currently

coffee shop tabletop in Jackson, Mississippi

Hello friends! On Tuesday, the kids and I arrived back from a week-long civil rights learning tour of the south. I am working on a post about the trip, or maybe a series of posts. The whole experience was ovewhelming, and ever since I’ve felt at loose ends, unable to focus. How to even begin to write about it? I’ll get there, but it’s taking time. 

In the meantime! Right now I’m…

Curled up… under a fuzzy blanket because the day is cooler than I expected and I’m stupidly wearing shorts. (Yeah, yeah, I’ll go change soon.)

Reading… Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I wanted a fun-read to take on the trip, so I bought the book. Well. Turns out this was not the escape book I was looking for. It’s well-written, yes, and the subject matter isn’t even all that heavy (at least not yet), but what I really needed was a fast thriller I could get lost in, or a candy book (straight-up pleasure), and this book was not either of those. But it’s still good! And now once I finish it, I can loan it out to anyone who wants a turn.

Smelling… baking bread. (Is there any better smell?) I’ve been making a batch of sourdough daily — a batch is two loaves — and I often end up giving one of the loaves away. I love it when someone pops in and I just happen to have a fresh loaf on the table that I can spontaneously gift, like I did yesterday when the vet made a farm visit. And speaking of the vet, I’m . . .  

Celebrating… that Emma is pregnant! The vet confirmed what we’d hoped: girlfriend is four to five months along, and due September or October.

Marveling… at how green everything is! When we left on our trip, the trees were just beginning to bud, and when we returned they were in full leaf. It’s emerald city (country) out there. It makes my eyeballs happy.

Ordering… my fancy all-in-one moisturizer and sunblock. I apply it to my face every morning — there’s no smell and no greasy residue. It’s pricey, but two small tubes last me about a year. 

Eating… loads of asparagus and fried eggs, my trip-recuperation food of choice. Also popcorn, cheese and pretzels, and chef salads. We ate fantastic food on the trip but nothing beats the refreshing simplicity of homegrown and homemade.

Appreciating… that my husband stayed home to take care of all the animals, milk the cows, and go to work while the rest of us traveled. When I checked in with him mid-trip and asked him how he was doing, he said, “I think I’m hungry.” He sounded a little surprised, as though he was just realizing it for the first time.

Finishing (just last night)… the final show of the final season of Ted Lasso. What a show! It did my soul good.

Seriously considering… making my own mead. I took a free online class yesterday and it lit a fire under my butt. I hear that sour cherry mead is the best, and we’ve got two trees. Anybody have a 6-gallon carboy rolling around their basement that they want to off-load? (My husband thinks I should start small, but we all know that’s not my style.)

Feeling… excited and hungry for my lunch: chef salad followed by almond tea ring and a latte. Gotta go! 

xo

This same time, years previous: perimenopause: Jo, age 54, strawberry syrup, the coronavirus diaries: week 8, the quotidian (4.29.19), graduated!, besties, back to normal, the quotidian (4.29.13), Sunday somethings, something strange.

2 Comments

  • Elva

    I have not read the new Barbara Kingsolver’s book yet, but plan to soon, as I requested my sister get that for me for my birthday! However, lately, I have been listening to a whole bunch of Jodi Picoult books after my sister told me to listen to Mad Honey, which was pretty good. But a few days ago, I listened to her book, Small Great Things, which covered an array of racial issues and I thought was really, really good. You might want to check that one out if you have not read it yet.

    Elva

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