Summer squash and blueberry muffins

I walked into my mom’s kitchen after returning from a weekend jaunt to Grand Rapids and Virginia to find a bowl of black sweet cherries on the island, a homemade blueberry pie in the oven, fresh basil in the sink and summer squash, zucchini and green beans piled on the counter.

Hallelujah. We’ve officially entered the glory days of summer in Northern Michigan, aka the only time of year in which I can afford to eat my preferred diet of berries and sautéed veggies.

Even without taking into consideration the environmental implications of eating locally grown food, there's something beautiful about munching on raspberries you picked from your own garden, or eating blueberries that you bought from the grower at the farmer's market. (I happened to be doing both of these things on the trip down to Virginia while Taylor - appropriately enough - read excerpts from "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.")

Actually, the past week or so has been filled with delicious food. Although I’m discovering that I’m pretty skeptical of a lot of elements that traditionally go into weddings, I’m still a big fan of the food. I love when the menu choices reflect the couple’s personalities. Colin and I went to a wedding Saturday evening with an incredible appetizer table – I filled up on spinach and artichoke dip, flatbread and kalamata olives – that perfectly echoed the classy but relaxed tone of the whole event. Oh man, that wedding was fun. I danced my face off.

The food at my dear friend’s wedding in Virginia on Monday was, again, a reflection of the couple. The elaborate place settings, sorbet to cleanse the palate between courses, and wine were the perfect choice for Clara, who believes in the importance of appreciating the food you eat. Although I felt a little shame at being “The Vegetarian,” as Clara’s caterer deemed me, the plate of roasted vegetables and portabella mushroom were totally worth the embarrassment.

My favorite meal of the trip, however, was a picnic lunch that Sue, our gracious and wonderful hostess in Blacksburg, VA put together for Colin and me to eat on our hike up to the Cascades waterfall.

Sue is my hospitality idol. She and her husband opened their big, lovely house (somewhat empty now that their children are scattered around the country) to some of Clara’s friends, including me and my two road trip companions. I was worried about barging into a stranger’s house, but by the end of our stay I felt a lot more like a family member than a guest.

Somewhere between Con (the husband) taking our picture and putting it up in their digital frame and the warm muffins and warmer conversation Monday morning, I fell completely in love with this couple. That feeling was solidified when I watched them dancing their hearts out at the reception. It is so clear that this couple enjoys life, and it was infectious. I miss them (and their ice cream dessert) already.