Friends, hi! Me, you, a Sunday!? Let’s go for it!
For ten years, Let It Be Sunday was our weekly ritual around here, but seven months into pregnancy, with the great unknown of postpartum barreling toward me, I decided it was probably time to let our Sunday tradition rest. Ten years felt like a good long run, right? I imagined I’d replace it with a lovely monthly post called The Bakehouse Almanac. Seasonal, thoughtful if not a little cheeky.
And you know what? It never really landed. And that’s totally okay.
Eighteen years into writing on the internet, I insist on keeping this little corner a place where I can play around, change my mind, and… dare I say it… have fun! (A real rebellion in this day and age.) I also heard on Instagram, from the youth naturally, that blogging is back. Pie directly in my face because I was unaware it had gone anywhere.
Nearly six months into motherhood, I’d like to cautiously report that I have my legs underneath me, though I reserve the right to take back that distinction on any given night around 4am. But for this week – I have my legs enough to realize how much I miss meeting you here every week. While I don’t necessarily have the bandwidth for the sprawling Sunday posts of years past, I do think I have the joie de vivre enough to try something new!
We’re calling it The Sunday Five.
Five things that caught my eye this week. Five tabs still open in my browser. Something to read, to make, to listen to, something useful, something I simply need to tell you about. A brief little Sunday offering that feels sustainable for this particular season of new-mom, cottage-bakery-owner life.
Let’s see how this feels! Here’s today’s easy five.
• I’ve seen a lot of chatter about John Mayer this past week as his album Continuum makes 20 years old. Was this album big for you back then? I think I was deep into my Tool and Pearl Jam era and this album got past me but this post was enough for me to lock in and listen this week. It sounds like before times. Before what exactly? I can’t quite put my finger on it besides just gesturing wildly into the air. I also found John’s thoughts on loneliness interesting. Our asses don’t hit the ground anymore – he’s right.
• Our friend Amy has some of the best finds on the internet. I usually read her lists at 3am after I’ve fed the baby and put him back down to sleep, which is exactly what I did about two weeks ago so – imagine my delight and surprise when a sack of fantastic socks from Pete Davidson’s sock company doublesoul arrived at my door and I was reminded of my blurry middle of the night purchase. I even got a few pairs as a gift for Dad’s birthday so… nailed it. I love these socks!
And in other news from my 45 year old feet: I got my feet fitted for running shoes and ok WOW what a difference that makes! I had never heard of this brand from Helsinki, Finland but these Karhu running shoes have elevated my postpartum running game now that I’m pushing a stroller while I get in the miles.
• My friend Amanda made the distinction for me this weekend. She said it’s “apple fall” and not yet “pumpkin fall” and she’s completely correct. Why rush a gourd? What good will that do us? I’m partial to apples anyhow. I think this Apple Cinnamon Texas Sheet Cake is the cake of the season, especially if you find a crowd (perhaps a book club?) to feed. Also, October’s Bakehouse Popup will feature Biscuit Jammers using Erin McDowell’s Apple Hand Pie filling which is syrupy and spiced and perfectly diced. I’m hoping these taste like the best version of a buttermilk biscuit meets McDonald’s apple pie (though those really are mostly just apple jelly at this point). I think they’ll be lovely. Will report back, obvi.
• I don’t know quite how to explain it but September feels like the perfect day of the week to order pizza. Except September is a month and instead of ordering in, I have two pizzas we should make at home. First, a very thick boy with an overnight rest. Meet: Overnight Focaccia Pizza. I’m partial to the way the sauce sinks into the focaccia dimples and the extra dollops of seasoned ricotta scattered across the top. The second pizza is on the opposite spectrum – the Flaky Puff Crust Pizza from King Arthur Baking. It’s a really interesting process in which the dough is lightly laminated with butter before rolling and topping. It’s definitely a fun kitchen adventure. The process is as fun as the outcome. Highly recommend!
• Have you read the book ETNA by Paul Yoon? I’ve not had a single brain cell that I could point towards reading a book this entire year and I’ve been feeling a bit defeated about that. I’ve added ETNA to my audiobook list and I can’t wait to give it a listen. I’m going to give myself a little grace and let myself call that reading for the time being.
But, this is also cry for help. What book got you back into reading after a dry spell?
That’s our five today, friends! See you in the comments and (fingers crossed), see you next week!
xo Joy
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