Storm Cookies

I have spent the morning, as well as all day yesterday, working and reworking, writing and rewriting essays for my Field Notes book collection.
It's a lot harder than I expected it would be -- and I certainly wasn't expecting it to be easy. What I've discovered, however, is that my strongest writing happens when I write about other people. So after two days of work, I know that this collection of essays will combine my stories with the other people's stories.
But I've done enough. This kind of work uses a lot of brain power and it's time to take a break. Tomorrow afternoon I have my first 4H project meeting, in cake decorating, so it's time to switch gears creatively and move into the kitchen. I have a cake to bake and icing to mix up.
I've made this cake recipe dozens of times so why do I feel so nervous making it now? Who knew cake decorating at level one could make a 44-year-old woman anxious?
Creating food has always been my answer to lack of inspiration in writing. If I couldn't write, I vented that energy into baking. Now that I'm working on several book projects, as well as my columns for two newspapers, baking is a break from writing, a chance to relax mind and body.
With immediate, enjoyable results. The way my brain is spinning right now, there is going to be dozens of cookies piled up in a few hours. Or else my husband will find me passed out in a bowl of batter in about 20 minutes.