[chef] normal attributes on node get polluted

[Koert Kuipers < >]

i set a normal attribute on a node like this:
"normal": {
  "cdh4": {
    "zookeeper": {
      "myid": "1"
    }
  }
}

but as soon as i do this, after a chef-client run, when i edit the node again the section under "normal" for "cdh4" is filled with all sorts of other attributes that were set at default or override level in recipes and the environment. why do they all end up here? i only want to set this one attribute "myid" at the normal level, i dont want all cdh4 attributes to become sticky at the normal level...

thanks! best, koert