Getting Back to My Country Table: Food, Photos and Summer Scenes

If you’ve wondered where I’ve been, you’re not alone. I’ve stepped away from posting recipes as often while I learn more about food photography and managing my site. When I launched My Country Table about a year and a half ago, I was excited but also completely new to creating a website and taking photos for a food blog. I bought a Canon Rebel 5 before I started, but I hardly knew how to use it. All those camera settings—aperture, ISO, exposure compensation, shutter speed—felt overwhelming at first. I even took a couple of photography classes at my local library, but they focused mainly on outdoor and portrait work, not food photography.

On top of learning cameras and website management, I work full-time during the week, so recipe development, cooking, baking and editing photos happen mostly on weekends. That limits how many posts I can create—typically one or two recipes a week at most. Because of that, I’ve relied on my iPhone for most of my food pictures so far. It’s honest to say I’m still learning my new camera and figuring out how to make food photos look as appealing on social media as they do in real life.

Recently I ran into a frustrating social media issue: Facebook was cropping the images I posted, often showing only the center of the photo. One morning I shared a creamy New York cheesecake with a strawberry glaze, and Facebook cropped the image so only the strawberries were visible. That was a hard reminder that food blogging is about much more than just creating a great recipe—presentation, framing, and platform-specific image formats matter a lot.

I appreciate your patience while I continue to improve my photography and site skills. I’m committed to getting better shots and sharing fresh recipes. My goal is to have improved photos and new recipes ready before fall, my favorite season, so you’ll see a noticeable difference in the months ahead.

In the meantime, I stepped outside recently for a little break and tried some outdoor photography for the first time. I was delighted with the natural light and didn’t need to edit these images. Below are a few photos from that amateur shoot—garden blooms, little details around the property, and some of our backyard residents. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of summer at My Country Table.

For your amusement and a peek behind the scenes:

My favorite summer flowers—orange tiger lilies planted along the edge of the property. I love the bright color they bring to the yard.

Lavender, one of my go-to plants for scent and color in the garden.

Purple bee balm, a magnet for pollinators and a happy addition to the flower beds.

A fragrant plant whose name escapes me at the moment, but its scent is lovely on a summer morning.

Daylilies are everywhere here; they’re simple and cheerful in the garden.

I love windmills. We have a few around the property; they add a whimsical touch to the landscape.

Home of my pampered hens—Mabel, Henrietta and Wanda—and Henry the rooster. They live comfortable lives with a heater in winter and a fan in summer.

Wanda prefers the shade and was reluctant to pose for a sunny photo; she looked like she was thinking about hatching an egg.

Henry the rooster with Mabel and Henrietta—our little backyard flock. They keep me company while I work in the kitchen and garden.

Some of the many birdhouses scattered around the property—Don enjoys building them and I’ve lost track of how many there are.

The woods behind our property offer a peaceful backdrop and a wide view that I especially enjoy in the fall.

Another daylily close-up—simple garden beauty captured in natural light.

Our small windmill at the front of the property, adding character to the yard.

Blackberry bushes coming along nicely—one of the pleasures of late summer.

Our newest windmill spins in two directions—another favorite feature. I can never resist snapping a photo of a windmill.

That wraps up my amateur outdoor photo session. Now it’s back to the kitchen to practice baking and camera techniques. I’ll be posting a new recipe this weekend—I promise. Thanks for sticking with My Country Table while I hone my photography and continue sharing recipes and seasonal stories.