Hi friends! Happy Sunday.
You floored me. I read every single one of your comments on the blog this week and it was deeply humbling. You all were so generous. I’m really so thankful we’re all here together every Sunday. If you’ve never commented, thank you for peeking out to wave ‘heeey!’. I love it. Please feel comfortable going back to your quiet enjoyment of this page. I’m just glad to know you’re here. And here is exactly where we are! Taking a moment today. Feels steady.
How are you feeling this weekend? Planning for a holiday? A different sort of holiday than we ever anticipated, to be sure. What I do know about my Thanksgiving is that it will be entirely different from the 18 friends I had around the table in the backyard last year. This year there will be a Turkey Pot Pie and we’re good with that.
It’s all weird and feels endless but here we are just doing our everyday as best we can.
The offering this week is below. Please take good care and take only what you need:
• It’s all still happening and we’re overwhelmed. (AP)
• Our must read of the week: What if Instead of Calling People Out, We Called Them In. (New York Times)
• Ok I’m going to need this level of passion when you bake and taste Dad’s Sweet Potato Pie (colorful language and all, please) Review of Patti LaBelle’s Sweet Potato Pie. (Joy the Baker and YouTube)
• Our friend Ree Drummond brought us a new book this week! Frontiers Follies: Adventures in Marriage and Motherhood in the Middle of Nowhere I’m enjoying it. It’s the kind of book I’m going to give to my mom after I finish. (Amazon)
• These plants are BUSY: How much your houseplants move in a day. (Moss and Fog)
• I feel like Polly nails it with this one: Why Can’t I Stop Lying All The Time? I can remember a time when I would lie to avoid criticism or conflict. I think part of getting older is a) not giving a hoot and b) learning how to sit in discomfort. But this article also reminded me of something Oprah said in her book The Wisdom of Sundays about growing past the lies that you tell to yourself. Oh snap. The work is never done. (The Cut and Parnassus Books)
• Feel free to file this under: Things I Had No Idea Joy Cared About, but… I absolutely watched John Mayer talk about very fancy and very special Rolex watches and I think he has incredible taste and great insights. Ok wow sorry. (Hodinkee)
• This week I listened to Wynonna Judd talk about ‘Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain’ on a podcast called One by Willie. Which reminded me of this Revisionist History episode about the devastation of country songs. (Texas Monthly and Revisionist History)
• If you’re looking for the best Pecan Pie on the internet, The Pancake Princess has really done the legwork for you. Also, remember my very old Parker House Roll recipe (what’s up 2010)? Well, turn out they hold up and were voted very high in the in her Parker House Roll bakeoff! (The Pancake Princess and Joy the Baker)
• Quick note from the internet: owls have long legs. (Google)
• It’s been so wonderful seeing so many of you bake from Joy the Baker Magazine already this holiday! If you don’t yet have your copy – heck, what are you waiting for!? Pick up a copy at your local grocery store with your Thanksgiving groceries or buy it online with the link above. I appreciate your support and I love that you’re baking along with me. (Also, I’m only very lightly raging at the one random 2 star rating. It’s fine, is what I’m going to keep telling myself.) (Amazon)
• Maybe you’d like to take this orange and clove tree on as your long weekend holiday decor project. I’m VERY INTO THIS but I’m not yelling. (Instagram)
• Versace or Versausage? (Seemore)
That’s the offering today. If nothing else I hope you laughed at the owl legs. Take good care of yourself and have a beautiful day, friend!
My love to you.
xo Joy
ab
I’ll quote Leslie Knope and stay away from John Mayer!
Amy Perciballi
I asked my boys to get me your magazine for Christmas!
And I loved the article about calling people ‘in’ rather than ‘out.’ As a single mom of two teen boys – ages 16 & 19, I hear their frustrations when girls call them out. I am trying to teach them to “seek first to understand” but it is rough with the social media driven world in which these kids are growing up. That article gave me hope.
Beth
That Sweet Potato Pie video is prompting my first comment ever. Thank you for giving me great belly laughs this morning! Much needed. I’ll be re-watching that all day. I’m giggling now just thinking about it.
The other Joy the Baker
Oooh–can I have the recipe that goes with the picture at the top? That looks sooo good.
Jaclyn D Levy
Joy, this year I finally got my chance to make your Dad’s sweet potato pie. I made it alongside my 6 year old who is an enthusiastic baker. It should be no surprise to you that we LOVED the pie and I can’t imagine making or eating any other pie for Thanksgiving ever again. Thank you and your dad for sharing your beloved recipe with us. It truly lived up to the hype and I can’t wait to dive into the leftovers tomorrow!
Rebecca
I love all your posts, especially the sunday ones! I made your dad’s sweet potato pie for several friends, and dropped it on their porches. And enough leftover for me. Such a good recipe.
Catherine
Extending gratitude and appreciation to Joy the Baker… inspired by James Wright Chanel’s review of Patti Labelle’s sweet potato pie… that was amazing. I am not a regular Walmart shopper however may do more shopping bc of the pie review. I purchased Art of the Pie and Poe Camp books as gifts for my mom’s 75th birthday this year and she loves them.. thank you for sharing such varied and wonderful content. Your honest and open hearted appreciation that differences are valued makes this a very appealing space for me to return to regularly. Wishing everyone who sees this especially Joy a wonderful day.
Meagan
That Patti LaBelle pie video ?
I needed that in my life.
Katt
I keep looking for the magazine in the store, but no luck yet. Maybe it’ll be there when I venture out again in a week or two (I told myself last week that I wouldn’t need to shop again until after Thanksgiving, but then I went again yesterday).
Stay safe and healthy. Thank you for always being you. <3
Danielle
Hi Joy – I’ve been reading for almost 8 years by my count. Thanks for being here. We don’t agree on everything, but that’s mostly because true crime keeps me up at night and inspires me sometimes to lock the car door before opening my garage… Don’t let the haters get you down. Your droll responses to the occasional sass are highlights on my Monday.
Paula
I won’t pretend that I did not IMMEDIATELY go to check out the John Mayer Talking Watches video. And I also won’t pretend that I did not immediately remember this article from like a decade ago discussing John Mayer as a “meta-douche.” I think about that article a lot when I’m feeling conflicted about how much I love his music.
Laura
I’ve been following along for at least the past decade or so. I don’t comment often, but I’m here every Sunday and I always love these posts so much. Sometimes I can’t take on the heavy content, sometimes all I want is the more challenging offerings. Thanks for putting this together for us every week! I loved the article about “Calling in” and will be sharing with others I know will find it valuable.
I hope you have a nice holiday in these crazy days. Thank you for all the pies, cookies, happiness, and fantastic links you share!