August, Unfiltered

Friends, hello. Welcome to another Sunday.

We’re in the thick of August, and I’ll tell you – my garden is looking a little wild. The flowers are spent, the tomatoes have sprawled into chaos, the zinnias are blooming sideways at this point.  The weeds? Still highly motivated, dangit. It’s all a little crispy, and frankly, a bit of a mirror for my current state of mind.

But! I’ve learned so much living with this garden over the past four seasons. I’ve learned that black-eyed Susans and milkweed are tenacious, even after a snowy winter. That the Texas sage can survive on a whisper of rain and still show up in full purple bloom. And even when things look like a mess, there’s growth happening under the surface.

Inside, I’ve started winter seeds – mostly collards, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli, and I’m hopeful for a winter garden. Hope is half of gardening.

This week’s links offer a little insight and encouragement.  We’re talking about aging, working with what we have (and love), and the apparent life-giving power of connection. I hope you find something in them that speaks to exactly where you are.  It all counts, even the messy bits. (Especially the messy bits? Working theory.)

•  I’ve been thinking about what makes a kitchen feel good lately – not just pretty, not just functional, but really lived in. Ina Garten (our forever Auntie Contessa) nailed it in a recent piece about how she only displays dishes and trays she actually uses and loves. It’s not about perfect styling, it’s about shelves that feel like you. Like Ina says, “Your kitchen feels alive.” This is your permission slip to pull out the good plates, light a little lamp in the corner, and make your kitchen feel like the heart of the home again. How To Decorate a Kitchen That You’ll Love Working In (Substack)

•  I decided I need a Counter Cake this past week so I made this simple Lemon Curd Crumb Cake with leftover lemon curd I had stashed in the back of the freezer for too long and kept the cake on a cake stand on the kitchen counter with a knife standing by. I’ll tell ya – great uses of free will! (Joy the Baker)

•  You know I love a word from the wise, especially from big sisters a few decades ahead of me. This piece from Leanne Ely is the kind of generous, candid truth-telling that had me nodding at every paragraph. If I Were 50 Again, Here’s Exactly What I’d Do Different is about clearing emotional clutter, lifting heavy things, and finally honoring your own desires—not five years from now, not after everything else is handled, but now. It’s a pep talk we deserve. (Substack)

•  Do you have a friend who you hate going out to eat with because they’re so picky and demanding of the service staff? Meee toooo. But I can’t say I’m in the right because I’ll bend over backwards NOT to disturb the waitstaff and that can’t be the way either.  This Asking For a Friend piece about dinner with a complainer is interesting.  I suppose some friendships really do need a “go/no-go” list. (Self)

•  I typically only buy makeup under duress and this week I’m pleased to report I bought this Huda Beauty Blush in Latte. It’s very generously pigmented and I use it as a bronzer and hybrid, adding it to my cheeks, forehead, and even over the bridge of my nose. This goes over a tinted sunscreen and under a quick brush of pressed powder. Very simple for an everyday routine.   (Huda Beauty)

•  Connection is everything, friends! The One Quality Most Super Agers Share (New York Times)

•  This week on Substack I mention that I’m tired and floundering but hey, it be like that sometimes! Here are 9 of My Current Mood-Boosters and Life-Savers (Substack)

•  The four cans of tuna on my kitchen counter are destined for the Tuna Melt I’ve been craving all week. (The Kitchn)

•  Back to School Dinners are back in rotation! This list is exhaustive and Jessica can really work a sheet pan/ one-pot/ dinner on the table quick situation.  (How Sweet Eats)

•  My friend Erika’s New York City Apartment Cafe is on another level!  We should all be making home cafes this fall. Take note.  (Instagram)

•  If I could go back in time, I would have had much more patience as my mom was teaching me how to sew as a teen because I so wish that was in my skillset now.  It’s certainly not too late! A few years ago mom and I made a skirt, and she showed me how to thread my very basic Singer sewing machine and sew in somewhat of a straight line. The idea of thrift flipping sounds fun!  I need to call in mom for another lesson. (TikTok)

Have a sweet Sunday, friends!

xo Joy