Itās summertime, which means more meandering strolls and soaking up beauty and more harried travel and soaking unhappily in humidity: both are true.
Both are true seems to be a theme for me lately.
We moved to the countryside less than a year ago, and Iāve been loving our little English village, complete with its enthusiastic bell ringersā practice at the 10th century church (which prevents me from recording anything for those hours on Tuesday evenings - always when I seem to need silence); the rentable village hall where we can host a crowd (despite the ugly 1960s housing surrounding it); and our tiny back garden where I can drink my morning coffee, toes treading on the soft mossy grass (when the neighboursā exhaust pipe isnāt spewing out carbon monoxide.)
I recently spent time in America and was reminded of the little things I miss: the space (so much space, everywhere); tumble dryers in every home; and not to be underrated - plugs in bathrooms which means I can blowdry my hair in there!
But then, we came home to England and I found myself delighting in the beauty of our village; the availability and affordability of fresh foods; and the way everyone speaks just a little more softly.
Thereās more of course - big, existential things on both sides of the Atlantic - but Iām trying to remember that my everyday is made up of small things, many worth noticing (and some worth trying very hard not to notice.) I canāt change or fix most things in the world; I canāt change or fix most things in my world.
But I can take the advice of some poets who glimpsed this world in a way I admire, who seemed to grasp the beauty and point to it for others, as if to say, ālook! There it is!ā not in some grandiose, imposing way, but with a few lines about creatures in ponds and the warm air of summer and the simple, sacred, necessity of silence.
Iām sharing just a few snippets of two poems that are worth reading in their entirety.
1. Sometimes by Mary Oliver
(originally published in Red Bird [Beacon Press, 2008]; read online here)
ā¦
4.
Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.ā¦.
6.
God, rest in my heart
and fortify me,
take away my hunger for answers,
ā¦.
7.
Death waits for me, I know it, around
Ā Ā one corner or another.
This doesnāt amuse me.
Neither does it frighten me.After the rain, I went back into the field of sunflowers.
It was cool, and I was anything but drowsy.
I walked slowly, and listenedto the crazy roots, in the drenched earth, laughing and growing.
2. How to be a Poet (to remind myself) by Wendell Berry
(From New Collected Poems [Counterpoint, 2012]; read online here)
i.
Make a place to sit down.Ā Ā Ā
Sit down. Be quiet.Ā Ā Ā
ā¦
ii.
ā¦
Stay away from anythingĀ Ā Ā
that obscures the place it is in.
iii.
ā¦
make a poem that does not disturbĀ Ā Ā
the silence from which it came.
3. Two Simple Salad Dressings
While weāre quietly paying attention to life, letās enjoy summer for the salad season that it is. (Although letās be honest, I will eat a good salad almost any time, including for breakfast.)
Here are two non-recipes that I use weekly for any salad: one vinaigrette, one creamy.
If youāre a bottled dressing kind of person but want to move towards a life of fewer suspicious additives, these are a great place to begin since they only use a few ingredients that you probably have on hand. I know if you arenāt used to cooking, not having an exact recipe can be intimidating: but Iāve also found that people who are nervous about cooking without a recipe sometimes struggle to trust themselves and their own judgment in general. Not everyone, of course! But if that does describe you, I promise that this is very forgiving and all you need to trust is your own taste buds!
You donāt need to measure: just taste-test and adjust at the end.
Ingredients:
Olive Oil (for the vinaigrette) or Mayonaise (for the creamy version)
Garlic - fresh, jarred, or even in powder form if thatās what youāve got
Dijon Mustard (you can sub out wholegrain, but donāt use yellow)
Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
For a salad feeding 2-4 people, start with a good few glugs of olive oil or a big scoop of mayo (think about Ā¼-ā cup). Squeeze in the lemon juice, Ā½ lemon at a time, and stir until itās well mixed. If youāre working with mayo, you want it to be the consistency of creamy salad dressing. Add in a clove of garlic, or powdered garlic, 1 tsp at a time, and the mustard about Ā½ tsp at time. Stir well (the vinaigrette should emulsify) and then add salt and pepper (sprinkle generously) and stir well.Ā
Now, dip a piece of lettuce in it and taste! Is it too sour, too spicy, too salty? Add more olive oil or mayo. Too bland? Add more salt. Then, try adding more garlic. Too garlicy? Try more lemon and olive oil/ mayo.Ā
These work on a variety of salads and also as a dip for people (small children? husbands? wild party guests?) who are opposed to salad, but will happily crunch on cruciferous vegetables with accompanying sauce.
Tell me: do you have any poems or poets that help you see the world differently? What small things are bringing you joy? Anything youāre trying deliberately not to notice? And, do you make your own dressings? Please share your non-recipes in the comments!
Thanks for reading! If youāre enjoying this post, you can support my work by sharing it - forward on to a friend, restack, or leave a comment tagging someone who might like it.
āPairingsā is a series in which I share things that go well together - not only the traditional wine and cheese, but things Iāve read or heard or seen. (Content varies widely!) If youāve missed previous installments, you can find them here:
Pairings 01. Stereotypes, Archetypes, Housewifery & Motherhood (plus Bruschetta)
Pairings 02. Exploring Exhaustion, Life Cost, and Trade-offs (plus an allergen-friendly salad thatās actually delicious)
Pairings 03. The Gifts of Masculinity, plus a recipe for Worldās Easiest Pulled Pork
Pairings 04. Arranged marriages, community & the individual, and a fun way to spice up your coffee
Pairings 06. Rest, busyness, and "special" meals you can make ahead for a no-cook sabbath
Pairings 07. Money, vocation, and a recipe using ground beef that doesn't dry it out
Pairings 08. Musing over mental health + an Italian-inspired breakfast "salad"
Thanks Katie! I thought you might appreciate that pic :) Yes I think sometimes āthe grass is always greenerā is both easier and harder (ha, there I go again with both) when you have experienced both sides of the grass so to speakā¦ or at least I find that I have a different experience from those who have ever only lived in one place.
Beautiful poems!! And what a stunning view of your horsey neighbors under the moon :)
It's a good realization - though constantly hard to accept - that 'the grass is always greener' and in large part we have to accept things in all their imperfections.