About

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I joined the blogging community to share my love for food, humor and life, from planting the seeds in the ground to landing food on the plate. With a degree in nutrition and a professional background in the kitchen, I revel in all food styles. I’ve tried just about every regime and like my religion, extract the parts that work for me and enjoy balance. I’ve faced challenges in my life that resulted in prioritizing love and humor and the knowledge that everything will at some point be a distant story…

A little profile:

I’m Wendy Ellen Thomas, no relation to Dave Thomas or his square beef patty empire. And Wendy was actually only a nickname for his daughter.

Q. Where do you come from?

A. Originally, Winter Park FL. I stayed in Florida long enough to have an almost normal childhood and my own first child. I left permanently when I was 23 to move to the west coast.

Q. And you currently reside where and with whom?

A. I live on Orcas Island, WA with my husband, Ollie. I’ve spent chapters in Saratoga Springs, NY, Virginia Beach, VA, Seattle, WA, Paris, France and Hamburg, Germany.

Q. How would you describe yourself?

A. I’m a mostly moral, ethical person with a good heart and a positive outlook on life. I don’t set a lot of boundaries and usually push hard to achieve what I want or need….sometimes for better or worse. I can be compulsive. I like people but not too many at one time.

Q. You mentioned you procreated?

A. Twice. An amazing 24 25,26,27, 28 year old son who lives in NYC. As cool as NYC is, I wish he lived closer to Orcas Island.  And an inspiring daughter, 14 15,16,17 who unwillingly must still reside at home and not in her own apartment with a cat (this still has not changed)  who is 18, very happily living on her own and I have the privilege to see almost daily.

Q. Did you receive any further education past HS?

A. Yes! I did earn a BS in nutrition at Bastyr University in Seattle. This was a wonderful, eye-opening experience into the world of natural foods and living. I attended Ecole Superior de Cuisine Française in Paris and passed the CAP in cuisine (a little bit about that in English)

Q. How have you kept yourself busy the last 25 years?

A. Parented. Long, solitary road trips of self discovery. Moved to a fifteen acre organic farm on an island. Did Market gardening. Managed said fifteen acres of property. Worked in restaurants. Weaving. Moved to Paris to go to cooking school. Learned French. Catered. Owned a cafe. Owned a kitchen store. Moved to Northern Germany. Learned German. Started a blog. Moved back to Orcas Island. Reopened my retail store, Chez Chloe. Closed Chez Chloe again. Sold Real Estate. Help run a family business – Jazz Everyone online jazz curriculum. Currently sparking new ideas and living happily ever after with the best husband ever. Literally. I know from experience.

Q. Was there a reason for starting this blog on the auspicious day of 11/11/11?

A. One day many years ago on the farm on Orcas, I handed my 85 year dad (who still lives on the property) 3 eggs to take home . He said give me 2 or 4 but not 3. I stared at him blankly realizing where I inherited my freakish penchant for numbers. I prefer even ones like my birthdate – 4-8-68. Or cool symmetrical feeling ones like say 111111.

Let’s have some fun….discovering

Garden 7-7-2013-5

72 responses

  1. Hi Wendy
    I just discovered your blog (your dad spilled the beans) so be careful what you say ——- this is a small island! Ha ha.
    No really, it is nice to read you writing about you. Often you find things out about people at their obituaries and you ask yourself, why didn’t I ever ask them that question, or I never knew that etc.

    Our garden is covered in about 5 inches of snow today. Soooo beautiful. We went sledding down your driveway.
    Love Hannah

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  5. Wendy …. you have been busy reading – fantastic !!!! Live aboard so many years and I don’t want to forget my “English” even if it’s not perfect. Have problems .. massive with off & of, but getting there. My writing is better the more I write. But don’t change the drafts – wrote about Athens a couple of hours ago. 21 times I had to change. *smile
    Hamburg – great city … been there quite a bit. Spent a fantastic New Year there. I love the furry guy too. That’s what I miss most from my time on Ireland and in UK … the Spring with all the new born lambs.
    You’re so welcome to my world – where it’s most about me.
    Lot of pleasure .. very little guilty + plus some demons.
    Lots … Wivi

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  8. Just learned about the HH Treppenviertel from your blog and had to reprimand my friends in Hamburg why they never told me about it. Looks beautiful, and next time I travel up north, I’ll make sure to go see it. Looking forward to visiting your blog more often.

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    • We love it here. We are close to the beach but still have parking. Living off the side paths with all the stairs would be a real challenge. But you must visit Blankenese next time. Where are you? Enjoyed checking out your blog- will keep up with it too.

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      • I live in Stuttgart but friends in Hamburg always urge me to come visit, so I’m sure I’ll be taking them up on it sometime this year!

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  9. Dear Wendy! You have most certainly crammed in a whole lot more into your 40 odd years than most people in twice a lifetime. That’s splendid! You obviously enjoy meeting challenges head on and it most certainly appears you’ve overcome any and all obstacles. I have traveled through Germany several times, love the bucolic and sometimes spectacular countryside, to mention a few keepers in my memory bank: the Schwarzwald, the Rhine and Moselle, Nuremberg, Wurzburg, Fussen, anywhere in Bavaria and on through lovely Passau to the Czech Republic. It’s a magnificent country on many levels, history, culture and an under-appreciated cuisine plus fabulous beers, not to mention some rather fine whites. I’ll surely keep an eye on your further exploits. Bonne chance, Jean-Michel Le Fabulist

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  10. Hi Wendy! Came across your blog in the Freshly Pressed and so so so loved it. It feels so fresh. We share similar interests in Food and travelling – hope to see our paths cross more often. We had lived in Frankfurt for 2 years – and had fallen in live with Germany. Cheers!

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    • Hi …. can I call you Ishita? So where exactly are you living now? Maybe we should start a site for OCD clickers. My daughter thinks it’s getting a little out of hand. I have a set up in a corner of our kitchen near the window that I’m hovering around half the day. Will check out your world some more for sure. Tschüss!

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  14. Pingback: bake my cake 2012 – group 3 « movita beaucoup

  15. Wendy … I have nominated you to “The Adurna Blue Best Follower Award” – not many has it and it’s a real honor for me to pass it on to you. No rules you give to the followers you think support you best. http://wp.me/p293Pw-22q
    Thanks for being you for me.

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    • Hi Viveka, Thank you. The recognition and support is always so appreciated. I also have not forgotten the Best Follower award. I think now that we are busier, it’s just getting harder to pass them on. I promise to at least get them on my page today. Thanks again for thinking of me…xo

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      • Wendy .. I know the feeling and with the summer outside – today an other fantastic day. Always not everybody we pass the awards on to – pick them up – witch I think is okay … but I rather give it somebody that spread awards, so it’s getting a little harder. You’re so welcome. I put them on my page and then – forget about them. So bad. *smile

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  17. Hello Wendy
    I just thought I would let you know that my blog has moved and is now bighungrygnomes.co.uk. Unfortunately, if you want to remain subscribed to my blog, you will have re-subscribe to this new address. I realise this is a little bit of a nuisance but I would really appreciate your continuing support and interest in my blog
    Thanks
    Fiona

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  18. So happy to have found your fabulous blog Wendy. Can’t wait to browse. 🙂 I just looked over at your book list and I’ve read two of the books listed and currently reading The Happiness Project… excellent by the way. Love, love Orcas Island and flitter between the three big islands much of the summer, attending the markets and soaking up the weather.

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  19. Wow Wendy… I just took a look at the picture of that road winding away in Blankenese above…I thought initially it was the Sullbergterrasse……..but now it just looks incredibly familiar but I realise I was mistaken…I still can’t place it though! Aaaah the Treppenviertel…..I love Blankenese so much.

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  20. I love it, you are a “mostly moral person!) 🙂 Your blog is great and I like many of your posts but my like button is not working. Please know I am liking them.
    My husband is German. We have been to Germany many times. Love the small towns. I think the best food I have ever had is in Alsace, but I adore all German food. Snitzel, red cabbage, German fried potatoes…
    Cheers and thanks for your interesting posts!
    Cindy

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  21. Pingback: Mulling it over « this is lemonade

  27. Hi Wendy…..just found your blog and I loved the way you have described yourself…..I think there is always a reason and story behind starting any blog, even I have one !! All the best TC happy blogging…..

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  32. Hi, Thanks for the like. Just stumbled on your blog and so happy to meet you. Two summers ago, I visited Orcas Island and it is an amazing place. Coming from clear across the other side of the world, I am so envious of your beautiful island, clean air and abundant and delicious fresh produce.

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    • The feeling is mutual. I’m skimming through your recipes and they all look right up my ally. I also agree that homemade yogurt and pasta are totally worth the effort. Now how do you manage to post so often. That’s a goal for me in 2014. best, wendy

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  39. Ciao Wendy!

    I was wondering if you’d be interested in participating in the Writing Process Blog Tour. It’s not obligatory, but it is quite fun, and I’d love to see what your responses are. My posting date will be the 9th of June, and yours will be the 16th of June – but don’t worry, I’m not going to enforce that! If you can’t make it, you can’t make it. And the posting date for the three people you pick in turn will be the 23rd of june, and the people they pick will post on the 30th, etc.

    So pretty much all you need to do is:

    Step 1: Acknowledge the person and the site that involved you in the blog tour. My blog is http://ineedafeed.wordpress.com
    Step 2: Answer the 4 questions below about your writing process.

    1. What are you working on?
    2. How does your work differ from others of its genre?
    3. Why do you write what you do?
    4. How does your writing process work?

    Step 3: Say who your three choices of bloggers are, and give a brief bio and link to the website of each of them. Again, their date will be the 23rd of june.

    So please let me know whether you’re interested in taking part or not as soon as possible. And have a fantastic day!

    Nell

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  40. Hello Wendy, I just had to check out your blog – another named “chez (something)”, there are a few of them around that I have stumbled upon. You have a lovely blog here with such a strong sense of harmony and mindfulness – a delightful read this evening as I unwind from work and try to gather the energy to cook dinner! Best wishes, Chez

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    • Hi Chez, I’m inching my way back to blog world. We’ve had a busy summer and I’ve missed it but had to let something fall on the back burner. Real time life needed much attention:)
      Thank you choosing to spend some of your time in my little island life and hope to see more of you- cheers… wendy

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  44. Hi Wendy! I came across your blog through the recommended blogs section, and so glad I have! I’ve not seen all of it but what I’ve seen so far looks and sounds great! I, like you, have lived around different places and I will be very interested in reading your posts! Have a lovely day, greetings from Italy!

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  46. You have a very interesting background and I like your whole process of planting and putting on the plate as well! With your education and life experience I look forward to looking over everything on your blog!

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  47. Hi Wendy! I am very happy I found your blog today – I think I will be spending lots of time here and in the kitchen trying some of your delicious-looking recipes. Contrats, and I wish you all the best from the east coast of Canada.

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