From dawn until noon, the sunlight pours through the bay window in my mother's kitchen.
My mother’s kitchen is now and always has been the very heart of her home. It is were she she shows her love, welcomes guests and, day after day, greets the sun. What follows below is a cursory look at the quieter, finer details of what makes this room beat.
Every morning, the kitchen stoves burners click, click, click on to heat water for tea, cocoa or oatmeal.
My mother and sister sit at the kitchen table together every morning to meditate, pray, birdwatch and sip their coffee over a good read.
My mother’s spiritual books rest on the table after she has spent an hour thumbing through their pages. She has recently taken up journaling in the morning, and these books are now incorporated into her practice.
Mid-morning routine consists of meal prepping for the week. Not only are beans a cultural staple in our home, but my mother and sister are slowly adopting a vegetarian diet where beans are a nutritional staple.
The kitchen fridge is thoughtfully decorated with magnets reflecting my mother and her life. Some are gifts from far-flung friends, others are personal tokens or reminders. All are fun to look at.
Natalie A. Prieto is a senior at New Mexico State University studying journalism and media studies, emphasizing in photojournalism. She’s keen on editorial portraiture, specializing in black and white photography, as well as documentary photography.
