This new normal that we’re tasked with, where people use cars as weapons and our politics continue to deeply enrage some and barely elicits a shrug from others is perplexing at best. It’s hard. It’s hard or all of us, isn’t it? Good grief. These old wounds are so hard to heal.
I went to the beach.
Here’s what we know. We know that the sun will rise and the waves will crash and we’ll keep breathing until we don’t. We also know that the moon will block the sun in a few days which is a rare and extreme reminder to most of us that we live in freaking SPACE. And if you want… you can make eclipse water which is exactly like sun tea without the tea bags or the sun.
Or… we could eat an entire sheet cake though I wouldn’t recommend it. Seems like there are more forward moving things we could do with ourselves though a slice or two might be nice.
The world is just the strangest place to be sometimes. Here’s proof:
• We’re an imperfect city in an divided nation but here are some words from a thoughtful American leader Why New Orleans took down four Confederate monuments.
• When I feel overwhelmed, I find myself coming back to this old RadioLab episode about The Golden Record we sent into space and the hopeful specks of dust we are: SPACE. And TODAY, August 20 1977 is the day the Voyager took off for deep space.
• Why you absolutely can not stare at the sun without eclipse glasses. Ok but question… can a girl get a peek if she’s wearing her sunglasses? I don’t need to stare at the dang thing forever.
• Move your body, move your mind: How exercise can help you learn a new language.
• Honestly. Inside Kim Jung Un’s Bloody Scramble to Kill Off His Family. That much false power has got to be real messy to hold on to. Mercy.
• I’ve found myself more than once thinking about Christmas this week. I do not know what’s going on. Likely my brain is melting. This year, if we’re talking about Christmas cookies (and we suddenly are)- I’m going to make classic pizzelle cookies using this pizzelle maker.
• Stay summer, stay sharp: Summer Tomato Pie.
• Consider breakfast: Fluffy AF Cornbread Blueberry Waffles
• Things I made this week and ate before I photographed: Homemade Thin Crust Pizza from The Kitchn and Quinoa Taco Meat from Minimalist Baker.
• A few books about vegetables I’ve re-opened with love and intention: Vegetables by Martha Stewart // Salad for President by Julia Sherman // Six Seasons, a new way with vegetables by Joshua McFadden
• Here’s a really great thing to know: Add a little bit of water to your whiskey. Here’s a really great application for it- Add a few drops of water to your whiskey and read this spot on opinion piece in the Sunday Review: The Week When President Trump Resigned.
That’s all for today, ok? Happy Sunday!
xo Joy
ruth
Joy, you spelled “heal” correctly! Apparently that’s a very difficult thing to do. No one knew it could be so difficult. Congratulations!
Deb in Indiana
Thank you for commenting so calmly and maturely on the tragedies of these weeks. We could do with calmness and maturity in high places.
PS I listened to that RadioLab episode a few days ago and cried. Ann Druyan’s and Carl Sagan’s story, and the gift they created with Voyager’s Golden record, is also representative of our country.
Liz in BR
I enjoy reading blogs and the responses from others. I can say my life sucked especially from June 2014 to April 2017. For a few months I did not know how I was going to pay my rent.
Our country is divided due to selfishness. It will remain so until we all learn to accept reality and be willing to genuinely listen to our neighbors.
During this difficult time period I took to politics for my escape. The behavior of politicians are absolutely hilarious from a psychological “textbook” perspective.
What keeps me sane is the following: my love for culinary and learning. I always remember that fiction is based off of fact. And from my perspective, watching wealthy intelligent powerful people make constant asses of themselves while being televised reminds me we are human.
gabby
Hi Joy! I love your weekly link roundup and look forward to them every Sunday, but I want more knowledge!!! Do you know of any other blogs that do a similar thing?
Samantha
I have Minimalist Baker’s quinoa taco meat on my meal plan for this week! How did yours turn out? I’m excited to try!
Liz in BR
“I am baker.net”
She is from MN and only does baking
joythebaker
I really loved it! It’s going into the regular rotation now!
jennie
love your sunday posts.
if you are going to invest in a pizzelle maker, go with Palmer. the best by far.
Alexandra
As usual, excellent book recommendations! I’m checking out all three from my library. Joy, this newsletter is such a JOY ; ) to read each week. Love your thoughts, love your ideas and LOVE your recipes.
Blessings from Louisville
Chris
I use the King Arthur pizzelle recipe too and it’s perfect. I saw my first ever photograph of pizzelle a year or two ago and fell instantly, deeply in food-lust. I just HAD to make them, even though you can’t buy an iron for love nor money in Australia. It took months for my iron (also the same as yours) to arrive but it fortuitously landed just before Christmas and the rest is history. I’ve probably made a couple of hundred since then. Pizzelle are simple, beautiful, textural, buttery and they make the most perfect gift… Seriously, are Australians insane? How can we not have them here?!!!! I quickly learned to centre the batter slightly to the rear of the plate and I always trim mine with scissors while hot to ensure a perfect shape. They’re lovely as a sweet wafer but also fabulous as an addition to a cheese platter where they team beautifully with creamy blue cheese. Recipes like this are a little drop of nostalgia, innocence and simplicity in an increasingly complex world.
erika
God bless your mayor and beautiful city. Hoping your neighbor state of Mississippi will have some courageous leaders step up and do the right thing!
Carolyn
Girl “AMEN” to all of the above…Have a good week!!!