Discoveries

I was just talking with friends about my blog. I actually said, "Yeah, I think I'm done." And yet.....now, out of the blue, inspiration has hit and I thought I'd share a few discoveries. 

1) If you ever go to Cupcake Royale in Seattle, just for me, have a white cupcake with buttercream frosting. It will change your life, because there, they do that right, that white cupcake thing with GOOOOOD buttercream. 

Also, when you see cookies, and they are Bacon Crack* Cookies, you should probably do what I did and get one and break it up and share it with your rarely culinarily curious children. It will be worth it. They will smile, and say "Wow." It might just encourage future risk-taking bites. 

2) I have recently scored a few amazing children's books at the library, like this one, and this one, and this one! Of course I simply can't forget THIS series by Mary Calhoun, which the girls and I read over the summer and which we just finished last night. So sad we are done, but they were so good, especially for any girls (and I'm NOT mentioning any names) who might think BOYS are the devil and who might just ABHOR the idea of ever liking a boy. Luckily, they also featured the adventures of a girl with an awful lot of spunk, determined not to live a "little life." She is rich.

3) This man's music. I listen to a lot of jazz. Avery actually claims jazz makes her carsick. No matter. The other day this guy was on with a song about Green Grass. It was so nice. He has this super deep and beautiful voice. I am really loving Be Good (Lion's Song). I think I'm going to get into this guy the way I did with Esparanza Spalding. 

4) I will end with a poem I just read and loved, in the same vein of the love of all the above. 

Aimless Love

This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,

I fell in love with a wren

and later in the day with a mouse

the cat had dropped under the dining room table. 

In the shadows of an autumn evening,

I fell for a seamstress

still at her machine in the tailor’s window,

and later for a bowl of broth,

steam rising like smoke from a naval battle. 

This is the best kind of love, I thought,

without recompense, without gifts,

or unkind words, without suspicion,

or silence on the telephone. 

The love of the chestnut,

the jazz cap and one hand on the wheel. 

No lust, no slam of the door –

the love of the miniature orange tree,

the clean white shirt, the hot evening shower,

the highway that cuts across Florida. 

No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor –

just a twinge every now and then 

for the wren who had built her nest

on a low branch overhanging the water

and for the dead mouse,

still dressed in its light brown suit. 

But my heart is always propped up

in a field on its tripod,

ready for the next arrow. 

After I carried the mouse by the tail

to a pile of leaves in the woods,

I found myself standing at the bathroom sink

gazing down affectionately at the soap, 

so patient and soluble,

so at home in its pale green soap dish.

I could feel myself falling again

as I felt its turning in my wet hands

and caught the scent of lavender and stone. 

–Billy Collins

*Bacon Crack is a term coined by Cupcake Royale to describe toffee with bacon in it.  I'm certain it's wonderful solo, but in a cookie? Great. Yes.