We learned, often when we were preverbal or very young, that our authentic self is not OK, is not appreciated, is not welcome, is not the right way to be.
Saturday, June 20, 2026
Cabbage Slaw and German Potato Salad
Summer foods! Even if it wasn't summer I always need to land after I swim. So I just made a bucket of Asian Cabbage Slaw and German Potato Salad to go with my Dark Rye Sourdough and Vegetarian Chili. Now off to swim.
Hot or Cold SLAW
Chop a head of green cabbage, slivers of red bell pepper, red onion, or scallions, and kosher salt.
Add extra virgin olive oil, apple cider or red wine vinegar.
Sesame oil and soy sauce and Sriracha are optional too.
I steamed kale and added it.
I added dried sweetened cranberries. Raisins can work too.
Old Fashioned Hand Cranked Ice Cream
We live near a dairy farm. We also make our own vanilla.
I want to make ice cream with the neighborhood kids to celebrate the reclaiming of the shared parking lot.
If you like vanilla, you won’t find better than this recipe from my family, which makes about 2 quarts:
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
- Generous pinch of salt
Friday, June 19, 2026
The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components. Every word that serves no function, every long word that could be a short word, every adverb that carries the same meaning that’s already in the verb, every passive construction that leaves the reader unsure of who is doing what—these are the thousand and one adulterants that weaken the strength of a sentence. And they usually occur in proportion to the education and rank.
WILLIAM ZINSSER
speak the truth as you see it. But with kindness. With humility. Without hypocrisy.
“The first step: Don’t be anxious. Nature controls it all. And before long you’ll be no one, nowhere—like Hadrian, like Augustus. The second step: Concentrate on what you have to do. Fix your eyes on it. Remind yourself that your task is to be a good human being; remind yourself what nature demands of people. Then do it, without hesitation, and speak the truth as you see it. But with kindness. With humility. Without hypocrisy.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations