Louise Miller's Blog: snapshots - Posts Tagged "spring"
Spring Forward
Did you notice that I didn't include an exclamation mark at the end of this title? Is it killing me inside? Yes. I have a problem. I call it enthusiasm, but I imagine other people have other names for it.
I had a strange week. Out for Vietnamese food with two dear writing friends on Tuesday, in between spring rolls and my tofu curry I felt a cold take over my body. I'm the kind of person who gets really distracted by physical things. If I have a headache I am only half in the room. Anyway, work was crazy, and because chefs are tough and do not call in sick, and also because chefs are afraid of baking and no one could make all the pies and cakes and cookies I needed to make, I spent the week working, and then home, in bed, reading. My fever finally broke last night. I can't wait to go outside!
What I am reading: Last night I finished I'm Glad About You by Theresa Rebeck. I'm still digesting it, but I have to say how inspired I am by how honest the book is, and how generous the author is with her characters. They are allowed to be full, flawed people. This book made me laugh out loud and cry deeply. I couldn't recommend it more.
What I am listening to: David Rawlings Machine's Nashville Obsolete. I am one of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings biggest fans. I love the music that they make--it's both modern and traditional at the same time. They are story tellers as much as they are musicians. I love them so much I gave my main character David's last name. Here is a video they made of the first song on Nashville Obsolete, The Weekend. http://www.daverawlingsmachine.com/vi...
In the kitchen: As I said above, this week in the kitchen was about getting through, not creating. I'm looking forward to a different experience this week!
Book news: It's a quiet time in book world, but I did receive the most wonderful blurb from Brenda Bowen author of Enchanted August and I have a total daydream of doing a New England tour with her. Also on the book cheer front, I received my first tweet from a stranger who read (and loved!) The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. It is unbelievably exciting to wake up to a Twitter notification telling you someone loved the thing that you made and also love. https://twitter.com/docbunny604/statu...
Random cheer: I couldn't decide between two cheery animal stories.
here is a video of a baby rabbit who was born with deformed back legs, so his owner made a tricked-out wheelchair made out of a sock and a tiny roller-skate.
https://www.facebook.com/AnimalLovers...
and here is a story about a penguin that returns every year to live with the man who saved him from an oil spill. Get out the tissues. You were warned.
http://linkis.com/www.dailymail.co.uk...
Happiest of weeks! Enjoy all the extra light!
I had a strange week. Out for Vietnamese food with two dear writing friends on Tuesday, in between spring rolls and my tofu curry I felt a cold take over my body. I'm the kind of person who gets really distracted by physical things. If I have a headache I am only half in the room. Anyway, work was crazy, and because chefs are tough and do not call in sick, and also because chefs are afraid of baking and no one could make all the pies and cakes and cookies I needed to make, I spent the week working, and then home, in bed, reading. My fever finally broke last night. I can't wait to go outside!
What I am reading: Last night I finished I'm Glad About You by Theresa Rebeck. I'm still digesting it, but I have to say how inspired I am by how honest the book is, and how generous the author is with her characters. They are allowed to be full, flawed people. This book made me laugh out loud and cry deeply. I couldn't recommend it more.
What I am listening to: David Rawlings Machine's Nashville Obsolete. I am one of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings biggest fans. I love the music that they make--it's both modern and traditional at the same time. They are story tellers as much as they are musicians. I love them so much I gave my main character David's last name. Here is a video they made of the first song on Nashville Obsolete, The Weekend. http://www.daverawlingsmachine.com/vi...
In the kitchen: As I said above, this week in the kitchen was about getting through, not creating. I'm looking forward to a different experience this week!
Book news: It's a quiet time in book world, but I did receive the most wonderful blurb from Brenda Bowen author of Enchanted August and I have a total daydream of doing a New England tour with her. Also on the book cheer front, I received my first tweet from a stranger who read (and loved!) The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. It is unbelievably exciting to wake up to a Twitter notification telling you someone loved the thing that you made and also love. https://twitter.com/docbunny604/statu...
Random cheer: I couldn't decide between two cheery animal stories.
here is a video of a baby rabbit who was born with deformed back legs, so his owner made a tricked-out wheelchair made out of a sock and a tiny roller-skate.
https://www.facebook.com/AnimalLovers...
and here is a story about a penguin that returns every year to live with the man who saved him from an oil spill. Get out the tissues. You were warned.
http://linkis.com/www.dailymail.co.uk...
Happiest of weeks! Enjoy all the extra light!
first day of spring
I went for an epic walk this week in search of signs of spring. Too much time spent on the computer and too much brain space spent on all things book-related left me feeling crunchy, and a little disengaged. I'm a physical person and I love to be outside, so I am a firm believer that most things can be worked out by walking.
I am so fortunate to live in a part of Boston that is home to some of the series of Frederick Law Olmstead-designed parks called the Emerald Necklace. My favorite is the Arnold Arboretum, a 365 acre tree museum run by Harvard. After fourteen years of walking my dog there, I know the arboretum like the back of my hand. If you set off the paths you can really capture the feeling of being out of the city. I walked for three hours, through most of the arboretum and then home via the Jamaica Pond, another park. I saw pussy willows blooming, wild rabbits hopping down paths. There were dozens of different birdsongs to be heard, and the rush of water over rocks. A storm was moving through, and the light kept changing--long shadows, dark gray clouds, sharp beams of bright afternoon sunlight. I must have taken a hundred pictures. Here is my favorite:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDEbwGqPZ...
By the time I reached my apartment I felt like Louise--not twitter Louise or author Louise or baker Louise. Just myself.
On the iPod: I've been listening to Elliott Smith's self-titled album all week, and feeling sad that he is no longer with us. He says more with the way his fingers hit the guitar strings then most musicians say with their words. Here he is singing my favorite song from this record, Clementine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WudL...
Book news: I received an update from my wonderful publicity and marketing friends. The book is making is way out farther into the world and into more peoples hands. I know not everyone will love it, but I hope some do. It's a strange time, knowing that this story that I made, that still lives in me, is out there in the world. I don't think I will ever get used to that.
In the kitchen: two words. Soda Bread. I love the foods that I only make once a year in celebration of something--they are all the more special for it. I am %90 vegan and I avoid both sugar and wheat, but on St. Patrick's Day I ate a big slab of soda bread with currants and caraway seeds, covered in a thick layer of softened, salted Kerry Gold butter, and it was heavenly.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDDtDPfvZ...
random cheer: you are watching the bald eagles hatch their chicks, right??!!
http://www.eagles.org/dceaglecam/
I hope you enjoy this first day of spring, and all the days that follow. Get outside if you can, and try to find a sign of spring. Even if you live in the north, I promise you, they are out there.
I am so fortunate to live in a part of Boston that is home to some of the series of Frederick Law Olmstead-designed parks called the Emerald Necklace. My favorite is the Arnold Arboretum, a 365 acre tree museum run by Harvard. After fourteen years of walking my dog there, I know the arboretum like the back of my hand. If you set off the paths you can really capture the feeling of being out of the city. I walked for three hours, through most of the arboretum and then home via the Jamaica Pond, another park. I saw pussy willows blooming, wild rabbits hopping down paths. There were dozens of different birdsongs to be heard, and the rush of water over rocks. A storm was moving through, and the light kept changing--long shadows, dark gray clouds, sharp beams of bright afternoon sunlight. I must have taken a hundred pictures. Here is my favorite:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDEbwGqPZ...
By the time I reached my apartment I felt like Louise--not twitter Louise or author Louise or baker Louise. Just myself.
On the iPod: I've been listening to Elliott Smith's self-titled album all week, and feeling sad that he is no longer with us. He says more with the way his fingers hit the guitar strings then most musicians say with their words. Here he is singing my favorite song from this record, Clementine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WudL...
Book news: I received an update from my wonderful publicity and marketing friends. The book is making is way out farther into the world and into more peoples hands. I know not everyone will love it, but I hope some do. It's a strange time, knowing that this story that I made, that still lives in me, is out there in the world. I don't think I will ever get used to that.
In the kitchen: two words. Soda Bread. I love the foods that I only make once a year in celebration of something--they are all the more special for it. I am %90 vegan and I avoid both sugar and wheat, but on St. Patrick's Day I ate a big slab of soda bread with currants and caraway seeds, covered in a thick layer of softened, salted Kerry Gold butter, and it was heavenly.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDDtDPfvZ...
random cheer: you are watching the bald eagles hatch their chicks, right??!!
http://www.eagles.org/dceaglecam/
I hope you enjoy this first day of spring, and all the days that follow. Get outside if you can, and try to find a sign of spring. Even if you live in the north, I promise you, they are out there.
contrasts
This weekend has been deliciously quiet. I have a few plans--mostly in the form of walks and meals with friends. After the adventures of the past couple of weeks, I am really enjoying being at home getting caught up on things like emails and ordering cat food and making handouts for an upcoming workshop I am giving with Kate Racculia.
I've been thinking a lot about the need for this sort of ebb and flow in life. I think all joy comes from these contrasts. It's the thing I love the most about living in New England. Spring feels *so good* after a long winter, in a way that it never could in southern California. Chocolate is in itself good--but it tastes even better after eating french fries. Contrast invites us to have fresh experiences. I think the key is to try and not to play favorites. I am totally enjoying the contrast of being home, even though I loved every minute of traveling.
What I am reading: just finishing up the amazing Kissing in America by Margo Rabb. Next up: no question. It is time to re-read all three books in Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle, starting with The Raven Boys, because the last installment of the series, The Raven King pubs APRIL 26th, PEOPLE. That's just 2 short days after my birthday! I love, love, love these characters so much, and am in awe of Ms. Stiefvater (if you ever need someone to fangirl over The Scorpio Races with, drop me a line) and basically I CAN'T WAIT.
What is on repeat: I've been listening to The Velvet Underground's The Velvet Underground and Nico. What else is there to say about this seminal album? Just this piece of advice. If you are home, even when you think you are alone, do not listen to this record with headphones on, because you will start to sing along. And you will start to sing like Nico. You won't even realize that you are doing it. And you will not sound good. At all. And guess what? You left a window open. And your neighbors are unloading their groceries. And they just heard you singing in the accent on an German model-chanteuse.
In the kitchen: My favorite desserts are always concoctions of leftovers, and my best dessert this week was made from just that. I had a quart of extra passionfruit curd and a flat of little ripe mangos in the kitchen...and voile! tropical shortcake with passionfruit cream and fresh mango and pineapple tossed in sugar and lime zest. Yum. It also looked like springtime:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEEGhK2PZ...
Book news: All's quiet on the debut novel front. I have been taking a lot of book two notes, which are starting to come together and feel real to me. At the same time I have been doing a little dreaming (and a little scheming) about The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. I have some ideas for events that I would love to create, and goals I would love to achieve--and August 9th is coming up fast!
It's a strange and funny time, trying to write a new book while letting go of the first. I wrote about it for the Debutante Ball this week: http://www.thedebutanteball.com/book-...
It's a piece where I talk about each novel as a love affair i'm having.
Random cheer: newborn goats in hand-knit sweaters. do you need me to say more? this is what the internet was made for:
http://laughingsquid.com/a-trio-of-ne...
Thanks for reading, friends. May all the contrasts of life bring you joy and not suffering, this and every week.
I've been thinking a lot about the need for this sort of ebb and flow in life. I think all joy comes from these contrasts. It's the thing I love the most about living in New England. Spring feels *so good* after a long winter, in a way that it never could in southern California. Chocolate is in itself good--but it tastes even better after eating french fries. Contrast invites us to have fresh experiences. I think the key is to try and not to play favorites. I am totally enjoying the contrast of being home, even though I loved every minute of traveling.
What I am reading: just finishing up the amazing Kissing in America by Margo Rabb. Next up: no question. It is time to re-read all three books in Maggie Stiefvater's The Raven Cycle, starting with The Raven Boys, because the last installment of the series, The Raven King pubs APRIL 26th, PEOPLE. That's just 2 short days after my birthday! I love, love, love these characters so much, and am in awe of Ms. Stiefvater (if you ever need someone to fangirl over The Scorpio Races with, drop me a line) and basically I CAN'T WAIT.
What is on repeat: I've been listening to The Velvet Underground's The Velvet Underground and Nico. What else is there to say about this seminal album? Just this piece of advice. If you are home, even when you think you are alone, do not listen to this record with headphones on, because you will start to sing along. And you will start to sing like Nico. You won't even realize that you are doing it. And you will not sound good. At all. And guess what? You left a window open. And your neighbors are unloading their groceries. And they just heard you singing in the accent on an German model-chanteuse.
In the kitchen: My favorite desserts are always concoctions of leftovers, and my best dessert this week was made from just that. I had a quart of extra passionfruit curd and a flat of little ripe mangos in the kitchen...and voile! tropical shortcake with passionfruit cream and fresh mango and pineapple tossed in sugar and lime zest. Yum. It also looked like springtime:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEEGhK2PZ...
Book news: All's quiet on the debut novel front. I have been taking a lot of book two notes, which are starting to come together and feel real to me. At the same time I have been doing a little dreaming (and a little scheming) about The City Baker's Guide to Country Living. I have some ideas for events that I would love to create, and goals I would love to achieve--and August 9th is coming up fast!
It's a strange and funny time, trying to write a new book while letting go of the first. I wrote about it for the Debutante Ball this week: http://www.thedebutanteball.com/book-...
It's a piece where I talk about each novel as a love affair i'm having.
Random cheer: newborn goats in hand-knit sweaters. do you need me to say more? this is what the internet was made for:
http://laughingsquid.com/a-trio-of-ne...
Thanks for reading, friends. May all the contrasts of life bring you joy and not suffering, this and every week.
snapshots
a quick peek into Louise's week--books, music, baking and random cheer.
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