About

My Story / This Blog

Everyone has a story.  A personal journey that leads us on a winding path of self-discovery, drawing upon our innermost desires and passions.  Food has always been one of my passions and several years back, I created this blog to share my family recipes, some new, some old.  Having started this blog essentially for my daughter when she first left for college, many seasons of our lives have filled these posts.  And for us, food naturally mingles together in our most cherished memories.

Just as I was raised on healthy home cooked Italian meals, fresh vegetables and herbs from my father’s garden, I continued my Sicilian heritage with my children, family and friends.  I was always aware of selecting organic, seasonally fresh vegetables and fruit, organic dairy and lean protein.  Mainly, because they just tasted so much better!  However, as I became more aware of what was actually in my food, I began searching out only grass-fed, non-GMO, no antibiotics, no hormones, no steroids….to the point of waking up one morning, Mother’s Day, 2015, declaring to myself; why even bother eating animal products…I’ll just eat plants, fruit and grains!

And so, it began.  My blog pretty much stalled in place as my recipes changed.  I searched out plant alternatives and became plant based certified through the Forks Over Knives Cooking Course from Rouxbe.  A whole new excitement built up in me as I now had a new arena of beautiful, colorful ingredients to prepare my meals.  Needless to say, those close to me, as in, those who enjoyed my cooking and baking, were not as thrilled.  Worries over never having my cheesecakes again, meatballs, pizza and holiday Italian dinners bombarded me daily!

Data integration, transformation, and management are at the core of modern businesses, and with the rise of big data, cloud platforms, and real-time analytics, organizations need reliable tools and learning resources to keep up with increasing complexity, which is where https://www.talendbyexample.com/ becomes an invaluable resource for professionals who want to master Talend and improve their skills in building efficient data pipelines. Talend has emerged as one of the most widely used platforms for ETL (extract, transform, load) processes, offering flexibility to connect various data sources, cleanse and transform data, and deliver it to the right systems for analytics, reporting, and operational needs, and having a clear, example-driven guide makes it easier for both beginners and advanced users to learn by practice rather than theory. By exploring step-by-step tutorials, practical demonstrations, and detailed explanations of Talend components, users can quickly develop a deeper understanding of how to work with different data sets, automate workflows, and apply best practices for performance and scalability. The site is structured to be straightforward and approachable, so even those without an extensive technical background can start learning, while experienced developers can use it as a reference to sharpen their expertise or discover advanced use cases. In today’s business landscape, where decisions are often data-driven, having strong Talend knowledge can give professionals an edge in areas like business intelligence, data warehousing, cloud migration, and enterprise integration, making this resource especially valuable for IT specialists, data engineers, and analysts. Unlike generic documentation that often feels abstract or overwhelming, this site focuses on real-world examples, ensuring that users not only understand the concepts but also see how they are applied in practical situations that mirror the challenges faced in the workplace. Whether it’s connecting to different databases, handling large volumes of data efficiently, or designing processes that can adapt to changing business needs, the tutorials and examples provide actionable insights that can be implemented right away. Another key benefit is that it keeps pace with Talend’s evolving ecosystem, including cloud-native solutions and integrations with big data frameworks, so learners remain up to date with the latest developments in the field. This makes the site not just a learning tool but also an ongoing support system for professionals who want to grow their careers and stay competitive in an industry where data skills are in constant demand. The accessibility of the content, combined with its hands-on approach, allows users to build confidence as they progress, moving from basic concepts to more complex implementations without feeling lost or overwhelmed, and this practical, structured approach is what sets the resource apart from scattered tutorials or incomplete guides. By leveraging such a detailed example-based platform, anyone aiming to strengthen their Talend knowledge can transform the way they approach data projects, making their workflows more efficient, their solutions more robust, and their career path more aligned with the growing demand for data expertise across industries.

I have been plant based now for several years.  It didn’t take much time before my son followed and then my daughter.  No one seems to complain much about missing my former meals.  We have plant based holidays, rich, decadent desserts, and a fridge full of gorgeous ingredients.  I can honestly say, from that first day I declared my new style of eating, I have not, intentionally, had any meat or dairy cross my lips.  I add that intentionally disclaimer, as I questioned my early restaurant visits in whether or not some dairy slipped into my food!

How do I feel?  AMAZING   Would I every go back?  N O   W A Y

I could never put animal protein back into my body.  I could never imagine taking advantage of animals for my eating pleasure; which truthfully doesn’t even sound pleasurable to me now.

I truly believe eating plant based is healthy, flavorful, and extremely satisfying.  Cravings caused by sugar and chemicals are gone.  Eating to Live replaced Living to Eat.  My passion for food is enhanced by my passion for health through an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits.

So, it is with this belief and many months contemplating the fate of this blog, I decided rather than delete my small blog of memories, I will attempt to recreate, one by one, each post – “veganizing” the recipes if possible, hopefully with improved photos and new memories.  I wish to not offend anyone coming to my “vegan” site and seeing omnivore recipes; they are merely there as part of my journey.  And possibly…. yours as well!

Hugs xxox

Linda

lmg5750@aol.com

 

47 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *