Thanks. I have wanted to do this ever since reading Amy’s book. I like how mine was a little different and I tied them together. It was really fun to write.
Love that you didn’t turn that song off ❤️❤️ As someone who used to be unnecessarily uptight about others’ profanity choices - thank you for not catering 🙏🏼
Also “the urge to do is the white noise of my life” is such a great line
What a great and interesting post! I, too, loved “Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life.” I always think of the entry of pretty Ellen who liked silk scarfs and died in childbirth when I think of that book. Somehow, that stuck with me though it’s been 15+ years since I read it! Did you read Amy’s Modern Love essay, the one she wrote before she died ? It’s worth googling if not. So fucking good :)
What a flahoolick of fun and good writing, Mary! (My phone tried to autocorrect flahoolick to flag policy, which is not the same thing at all.) I’m glad you let your flag fly freely in these pieces, which are stitched together beautifully. Thanks for the Writing in Co reference. Sometimes Substack doesn’t notify about that kind of link, so I glad I read this today—I am woefully behind in my inbox!
Thanks Julie! I am so glad you saw the shout-out. My inbox is pretty full too, so I get it. Also, I love the phrase that auto correct inspired. I type and speak my inspirations when I walk and sometimes they turn into a thing of their own because of all the errors and auto corrects. At the lake, we have a tree flag. It’s pretty flahoolick. I will fly my flag flahoolicky.
"Speaking of . . ." What a great hook! Is it standup? Or a prose poem? (The correct answer is yes!) I love how you tie things together, give your loving attention to each moment.
I’m loving my dahlias! Planning to pick a big bouquet in advance of the tropical storm/hurricane predicted to hit us on Saturday (we live on an island off the coast of Maine). And our asters are just beginning to bloom (lavender, purple, and a rosy pink, plus lots of white already blooming). The vegetable garden has basil for pesto, zucchini and beets. No tomatoes this year...the died very early...did not like our cool wet beginning to summer...neither did I!
I’m trying out a new school year routine of writing in my diary right after my morning walk. I’m a retired teacher and September always feels like a good time for new beginnings. 💜
I’m so glad to see you here Sherri. Your morning routine sounds so lovely. Good luck this weekend. Last year, I picked a bunch of dahlias before a winter storm. Thanks so much for restacking the post.
Also by the way, you will appreciate nothing more and more as time goes by. I once stood in the living room crying (literally crying) to my parents that they were wasting their life away sitting in front of the tv night after night. Now it is my happy place lol. I mean not 24/7, but relaxing for a few hours is just so appealing! It definitely has its merits!
Loved this whole newsletter!! Thank you!! As for what's blooming: my fuchsia, salvia and 4 other kinds of flowers I forgot the names of... and my to-do list blooms in unwieldy ways- I hope to cut it back to almost nothing soon.
Thanks. I have wanted to do this ever since reading Amy’s book. I like how mine was a little different and I tied them together. It was really fun to write.
Love that you didn’t turn that song off ❤️❤️ As someone who used to be unnecessarily uptight about others’ profanity choices - thank you for not catering 🙏🏼
Also “the urge to do is the white noise of my life” is such a great line
Aww...Thanks. I can’t really stop the white noise but maybe recognizing counts for something.
I love the metaphor of the bike basket reminding you not to carry too much! I'll be thinking about that today...
What a great and interesting post! I, too, loved “Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life.” I always think of the entry of pretty Ellen who liked silk scarfs and died in childbirth when I think of that book. Somehow, that stuck with me though it’s been 15+ years since I read it! Did you read Amy’s Modern Love essay, the one she wrote before she died ? It’s worth googling if not. So fucking good :)
:) I did. I read it and cried. I reread her book after she died and cried some more. So beautiful!
Mary, this was wonderful writing; the way you connected the short pieces just flowed so beautifully. Thank you!
I love the format of this post. You have such a gift for seeing ordinary things and realizing they’re not ordinary at all.
What a flahoolick of fun and good writing, Mary! (My phone tried to autocorrect flahoolick to flag policy, which is not the same thing at all.) I’m glad you let your flag fly freely in these pieces, which are stitched together beautifully. Thanks for the Writing in Co reference. Sometimes Substack doesn’t notify about that kind of link, so I glad I read this today—I am woefully behind in my inbox!
Thanks Julie! I am so glad you saw the shout-out. My inbox is pretty full too, so I get it. Also, I love the phrase that auto correct inspired. I type and speak my inspirations when I walk and sometimes they turn into a thing of their own because of all the errors and auto corrects. At the lake, we have a tree flag. It’s pretty flahoolick. I will fly my flag flahoolicky.
"Speaking of . . ." What a great hook! Is it standup? Or a prose poem? (The correct answer is yes!) I love how you tie things together, give your loving attention to each moment.
Yay! I love making people laugh. Thanks for reading!
I’m loving my dahlias! Planning to pick a big bouquet in advance of the tropical storm/hurricane predicted to hit us on Saturday (we live on an island off the coast of Maine). And our asters are just beginning to bloom (lavender, purple, and a rosy pink, plus lots of white already blooming). The vegetable garden has basil for pesto, zucchini and beets. No tomatoes this year...the died very early...did not like our cool wet beginning to summer...neither did I!
I’m trying out a new school year routine of writing in my diary right after my morning walk. I’m a retired teacher and September always feels like a good time for new beginnings. 💜
I’m so glad to see you here Sherri. Your morning routine sounds so lovely. Good luck this weekend. Last year, I picked a bunch of dahlias before a winter storm. Thanks so much for restacking the post.
Also by the way, you will appreciate nothing more and more as time goes by. I once stood in the living room crying (literally crying) to my parents that they were wasting their life away sitting in front of the tv night after night. Now it is my happy place lol. I mean not 24/7, but relaxing for a few hours is just so appealing! It definitely has its merits!
I loved this one, long or not. And I am going to send you an early birthday present. Keep singing!!
So happy to see you in the comments. Thank you! Love you! 🤗
Loved this whole newsletter!! Thank you!! As for what's blooming: my fuchsia, salvia and 4 other kinds of flowers I forgot the names of... and my to-do list blooms in unwieldy ways- I hope to cut it back to almost nothing soon.
I’m so glad. Thanks for being here and for the restack. Here’s to slowing down.
Yes!! To slowing down!!! 💚💚
Dahlias make the last hot days of summer worth living. I'm going to plant more.
Me too! 🤗