-How To Live A Happy Life

Hello friends! Happy Sunday turned Monday.

This springtime soft sun, breezy days, and Easter gatherings beckoned me this week. I shut my laptop and went out to live a happy life.  I hope you took a bit of a spring break one way or another this month. It’s just too good not to. I said yes to everything that involved not work and found myself at a grownup sleepover in the country on a Monday night and out learning to drive a horse trailer behind Will’s big truck on the farm.

These are good days. The offering this week is below. I hope you find something here you didn’t know you needed.  Have a great week, friends – do all the little things that make it a happy life.

•  Every spring since living in my Bywater house I dip my fickle toe into the gardening waters and fill the forgotten pots on my back porch with bright and poppy spring flowers. We both know they don’t stand a chance as the summer heat rises and my travel schedule intensifies. This year I thought I’d save us both the heartache.  Instead of pots, I’m dipping my fickle but eager gardening toe into sprouting edible seeds in these clever seed sprouting jars jars using these seeds. I make very fancy sandwiches and salads but would you expect any less? (Amazon)

•  “Why are offline partners so appealing? For starters, there’s something about being online that is just fundamentally embarrassing.” It really is a cringe and I can firmly attest to the fact that a boyfriend without social media is, in fact, very hot. (Dazed)

•  Rene Ricard’s hilarious 1978 essay on LIVING makes me wonder why I’m out here taking everything so seriously: ‘I Class Up A Joint‘. (New York Times)

•  I’m captivated by Danielle Joy McKinney’s paintings. (Instagram)

•  Kim reminded us that it’s national poetry month and Abby reminded me of this poem by Ross Gay: Thank You. I’m so thankful for the friends who work on the site with me.  (Instagram x 2, Poetry Foundation)

•  Casually exploring eternal questions and answers with this podcast: How to Identify What You Enjoy. (The Atlantic)

•  This week I bought non-alcoholic Kin Euphorics to experiment with and I’m also researched how to make hard kombucha this summer. How very Gemini of me. (Kin Euphorics and Booch Craft)

•  Adding Pastitsio to my scratch paper list of dishes I’d like to make. Extravagant, right?  What’s on your To Bake List? (Pssstt… speaking of lists – it’s almost time for The Summer Bucket List). (Instagram, Joy the Baker)

•  It’s crawfish season which means it’s time to stand around the folding table eating crawfish until our lips and fingers burn.  My preferred way to crawfish is Jessica’s Crawfish Pie. Less mess, more butter.  Incidentally this is also delicious with shrimp if crawfish leaves question marks in your head.

•  Here’s what was on my mind a year ago this week: Let It Be Sunday, 218!  We talk about denim, aging, and how I made my parents binge watch The Jinx with me. (Joy the Baker)

•  In the kitchen this time last year I made Baklava Granola.  This is LUXURY so if you’re a Taurus I need you on this recipe immediately.

Enjoy this beautiful day!

My love to you.

xo Joy