Friday’s First Joy: Wading with my guys at the lake. (Later, K and I will return sans Dog and take a dip and that’ll be another Joy) (autocorrect caps ‘Joy’ and ‘Dog’ on my phone – don’t you love that?)
While standing there in summer’s blue palm, another Joy arose — what else? — a vision of food.
Vichyssoise! Wouldn’t that be nice? I’ll make it with cream! (The sugar purge has begun and in honor of what works for me, some high fat allowances will be made).
This dish will also celebrate Anthony Bourdain. Maybe we’ll even watch his final episode while we enjoy it — then again, maybe we won’t. Another anodyne episode of “Anne with an E” (– a recent remake of Anne of Green Gables on Netflix) might suit the day better.
Soup recipe here.
Eight leeks is A LOT of leeks. Recipe calls for “whites only” and I wonder if I have included too much of the transitional green? — I’ll let you know.
Another Joy: a run to Whole Foods for ingredients (it’s the grocer closest to the lake). This always constitutes an exercise in both abundance and privilege. Look at those artichokes! The beautiful shallots!
Arriving home, yet another Joy: perennials. Rising up in the garden — a seemingly effortless miracle of return. Color and profusion. Soon there will be morning glories, too.
A surprising addition to this list: all the witty and astute and funny people on twitter. For example, George Takei. This morning I learned he has made a Cat-Trump app that’ll let you make videos. I think I better not get it.
Or, The Hoarse Whisperer.
“Tell me one good thing” is a weekly feature of his (hers?). After days of pithy and unavoidably depressing political commentary, the #OneGoodThing hashtag takes over. Hundreds of people respond and I often take the time to read dozens of them.
So, like him I’m asking my readers to tell me one good thing that happened this week. We all need this.
I’ll start: my sister’s new care arrangement will allow the aide to drive her around. This is terrific news!
Okay, my one good thing is making coconut rice in my new mini (3 quart) Instapot. While I resisted the Instapot craze initially (since I have a perfectly good 65 year old Presto pressure cooker), I’ve become a happy convert thanks to my daughter.
P.S. I’m still working out the best settings for cooking artichokes in the Instapot …
I guess I need to find out about this appliance. I looove artichokes.
Thank you. I don’t know about the instapot craze or how to make coconut rice. Maybe a future blog post?
Get up every morning early to greet the sunrise. In New Mexico. Sunrises here are usually pretty spectacular (we are at almost 5,300 ft.) Tea in hand, I walked among the plant people and as I turned the corner by the kitchen window, JOY came in the form of two sunflowers that bloomed this morning.They are the dwarf variety, I’ve grown the giant 12 ft sunflowers but prefer the smaller ones with variegated colors of orange, rust, yellow, etc. Gratitude for the birds who made this all possible as I haven’t planted sunflowers in several years because the birds do that job. Over the years, they dine on our sunflowers, sometimes in a frenzy of gorging, dropping seeds to the ground and voila!, we reap the happy benefit..
Oh what a glorious image! More than image — process, really, LIFE. Such warm colors, warm air, warm feeding frenzy. I find the willing return of greenery and blossom after a long winter and cold spring amazing. Every time. And when the birds do the planting? Even better!
just about to walk out the door to watch the Full moon eclipse!
That’s a good one. And a little magical since your comment came in just as I lost a long one on your blog. Eclipsed as well? I’m inclined to let it go even though it’s important to me that you know how much I admire you.
So Many when least expected: a lovely drawing from Jude, a gift of my friend Shyama (Chapin) new double CD set, long telephone visit with my Massachusetts friend, a spectacular full moon last night and a bread pudding in the oven this afternoon!
What a lovely list! Sometimes the unexpected joys are the best.
Forgot to say I fount George Takai Ap quite enticing. Thank goodness I don’t do Aps! Also to thank you for the attention to detail you gave my text of the Galley presentation post. It cheers me to know what you notice.
Late and I left letters out but you won’t find it unreadable.
Hello. It was readable!
thanks for the whole bouquet of good things.
Welcome.
A Butcher bird visited my garden; first one I have seen here, and one mild, sunny windless winter day after a week of howling, freezing wind. Sue in Aus
I had to look up butcher birds. They’re pretty. A little like magpies.
Cooler temperatures this week have been a gift from the Gods. A full moon always makes me want to go out and dance in the moonlight . The birds were having long conversations all day, and the Cardinals, both male and female, were at the feeders and birdbaths all day today. Lovely phone conversations with two of my sisters this week. We dont often have the opportunity to talk with each other. A wonderful visit by a friend that I haven’t seen in ages. 😊
This list really feels so good.
Fresh home from work on a Friday night, I’d have to say my one (or more?) thing is: after a long week, with at least one regular staff member out each day (except me)…we had an easy peasy Friday ~ including my favorite substitute, a new (this week) favorite Teacher (so easy to get along with and mentor) and children absent or went home early…such a nice way to end the week! New teacher brought homemade chocolate chip cookies for another teacher’s birthday, joking and laughter and great conversations, children on their best behavior…TGIF 🙂
Sounds like the convergence of well deserved karma. And chocolate is always nice! Definitely gonna do this again because I got such a sense of you and your week that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.
We had some rain, at last.
Ahhh.
My son came to visit.
That’s always nice!
ha, the ‘simple’ joy food offers
my one good thing this week: swimming almost every day in the river nearby with Django, such pure fun & joy
I swam with Finn this morning. Agree it’s such a nice nice way to start the day!