cultivate a fulfilling chosen family, make a practice of showing up for community.

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. 

https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2026-06-15/beatriz-albina-end-emotional-outsourcing-people-pleasing

Chocolate Gelt Babka With Hazelnut Amaretti Filling and Chocolate Espresso Glaze

 https://www.latimes.com/recipe/chocolate-hazelnut-babka-amaretti-chocolate-glaze

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

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

“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love ...” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” ― Marcus Aurelius , Meditations

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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

If you are rude to your ex-husband’s new wife at your daughter’s wedding, you will make her feel smug. Comfortable. If you are charming and polite, you will make her feel uncomfortable. Which do you want to do? —Miss Manners (Judith Martin)

Melody Moezzi The art of saying NO: Healthy boundaries support steadier moods by protecting routines, rest, and emotional energy.

 Article

‘Look for the light’ – practical tips to help you through another winter with SAD

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4GBxvMRrfS0hPGkQfM9NWHt/look-for-the-light-practical-tips-to-help-you-through-another-winter-with-sad

When People Believe in you it's Life Changing

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4mzy6Xpv3H1ZcpMNPRzSqLN/when-people-believe-in-you-it-s-life-changing