A friend sent this albino peacock picture to me and said it reminded her of a giant snowflake, so I thought it would make a great January photo.

As the new year and the new decade begin, I have been thinking about adding something to my website to give it more focus. The idea came to me after seeing an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer about this past decade being the “Decade of Despair”, citing everything from 2000 until now that went wrong with the world, with 9/11 and the economic downturn leading the pack. I decided that there are always horror stories and bad times, and I don’t need to be reminded of them.

So, I have decided that 2010 will focus on JOY, sparked by articles I have been reading in various magazines. Since I believe joy is a source of happiness, which is often fleeting and fickle, I thought that I would write about the joy of sharing a meal with friends, the joy of doing what you love as a volunteer, the joy of holidays with families and friends, the joy of exercising and the joy of eating. Since this website is about food, the joy of cooking will be a large part of this joyfulness. I haven’t quite figured out just how I will do this, but by posting it, I am committed to make my best attempt. Your input is welcome!

Another friend sent this photo of an “ice wave.” There is something beautiful in the starkness of snow and ice.

As part of the “regular” posting, I will focus on a diet for a healthy thyroid, since January is Thyroid Awareness Month. My friend Jackie sent me a cookbook online and I plan to share that with you. I also plan to review a book from a series by Jonny Bowden, who I heard speak and found him to be inspirational. He lists Brazil nuts as one of the best foods for a healthy thyroid, so there is a link to Thyroid Awareness Month.

Also, as a follow up to the recent controversy about mammograms, I will relate my experience with another alternative. The procedure is non-invasive and possibly more extensive than the thermogram article I couple of years ago. Additionally, since this is a new year that reminds us we are all growing older, I may do a piece on the aging process.

Concerning Kitchen Nutrition, I will feature some warming dishes, such as soups and stews. While I am a big believer in the enzyme activity of raw foods, when cold weather hits, as it did this week, I gravitate to warming foods and may feature some casseroles from my very first cookbook, Beginner’s Guide to Meatless Casseroles.

Because January is often a difficult month after the holidays, Many people go into a slump. Focusing on JOY may be a perfect antidote. I wrote this jingle to perk you up.

January Jingle

January can be dull and dreary

Following the holidays that make us weary.

So greet the New Year with a brand new face.

Make this year better, tied with ribbons and lace.

Make it so, not now and then–

Be a new you in 2010!

I fully believe that each of us has power we have not unleashed. Maybe this year you can unleash some positive energy/joy, because like the picture of this iceberg below (again, sent by a friend), what we see of one another other is only the tip of the iceberg! (Below the photo are the comments that came with the email, so I put them in quotes.)

“This is awesome!This came from a Rig Manager for Global Marine Drillingin St. Johns, Newfoundland .They actually have to divert the path of these thingsaway from the rig by towing them with ships!Anyway, in this particular case the water was calm andthe sun was almost directly overheadso that the diver was able to get into the waterand click this picture. Clear water huh?! ? They estimated the weight at 300,000,000 tons.”

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