"This could be her last Christmas," my daughter said, speaking about the dog -- one of our dogs -- last Christmas, in 2020, the first pandemic Christmas. Another of our dogs had died earlier in the year, in mid-March before everything shut down. He, the one who died, and she, the one who remained behind, … Continue reading Thoughts go astray.
I've been under the weather since right after Christmas, but today I'm finally starting to feel "normal" again. Some thoughts on that, along with notes on how I've been spending my down time, a "curative" soup recipe, Apple Watch insanity, my favorite Mary Chapin Carpenter song, and a few other things. Think of it as … Continue reading Blue plate special.
I've picked a word for the year ahead, and that word is... ... Well, I'll get to that. But first, a story about my mother. (Yes, all of the January posts will be about food and cooking, and many of them will also be about my mother, because January is the time when I think … Continue reading Dear Prudence, won’t you come out to play?
Yes, every post in January will be about food and cooking. "Mom," my daughter said, one night a few weeks ago. "My friend made this dish, and it was really good, and I think you've made it before, and I didn't think I liked it then but now I do." What was this magic dish, … Continue reading Sunday supper potatoes.
It was a cold and snowy day (yes, in Memphis)... ... and I found the green lentils. But first, a story: When my son was nine or ten he went deep into the Dragonology world of books, puzzles, and games. He and a friend started a Dragonology club (a detail he'll likely fuss at me … Continue reading Choose your own cooking adventure.
It was a dark and stormy night (kind of like tonight), and I was hungry, and I felt like cooking, but I did not feel like going to the store (because I never feel like going to the store, ever), so I took stock of what was already in my kitchen, and here's what I … Continue reading If coq au vin and cassoulet had an American baby.
Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid.Frederick Buechner The bad news? The year ahead will be full of sadness, grief, disappointment, and struggle. Exactly like the year we're wrapping up today. And the year before that. And all the years before that. To be fair, the current state of … Continue reading Cloudy with a chance of …
Near the top of my gratitude heap is deep appreciation for all of the people who have invested in me, in one way or another, by offering a mystic mix of honest feedback (delivered kindly), prudent encouragement, and pearls of wisdom. The list of names is quite long, hence the deep gratitude. Among the pearls … Continue reading What’s one thing you need help with, right now?
jenny's lark 