Mountains are better, but banana bread is still good

If you really know me then for sure you know I have major attachment issues. With people, with places, with books, with worn out shirts that seriously look like rags. No matter how hard I try, I'm just not sure I know how to let go in a healthy fashion. (Thank goodness for Elsa though!) Whenever I'm in a good place (I'm getting to the point of this I promise), like a vacation for example, I hold on so tight. I become THAT place and that moment. For instance, all of last week we spent in nature, far far away from anything resembling tall buildings and crowded public transportation. In Tennessee, we rode horses up cliffs bursting with trees and twings, we hiked up a trail and down another, we held ginormous parrots in our arms, we made eye-contact with the Smoky Mountains every direction we turned and stared up into the stars from our balcony. And not just a few scatter of stars here and there, but an entire sky full. Ahhh.

And then we drove 3 hours further down to North Carolina to my cuzo's farm. Yes, a farm complete with chickens and sheep and a horse. Also limitless greenery, which was like the universe's way of telling us to love it even more and more. I had been to both places a few times before, but the coolest thing about this trip was how on the same page everyone was. I wasn't the only one this time who refused to come back to reality. I'm mentally and physically always in a place of hustle and bustle, so being incredibly in-tune with nature and country life is a big deal for me. I try to take forest adventure breaks here when I can, but it's different! It's so much more real when it's physically far away from you. I sound all cheesy ME again...but I've been having a weird epiphany moment thing since then so thank you for your cooperation. Soul-cleansing is a real thing, you guys. It happens.


We were on a sky lift in Gatlinburg, Tennessee when I told my cousin Ruqiya that I want to know people. I do...I just want to know them. Every person means something, do they not? There's like 7 billion people in the world and I want to know them all. Okay okay, I sound like a nincompoop. But then again, maybe I don't? You see people, you meet them, you talk to them...you know them. And repeat. The whole trip, that's all I was up to. Making eye-contact and talking to anyone that would talk to me back, and keeping in mind especially that I'd never see them again. Yes, like your probably doing, my cousin's had a good laugh at that philophy I adopted. But then they too went on to point out people I could potentionally connect with in case I missed an opportunity. How cute, right? I realized I don't only have a passion for people, I have a passion for Mother Earth. I think I love everything in it.














Now I'm home. And the second thing my mom said to me after a long hug was that the bananas are way over ripe and I should make banana bread. I just smiled and said okay, however slightly confused and in denial that indeed I was back.

Because as Lewis Carroll had said of Alice, I too had got so much into the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.

But it is what it is. And here's a recipe of my favorite banana bread yet. Somethings never change, and that's okay too.

Banana Bread


1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick melted butter, slightly cooled
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (I used 3 medium sized)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until blended. Add the eggs, mashed bananas and vanilla. Mix well. 
4. Stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Don't be silly and overmix! 
5. Pour batter into loaf pan  and bake until toothpick comes out clean. About 45-50 minutes, but keep an eye out! 
....It tastes heavenly with some smooth cream cheese : ) 

Have a good one, peeps. I like you a lot.














Comments

  1. Wow that was a very good read....it would have been even better if you included a picture of the magnificent Mahmood

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  2. The biggest fear about coming back is that the experience will lose its worth and/or fade, but coming back is when the value of it all actually increases.

    I know the feeling though, it feels like it literally hurts your soul. Don't worry there are plenty of pending journeys that will repeat and extend the soul-cleansing. :)

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