Letter 16: Getting out of bed, whaling, and cardamom bread.

September 2023

“Cypresses” by Vincent van Gogh 1889.

Notes from Me

Reading: Last week, I listened to Alan Noble’s short book On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living. It is worth reading if you or someone you know suffers with depression or anxiety. I think it is insightful, especially in its critique of a culture of “technique” when it comes to something as complex as mental suffering: “just apply the right technique and your symptoms disappear !” I like Wesley Hill’s review about the book: “It is frank but doesn’t overshare; it gives pointed advice but doesn’t hector.” The author’s tone is compassionate, straightforward, and hopeful. I recommend it.

With the Boys

Reading: A couple of months ago, author Andrea Davis-Pinkney was in our area promoting her book A Poem for Peter. The boys and I went to her talk and book signing at a local library. We already loved her books Thumbelina and Duke Ellington. While we were waiting in line, I paged through Peggony-Po. We checked it out of the library that day. We have read it many times since then and I found a copy at a used bookstore, so now it is a part of our permanent library. It’s sort of a swashbuckling mashup of Moby Dick and Pinocchio. In the back, the author also includes resources to learn more about whaling in the USA (an industry that persisted well into the 19th century).

In the Kitchen

Eating: I made Edna Lewis’ Cardamom Bread from her cookbook Edna Lewis: In Pursuit of Flavor. Ben and I liked the strong cardamom spice; our sons liked the sugar-crusted tops of the loaves. This chewy and faintly sweet bread would add something unexpected to an assorted bread basket on the dinner table. 

Small Joy

Listening to my sons tell knock-knock jokes (“interrupting cow” is their current favorite).

P.S.

The First Lady of Children’s Music, Miss Ella Jenkins, celebrates her 99th birthday. (Back in letter #3, I write about some of our favorite music of hers).