Things I'm Loving (v.15)
Things I'm Loving (v.15)
The magic of bubbles, watermelon & mint popsicles, bookshops & lasagna!
Man, we are in the hot days of summer, aren’t we. Phew.
July went quickly, and although I’d pre-chosen elements for each of these sections before I left on a two week trip to Italy, I didn’t get the actual paragraphs written until the first week of August.
My assistant is a saint. That’s all I have to say about that.
Something for play
Whether you’re making this for children in your life, or you’re an adult, this is a fun summer activity, especially for hopefully cool(er) evenings.
I love blowing bubbles, especially the iridescence when the light hits the bubbles in the shimmery sort of way.
If you’re not up for making your own bubble solution, consider purchasing a small bottle from a dollar store or grocer.
Something to keep you cool
This popsicle mold was one of my best purchases from last year!
Savoring the cold from frozen popsicles helps soften the outrageous heat waves we’ve been experiencing. (The other day it was 107 F with the heat index / almost 42 C!) I really love how it’s possible to control what I’m ingesting when I make my own popsicles.
The easiest approach I’ve found is to just puree some frozen fruit (I’ve done mango and pineapple both) and add a bit of lemon or lime juice for consistency.
Last year I went bonkers and saved a bunch of popsicle recipes to my Notion library. Up next on my list to try is this hibiscus, watermelon, mint one.
If you make your own popsicles already, do you have any favorite recipes?
Something to cook
Although it might seem counterintuitive to offer a cooking recipe with the heat, I feel like this pizza dough recipe is the sort of thing I could cook on my grill in one of those adaptable pizza ovens.
I was in Italy for a work retreat (a Lunar Witchcraft Retreat, hosted by Tempio di Ara + Giulia Turolla) and only got to eat pizza a couple times. It whet my taste for making more here at home, and I’m hoping that this dough will be the perfect dough for making zucchini pizza! (If you haven’t tried it, don’t knock it!).
Something to watch
I found this documentary on Amazon Prime, and as someone who loves books, it’s a fascinating window into a business I dream of owning some day.
Something to help you slow down
I think I’ve shared this before on here, but it’s worth sharing twice.
If you’re in the United States, Canada, or Australia, consider signing up for Lasagna Love— either as a participant / cook or as a recipient. Lasagna Love attempts to ripple kindness out into the world in local communities. There’s no requirements or hoops to jump through, if you need a lasagna. You can simply request one and they will match you up within a short(ish) time period.
I participated as a recipient a while back, and as a person who lives alone, it was such a (mental and physical) gift to have someone else prepare and take care of a meal for me. I’ve signed up to volunteer / make, but not yet been tapped to bake lasagna!
Wildcard: Some place I’m loving
Halo Quin, storyteller and witch that I met while in Italy, hosts a lovely (free) site on Mighty Networks called The Enchanted Academy, or TEA. It’s a place for re-enchantment and magic and story.
Y’all know how much I love storytelling, and the power of story, so when I learned about the space they’ve created, I signed up, despite my distaste for Mighty Networks 😂. And, I can tell you, it’s been worth sucking up my dislike in exchange for being inside a wonderful space.
Halo shares prompts throughout the week, monthly livestreams, and more. There are options to sign up for a library of self-study programs, as well as more intensive, multi-month classes (there’s one on embodied eros magic coming up this month, for example).
That’s all for now, from me. In the next Things I’m Loving issue, maybe I’ll get to share a bit more about my trip to Italy!
In the meantime, stay cool and hydrated.
~M
Xoxo