A Long Life, A Good Life

Hello friends, and welcome to another fine Sunday.

If we’re paying attention, July is slipping through our fingers like SPF on a hot day. You feel it too, right? There are Halloween decorations in the stores, and my mom called this week to report that Hobby Lobby has all their best Christmas décor out. I’m not ready. The only thing I want right now is a margarita, a suntan, and maybe to start googling what seeds I need to grow Brussels sprouts this winter. That feels reasonable, right?

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for showing up and being so generous with your love for Amy, Abby, and Karlee these past few weeks. It’s sweet what we’ve built together here on Sundays.  It feels like an easy place to land and we thank you!

This week we’re talking about earrings lost to the streets, the tomato plant that could, how I need to stop letting the water spots on the floor stop me from hosting, and what it really means to thrive in midlife and beyond. There’s a lot to get into, and I’m so glad we’re in it together.

Let’s get into it!

•  “To thrive in old age means to live a fulfilling, purposeful and satisfying life despite the challenges that accompany ageing. It involves maximizing physical health, cognitive function, emotional wellbeing, social connections, and a sense of meaning. Thriving doesn’t mean being free of all health problems or challenges; rather, it emphasizes resilience, adaptability and the ability to find joy and value in life. People don’t thrive in longevity by mistake or luck. People who thrive in longevity actively maximize the quality of their lives.” We’re not just after a long life—we’re after a good one. This piece on joyspan (a new favorite word) is the best thing I’ve read all week: I’m an expert on aging. Here’s what I know about thriving later in life. (The Guardian)

•  I realized this month that I bought this epic house in Bellville to host people and then promptly… haven’t, really. Somewhere between my very high standards and my very lived-in house (see: water spots on the floors, a dining room moonlighting as my office, and the downstairs bedroom serving as a glorified storage closet), I’ve talked myself out of the very thing I dreamed of.   It’s silly, but I’m fully in my own way about it. This piece, 8 Ways To Embrace Deep Casual Hosting, is exactly the nudge I need. It’s giving “landline phone and a Costco rotisserie chicken” energy and maybe that’s what I need to forgo the mental gymnastics I play around the cleanliness of my house and the fanciness of my meal for guests. You know what?  I can work on it!  (Substack)

•  I’m always drawn to women just ahead of me in life who say, “Hey, it gets even better.” This list from Amelia Wilson – 9 Habits I Swear By To Thrive In Midlife – feels like a solid entrance into the second act. A must-read for anyone aging with curiosity and intention. (That’s all of us!) (Substack)

•  I had the absolute pleasure of sharing my favorite places in my small Texas town with Houstonia Magazine last week.  Here’s A Perfect Day In Bellville, According to Joy the Baker and a lowkey mention that I’m working on opening a popup bakery in my Bellville backyard this Fall! (Houstonia Magazine)

•  Let me tell you a cautionary tale.  It starts with a splurge purchase and ends eight stories down on the streets of Los Angeles. Years ago, I treated myself to a pair of solid gold hoop earrings. A forever kind of purchase. Classic, grown lady vibes. I wore them for the very first time while leaning over a hotel balcony to snap a photo of the view (I’m sure that made sense at the time!), and one of those precious hoops launched itself from my earlobe and disappeared into the LA abyss. I sprinted down to look for it because, OF COURSE, but it was never seen again. Since then, I’ve accepted my fate: I am a woman who will lose earrings. Regularly. Since that realization I’ve cycled through dozens of affordable pairs over the years, but recently I struck gold (fake, obviously). I found a brand on Amazon  that has hoops that are affordable, have a little weight to them, and look way more luxe than they cost. This is my favorite pair.  I’ve even picked up a few tennis bracelets from the same brand and y’all—THEY’RE GOOD. I’m stacking them like they’re friendship bracelets all summer and I love the sparkle. (Amazon)

• Our friend Timothy made this Fried Caper Panzanella and I will absolutely be making a loaf of bread to that end next week! (Instagram, Mississsippi Vegan)

•  I wouldn’t call myself a gardener exactly, but I am full of hope, which is honestly half the battle. This spring I planted a sun gold tomato plant in my backyard without questioning the nutrients in my soil and without actually knowing what I was doing. Most of my tomato plants shrugged and declined, but that little sun gold dug deep and gave me a few sweet pounds of golden cherry tomatoes. I didn’t have the willpower to save them for something elegant like Clare’s Sun gold Tomato Risotto, but I did snack on them like candy every time I walked past the plant which is a delight in itself. I do think a trip to the produce department at Whole Foods can get me closer to this risotto. I will report back. (Substack) 

•  In case you missed it on Substack the past few weeks, I’ve published two pieces you haven’t seen here.  The first is The Biggest Lesson My Motorcycle Taught Me about the importance of stopping when and where you need to stop and What Do You Want To See in Your Post-Life Report about the Spotify Wrapped style stats we’d like to see at the end of our lives. (Substack)

•  This week on the blog we’re talking about 5 Things To Make Mid-Summer when we all give a second thought to turning on the oven.  The outstanding winner of that post being this Fresh Tomato Tart. (Joy the Baker)

•  Important:  How to fold a pool towel like you live in a fancy hotel. (Instagram)

•  I had no idea there were so many delicious things you could do with fig leaves.  Fig leaf sugar? Fig leaf oil!? It never dawned on me.  This is why we love The Boy Who Bakes! (TikTok, Substack)

•  Have you seen the Cult Flav review of stand mixers?  It won’t have me changing out my Kitchen Aid mixer (because literally, HOW, in this economy) but it is interesting to see what I’m missing for better and for worse.  (YouTube)

•  Just a friendly reminder that these S’mores Bars are a very acceptable countertop dessert for summer. (A countertop dessert is one that sits loosely covered on the countertop with a serving knife inside the pan for communal snacking.) (Joy the Baker)

Make it a great day! (That’s what my sister Launa always says.)

My love to you.

xo Joy