Sunday, February 01, 2009

Ready, Set, Action

It seems to me that the more popular blogs on the internet are the ones that deal with doing. They are the action verbs of the blog world - more powerful, efficient, exciting. This blog, like its owner, is a passive verb. It doesn't accelerate, leap, flutter, grind, or even splash. It is told, not shown.

And here's why.

On the evening of my birthday, I grabbed my camera on the way out as we were leaving for dinner. I was going to blog about my birthday dinner.

It was a beautiful late January evening, about 6 p.m. Almost dusk, with snow flurries and a hushed blanket of snow over everything. We took the most scenic route to the restaurant - a winding, paved road through the woods, past hills and creeks and a river.

As I was admiring the black and white landscape, I suddenly exclaimed, "I should be taking pictures!"


This photo was taken from the moving vehicle, because my cry of "I should be taking pictures" didn't slow my husband down a bit. I love this little farmstead, that has probably been on this hillside for over a hundred years. I don't even know if anyone lives there anymore.


Hubby may have nearly stopped for this photo, but only because he had just rounded a 90-degree curve.


And here we are, flying over a bridge which crosses the White River. Definitely no stopping here, with traffic in front of and behind us. This is when hubby said, "It really makes me nervous when you do that," meaning, take a photo from a moving vehicle with the camera hanging precariously outside the window with just my two clumsy hands holding it.

After we arrived at the restaurant, and keeping in mind that I hadn't eaten for 24 hours because of my illness, I chose to drink a strawberry daquiri. It was a deliberate decision to have something with rum in it, because sailors drank rum, and it couldn't be too awful on an iffy stomach. I forgot to photograph the daquiri. And the next one.

But I remembered to shoot the first course of the meal: the restaurant's signature beef and onion soup, complete with a bit of french bread and some mozzarella cheese in the bottom.


Looks delicious, doesn't it? DOESN'T IT? Maybe it's just me, but it seems their bowls are getting smaller. Damn the American economy!

I only remembered to get a pic of my salad when I was halfway done. This just looks gross.


I swear the french dressing is amazing, though. But again with the smaller portions.

Then the main course - a 10 ounce New York Strip, grilled medium well, with a baked potato rubbed with butter and sea salt. Yes, it's out of focus. The rum made me not care.



Simple fare, to be sure, but the best, most flavorful steaks anywhere close to home.

And that, my darlings, is why I don't show you where I go and what I do.

13 comments:

LERMONTOV said...

Beautiful Landscape shots MM - although I must confess, that the food shots don't float my boat. Maybe, I'm completely off-beam, but you have generally used active voice in your blog IIRC. That is whay I have always enjoyed it. I do have the extra photos of Rebecca's Chatuea - I'll do a separate post for them this week

L

Anonymous said...

Definitely an action entry! I'm not one for photographing food though and don't yet have the desire. But that steak sure looks good!

Unknown said...

I see you like your cow RUINED - ah well nice winter pictures though.

Simon Butler said...

He probably assumed your remark ‘I should be taking pictures’ as a general rather than a specific statement. You should make yourself clearer, then people may pay more attention.

Love the shot of the farmstead. And don’t tell me that’s a bowl of soup – it’s clearly a cup of tea. You can still see the teabag in it.

becomingkate said...

I love a good steak, but I like it medium rare. As for the shots, they really take practice. I'm no good at them either, but sometimes I get lucky, lol.

Benita said...

I love the snow scenes! They look great to me! The soup DOES look more like a "cup o' tea"...is that dark stuff steak sauce on the meat? I do like my steaks "medium", but otherwise the meal looks delicious! Glad you were able to get out and celebrate! Many more happy birthdays to you! :)

Anonymous said...

I like the landscape pictures; it's lovely where you live. The most important question however is.... where the hell is pudding??? Surely that's the sole reason for eating out? And don't say you were too full because nobody eats pudding because they're hungry!

Marchelle said...

So where did you eat?! I haven't had a steak in probably a year??? I like them the same way - medium well, with just salt. None of that A-1 mess.

Is the bridge over the White River the same one we took on the Great Amish Stalking Incident of April 2008? We'll have to do that again soon. Maybe a winter shoot. Kind of Nancy Noel-ish.

yackydoodle said...

White River? Just where are you, anyway?

p.s. something tells me you weren't 100% truthful when you said you don't grind....hehe

MauritaMason said...

Lerm, yes...I think I'll leave the food shots to the pros from now on. Looking forward to the Rebecca photos!

wildstorm, I've never had the desire to photograph food, either. And now I know why!

TP, it was pink on the inside!! They only blackened it to make me feel I was getting it medium well.

Simon, yes. I must be more direct. I wish they had beef and onion tea; that would be yummy.

kate, it's no use. I'll never photograph food again. Except maybe wedding cakes.

Benita, no steak sauce...maybe just grilled too hot. But it was tasty all the same!

Miss M, would you believe they don't serve pudding? Shameful.

Marchelle, it was Bynum's in Martinsville. I'd love to do another Amish shoot, but up North maybe?

yacky, it's the Indiana White River. And I'm pretty sure I don't remember what grinding is.

yackydoodle said...

I grew up in southern Indiana near the White River is why I was asking.

MauritaMason said...

yacky, that's cool! Glad you were smart and moved even more South!

Sunny said...

Oh! I love the snowy landscapes and the river shot you took while flying over the bridge.

Looks so much like back home....Michigan.

Sometimes I snap food photos and I just have the auto focus on it pre-set. Turns out nice.