Baked by Melissa

And I don’t mean in a bad way!

“Self-esteem can be high or low and in patients with cancer it is important to maintain self-esteem that is closer to the high end rather than the low. Patients with lower self-esteem have been linked to having more depressive symptoms and decreased social support”

Long time readers would know that food is and always will be a very important part of my life, for me personally not so much eating as preparing. In any event, the last year has been weird, rough, unexpected and totally bizarre. COVID remained a huge force to be reckoned with. That, settling my Mom’s Estate, coping still with the loss of my beloved and the biggest surprise of all…dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis proved to be almost more that even tough as nails me could endure. Enter FOOD!

I cooked a heck of a lot this past year not only for myself but lots of others. Eventually dining out entered into the equation as well after a nasty radiation burn and subsequent allergic reaction was finally resolved. The onset of this September brought the past challenging year to a close thanks to my great kids, a few totally devoted friends who “get” me and a myriad of acquaintances that I call new friends who entered at just the right time. In any event food was cooked almost in the same vein in which I write or paint….I love to, it’s how I show love to others and I love to share the experience whether by attendance, photos or description. This time, dear reader, it is by way of a photographic journey of food as uplifting therapy. Please enjoy the beauty of a necessity of life!