It's the little things, really: a few yards of different linens to play around with; flowers from the market yesterday; Rye Soda Bread (from a Heidi Swanson recipe) that I baked last night and we ate with poached eggs and dill butter for breakfast.

Another Sunday brunch, but this time with rain. Sometimes there's a fine line between enjoying something so much that it needs to be documented and not enjoying something as much because you were too busy documenting it. (I think this is why my penchant for carrying around a disposable camera developed.)

So, here are a few quiet moments from today, but I think the real joy was in conversation, Chicago architecture, a beer over some football, an insightful lecture, a book on the train . . . and my long-awaited meal at The Publican. Oh. The. Food.

On a side note, I'm just finishing up The Fountainhead. Have you all read any Ayn Rand? Thoughts? It's just completely in my head.

Beer and chai tea brewed in our apartment simultaneously. I used this recipe (for my tea, guys).

A thrifted dress, a bike ride, and brunch (including bottomless chai tea, passed down from "an Indian grandmother's recipe.")

Sam's the best for having these photos tucked away on his desktop. He took most of them during the summer of 2010, right after college graduation. A few things to note:

1/ I still have that flower chain (and you can see it hanging in my dining room here).
2/ Notice the hazy Chicago skyline that looks so tiny in the third photo.
3/ The picnic was a going away for one of my best friends (and roommate at the time), Ellie, who moved to Austin. That day she attempted baking healthy "black bean brownies." I'm giggling just thinking about how bad they were.

Happy weekend. I mean it!

I got up at 5 a.m. to finish this little baby. It's all sugar and cinnamon and everything warm and heartening. Sam insisted that I include the last photo, saying, "Look, it's you. It's you, in your kitchen."

So, here's me in my kitchen—happy as a clam, completely satiated, but a little sleepy (although it's always a pleasure to get up with the sun).

The days are getting shorter and the nights a little colder. Today, I made a pesto pasta with peas, a vegetarian avgolemono soup, and bought a big watermelon as a treat (although carrying it home was not). These days are fleeting, but I don't mind the change. Summer was beautiful.

And, something so lovely and apt:

Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.

Henry David Thoreau (Via)

Fairfield Bay, Arkansas // Chicago, Illinois // Abilene, Kansas

I've taken a month long hiatus from the blog in order to vacation with my family, move into a new apartment (above), read a few books (including this most incredible one), and get a lot of work done. Whew.

I feel very happy in this new place with Sam. Today, I woke up—astonished that we live in a quiet neighborhood—and ran to see if the morning paper'd landed on my doorstep. Sam made coffee and we sat and read and listened to old gospel music on the record player. We rode our bikes to have a rooftop German lunch, then listened to guitar in the park. Half the paper, homemade pizza, a jog, and two episodes of Mad Men later . . . I feel just as happy as when I woke up. Happy Sunday, tout le monde. Life is so sweet here.

P.S. Fudgsicle recipe here.
P.P.S. If you're sending mail my way any time soon, email for my new address!

I did it. I made them.

(And they were so good.)

Today I dressed like a boy, was productive at work, and bought some red currants, blueberries, and zucchini blossoms from the farmers market. The light was playing all sorts of magic through the trees.

P.S. I've never cooked blossoms before—have you all? I think I'll try something like this . . . with some grilled fish and veggies, yea? Sounds like dinner to me.

moody

. . . is the weather, but not I. Spent last night watching the lightning storm with Sam and the boys, and giggling at a film I hadn't watched in some time. I picked up beautiful leaves on my walk to the train this morning, and spent my lunch drinking red tea beside the lake. Storms, film, walks, tea—my life is so much more enjoyable when I take things slow.

I'm looking forward to sushi tonight with my boy, and a weekend filled with projects and reading. Feeling very inspired these days!