Reverb10 - Soul Food

December 26 – Soul Food What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

In no way am I a "foodie". I don't have near-orgasms when I indulge in something delectable nor do I go out of my way to experiment with gourmet-type cooking. I have, though, stepped up my cooking game and become more adventurous and injected some much-needed variety in the meals I prepare but the best food is often times something prepared by someone else and this year's most memorable meal fits in that category.

Again, flashing back to our early September vacation to the north shore of Lake Superior -- staying in Tofte, MN -- the first evening of our long weekend there we ate at the Coho Cafe and Bakery. I remember ordering a small wild rice sausage pizza. I'm a big fan of pizza and seeing the promise of homemade wild rice sausage, homemade sauce and a hand-tossed crust made my mouth water.

When the pizza arrived at the table, I stared at it. It was a work of art. Huge sausage balls atop what appeared to be cheese so fresh there had to be a cow tied up just outside the rear entrance to the kitchen.

Then I grabbed that first square-cut piece. The cheese was so perfectly stringy that it never completely broke free from the main pizza. I took one appropriately-sized bite and I knew at that moment that this was the single best food I had eaten all year long. Everything about it tasted fresh. The suburban stip mall pizzerias tasted like dog shit in comparison and the national and regional chains were utter garbage when compared to the pizza at Coho Cafe and Bakery.

In short, the Wild Rice Sausage Pizza at Soho Cafe & Bakery in the barely-there village of Tofte, MN truly did touch my soul this year.

Feeling alive in "The Moment"

Today's Reverb10 prompt is below:

December 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)

The moment that stands out most for me this year was arriving at a long-deserved vacation in Tofte, MN. After spending eight hours slowly making our way from the southwest Twin Cities on a gray and rainy day, we arrived at our final destination in the small north Lake Superior village of Tofte, MN. The best part of this vacation was the fact that I won a three night stay at this fabulous resort and outside of meals and gas, this vacation was free and that is the right price for me.

I remember stepping out of our vehicle and finally being able to do something at a leisurely pace. We slowly unpacked our bags, we slowly explored the two-floor condo-style hotel room, we slowly figure out how best to occupy ourselves for the next few days.

The best part of the entire experience was sleeping literally a few dozen feet from Lake Superior. Until you've stood on its rocky shoreline, you don't quite grasp the power of this lake. A lake which has swallowed ships whole, a lake which had changed the fortues of the northern cities in Minnesota and a lake which, to certain extent, defines the state which I call home.

The fresh, crisp breeze blowing off the lake was invigorating. Even at a brisk 55 degrees, the air felt pleasant. It felt clean. It felt like I could move there one day and hone my photographic skills and make a meager, if not pleasant, living off of the area. The entire north shore of Lake Superior seems to be an artistic haven which centers around the hospitality (tourist) trade and seeing just what these artists do on a daily basis for their jobs makes a fellow "artist" like myelf feel inspired. I came back from this trip after experiencing pure relaxation and felt instantly inspired. I vowed to simply "get out". I plan to find art where others see normalcy. If you look at anything, there's always something -- when captured via a photograph -- that becomes art.

That moment, standing on the black, glassy rocks above the white, crashing waves of Lake Superior made me realize that this was much more than a vacation, it was the greatest form of inspiration I had experienced in 2010. In that very moment, as I snapped off photos of my surroundings, I knew that this was somehow a turning point for the year, if not my life. Seeing what inspires these northern Minnesota artists inspired me and that was "The Moment".

Belts of America

For many decades, portions of America have been identified by various "belts". These are large geographic areas of the country which share similar characteristics relating to geography, climate, inhabitants and a whole host of other items.

The accompanying graphic is by no means a comprehensive rundown of but I've done my research. Feel free to add other "belt" suggestions in the comments.
Then head to MinnPics later to see the freshest in Minnesota photography.

(11:10 AM: The newly updated map indicates newly discovered information that it is possible to be a perverted hillbilly who dabbles in/enjoys incestuous relationships)