On the screen porch with the breezy curtains and the setting sun and the chair that is ugly but comfy, the dog and I sit. Sometimes he squeezes himself between my lap and my book, and sometimes he trots up and down the length of the porch, stretching himself to his full length to rest his paws on the windowsill and peer out at the passing world before he plops down into the patch of sun by the door.
There on the porch, I look up from my book to take it all in. I never really wanted a shelter dog or a screened-in porch––no, I wanted a labradoodle puppy and a wraparound, the set pieces of a perfect life story. The porch where I sit and the dog with whom I share this space do not match the design of my dreams, and as I sit here, enjoying both, I am sobered to realize that I would have neither if my life had conformed to those rigid visions. The imperfect life I have is so beautiful in so many ways, and I know that no splendor I could manufacture can compare to the graces that have been ordained for me.
Here, looking out these soaring windows and scratching Dobby's velvety ears, it is quite beautiful indeed.
Here's what I read, cooked, and created in the month of August.
What I Read
A Long, Long Sleep, Anna Sheehan (★★★★★)––reread
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)––reread
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)––reread
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)––reread
Take Me With You When You Go, David Levithan and Jennifer Niven (★★★★)
These Violent Delights, Chloe Gong (★★★)
If you want to hear the rationale behind my rating, head to my Goodreads for full reviews.
What I Cooked
Mitchell commented the other day that I've done a lot more baking this year, and he's enjoyed having homemade treats in the house. With the first week of school starting, I wanted him to have a nice little dessert in his lunchbox, so I made these (just a half recipe). I can already tell they will be a staple––so easy and delicious. The chocolate frosting is next level.
I would rather make myself a birthday cheesecake than a birthday cake, and I've been craving a turtle cheesecake for ages. I used this as my base (adding a sheet of puff pastry as the base since my springform pan is leaky), and then topped it with melted chocolate, homemade salted caramel, and crushed pecans. Delicious.
When we were in Vermont last month, Mitchell had a salmon dish at a restaurant with these flavors, and since he enjoyed it so much, I wanted to figure out if I could recreate it. Happily, someone else on the Internet did it for me, and he can confirm that this recipe nailed it.
I almost hesitate to put this on the list since I blatantly ignored the recipe multiple times, but it turned out so well that I feel justified. I used ground beef instead of chicken since a) I had it and b) it tastes better anyway, and I used oats in lieu of breadcrumbs since a) I had it and b) that's what I always do with meatloaf and meatballs. Rather than grating the shallot and pepperoncini, I blitzed them in my food processor (so much easier). I also baked them and then refrigerated them overnight before doing the melty, cheesy part. Somehow, despite all my tweaks, they turned out fabulously, making for a great classic meatball. I credit the flavor to the pepperoncini.
What I Created
Unpublished original poem "Sad Girl Birthdays"
Unpublished original poem "Meditation on Psalm 37"
May your days be filled with beauty, and may your heart be filled with the willingness to see and give thanks for it.