For Japan, with love

I won't be in Austin this weekend, but my cookies will be.  Kathryn of The Austin Gastronomist has put together an incredible bake sale this Saturday (4-2-11) called Austin Bakes for Japan. There are going to be 5, yes FIVE, locations for the bake sale all throughout Austin, so if you live there, or in the area, please stop by.  (Here is the list of locations.)

To say that the images and stories coming out if Japan are heart-breaking is such an understatement, but I can't think of a better way to descibe it.  My mind keeps going back to those children waiting for days at their school for their parents to pick them up.  And it goes to the mothers who must lie awake at night worrying about the impact radiation will have on their children, and their food, and their country.

This may sound silly, but I remember getting my issue of Martha Stewart Living after September 11th.  (Yes, I looked to Martha for comfort.)  She had been in Japan during the attacks and her letter from the editor described that day there.  It touched me so deeply...I saved that letter.  Here's an excerpt:

"As we walked somberly toward the temple, the bells in the bell tower....pealed the melody of Parke W. Hewins's 'America the Beautiful.'  How wonderful, how inspiring and how utterly devastating."

~Martha Stewart, 2001

The people of Japan grieved with us, and now we grieve with them.


I hope if you're in the area, you'll come by the bake sale. Sweet and lovely Nina from Salt: a baking journal is transporting my cookies to Austin from Houston.  Thank you, Nina....such a pleasure to meet you!

My heart is in Japan, my cookies are in Austin...and I'll be sweating it out in Houston at kiddo's track meet.  Wish I could be there to help with the sale!

***update: The bake sale was a huge success!  To date, over $11,000 dollars was raised and donations are still coming in...yay!***