Chrysalis

Late last summer while snipping some parsley for dinner, I was startled to find what seemed like hundreds of bright green, yellow and black caterpillars blanketing the plants. The sight had me both repulsed and fascinated - totally transfixed. I remembered having bought a little pink butterfly cage in the ‘impulse-buy-cheap-things-for-your-children’ section of Target that spring and decided to adopt a couple of them for Emerson to observe.

Cakewalk

This is the first winter I didn’t dread approaching. I wasn't even salty about the last week of single digit temperatures, snow, ice and school closings. I realize I’ve only been back in a state that even has a winter for four short years, but still. One reason, I’m hot a lot. In fact, is it hot in here?. Another reason, I think, we did so much traveling through the summer and fall that I’ve just wanted to nestle in - as much as our apartment makes me tremendously claustrophobic. I’ve become, like, so high maintenance.

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking, what I'm looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.

Those are not my words. They belong to Joan Didion. But when I stumbled across them recently, I felt that familiar, almost forgotten, tug. Why I write. Why I wrote. Why I kept journals from childhood to adulthood, why I had, have, a blog, why I’m writing this. I unpack my thoughts and feelings, deconstruct them, understand them, via the written word. I often go back through the journals and blog posts to recall how I took on life, how I took on myself, when I wrote those words.

Phyllis

Not long ago, I was doing my weekly volunteer work for Meals on Wheels, delivering food and whatnot, and the most unexpected thing happened.

To my family,

First of all, to my readers,

It's been some time since I've written. But, for me, our country's election results have caused family and politics to cross. As a result, I felt strongly that I needed to put some words "to paper." These words could very well be relevant with regard to differences many of you may be having with your own family, friends, neighbors or co-workers in lieu of recent events.
So I thought I would share them here...

To my family,

Ever since I can remember my family has been of paramount significance and importance in my life. Mom and Dad, obviously. But aunts, uncles, cousins, first, second, and third, grandparents, every single one of you, I looked forward to seeing, catching up with, sharing a meal every Christmas Eve, and now, just any time I can get. I have greeted all of you, all of you, with smiles, hugs and love each and every time I have seen you throughout the forty-two years of my life.

Go, go Galette

I just dug up this beautiful personal project Fred and I did this past summer. We made a galette (and took pictures of it). For the life of me, I don't think I had ever made one before. We went about it using my mom’s pie crust recipe and adding a liberal sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon into the dough. Then spring-boarding from a NYT Cooking recipe for the rest, we were all set.

The Salad Days *part 2*

Do we know when we're in the salad days when they are happening or is it always something we reflect back on with great wistful fondness? I mean, I mostly know when life is hitting all of the high notes. When things are good. But I'm not sure I know when it's time to revel. To spin around on top of a grassy mountain top and exude Sound of Music exaltation.

The Salad Days *part 1*

Don't you like when the winter's gone?

And all of a sudden it starts gettin' warm?

The trees and the grass start lookin' fresh,

And the sun and sky be lookin' their best.

Birds be singin', flowers be bloomin',

A lot of brand new cars be zoomin'.

Yes, Biz - and thank you for that - it is, in fact, Spring again.

Stand by me, this big chill.

Right around the holidays I got news that a high school friend died. Took her own life. I hadn’t thought about her in years, but I remember her well. She was one of those people you don’t easily forget.

Toy Story

'Tis the apex of Holiday-Orama. I just recovered from some weird twenty-four hour stomach bug that was pretty unpleasant. Fred too. Even Emerson had some little nannyboosky situation in addition to her newly ever present runny nose. But, it's now Christmas Eve Eve, and we all three seem to be prepared for the big day, full bore. Go Team.