchen opens to the dining area which flows into the living room. When we have a party or family gathering the whole space is “the kitchen”!
Joy in the kitchen starts with making the space aesthetically pleasing to me. I want loveliness when I raise my eyes from the pots and pans, and I insist on functional tools.
I also want fresh produce. Every spring I plant a small garden of tomatoes and basil. The tomatoes are shared with neighbors and some are frozen to add to winter soups. The basil is dried or processed into pesto or used to infuse olive oil for a whif of summer fragrance throughout the year.
Last week I shared the camp kitchen with my sister at our annual fishing get away in central Oregon. Diana and I make sure we have delicious dinners daily. We plan our menus in advance, decide who is responsible for what, and delight in sumptuous spreads every evening!
Ritva requested that we include our best-loved cup in this post. Below is a photo of my current favorite, a handmade pottery mug purchased at Bay Street Gallery in Ocean Park, WA. I love to fill it half with milk and half with coffee, and its big enough to last for a while. What a pleasure to sit on the deck of a cool overcast morning sipping my warm mix, as the day unfolds to hot afternoons!
Lindy Low LeCoq 
Thanks for joining, gathering people together happens so often in kitchen / diner, and I can see the fiesta you have done for your friends. lovely photos of food and togetherness. Big enough of a cup in the morning is essential. Lovely cup by the way.
Thank you, Ritva!
I love your kitchen opens to the dining area, it’s spacious and fun for gathering. How wonderful to pick fresh tomatoes and basil from you own garden.
Thank you, Amy. I keep worrying about you in the heat of Texas. Hope you are staying cool!
Clearly you and I are on the same wavelength with the fresh tomatoes and basil Lindy. I however, have a black thumb so I get mine from the local farmers’ market! Love your open kitchen, ours is much the same and makes all the difference when friends and family gather. Thanks for joining us this week!
Thank you, Tina. Basil and tomatoes are the only plants the rabbits don’t nibble down to nothing!
A great kitchen journey, and a worthy mug!
Thank you, John!
The cup is lovely.
Beautiful clicks of fresh produce!
Lovely click of gathering!
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your kind words!
You are welcome, my friend.
This is a lovely take on, Lindy – togetherness. Delicious food and a lovely cup too. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Leya!
Warm ovens on cold days and the fragrance throughout the house. Sounds wonderful. I love just cooking something, anything if people are coming by. It makes the house homey, to. me. I love that you have a home garden of tomatoes and basil and love those photos. Love it Lindy.
I love that smell of fresh cooking at home and when I visit friends and family. My tomatoes and basil are doing well this year!