Comments on: Cultivating The Simple Life http://mynepenthebook.com/2009/05/cultivating-the-simple-life/ Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:55:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Tom Birmingham http://mynepenthebook.com/2009/05/cultivating-the-simple-life/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Tom Birmingham Sun, 03 May 2009 21:11:43 +0000 http://mynepenthebook.com/?p=486#comment-75 Nani - What a beautiful story. One time Erin and I spent a week in Venice with Kaffe, Brandon, and the kids. Kaffe and Brandon had to leave a day before us, so we had one day alone in the city. It was that same sort of ennui. We visited Murano, Burano, and our favorite spots around the city, but everything seemed a bit pale after the whirlwind of our visit together. I agree with you about the centering experience of cooking. There is nothing I like better than setting a pile of fresh flavorful ingredients on the counter in front of my cutting board, and methodically chopping them and putting them in bowls, ready to cook. I have started writing a few recipes in this 26letterpress blog that is linked here, as well as transcribing my experience of self-publishing Erin's book. Thought you might like to have a look. Best - Tom Nani –

What a beautiful story. One time Erin and I spent a week in Venice with Kaffe, Brandon, and the kids. Kaffe and Brandon had to leave a day before us, so we had one day alone in the city. It was that same sort of ennui. We visited Murano, Burano, and our favorite spots around the city, but everything seemed a bit pale after the whirlwind of our visit together.

I agree with you about the centering experience of cooking. There is nothing I like better than setting a pile of fresh flavorful ingredients on the counter in front of my cutting board, and methodically chopping them and putting them in bowls, ready to cook.

I have started writing a few recipes in this 26letterpress blog that is linked here, as well as transcribing my experience of self-publishing Erin’s book. Thought you might like to have a look.

Best -

Tom

]]> By: Erin Gafill http://mynepenthebook.com/2009/05/cultivating-the-simple-life/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Erin Gafill Sun, 03 May 2009 20:38:37 +0000 http://mynepenthebook.com/?p=486#comment-73 I remember when we were climbing trees and running around naked on the back porch, taking sun baths and reading golden books, underfoot in the family kitchen, underfoot in the restaurant, seeming to be always underfoot everywhere! Poor Lolly! She chased me(us) with a switch in her hand furious at some random offense . . . walking on the roof of the paint shed, saying bad words, eating the last of something not meant for us left out in the kitchen, just being kids sometimes seemed enough of a reason to get her goat. I think, how overwhelming to raise 5 children and then to have to raise their children too? Maybe that's how it felt to her on occasion . . . and not just us kids, but also the kids of the crew working below. ... Tina and Aimee and Jennifer, Jardin and Aengus . . . do you remember how tight she tucked us into bed? Reciting the Lord's Prayer and then turning off the light. The sound of her zories flapping away on the floor. The creak of the floorboards, and the sound of the t.v. going on in the other room, the lure of the grownups laughter, the longing to be in there with the grownups where all the fun was. Your essay for me evokes such longing and bravery to live each day and believe in yourself, believe in the small efforts to make a difference, believe that making jam and creating a home where children can come home to someone making food for them/with them matters . . . you are a light in our lives! Keep writing please! I remember when we were climbing trees and running around naked on the back porch, taking sun baths and reading golden books, underfoot in the family kitchen, underfoot in the restaurant, seeming to be always underfoot everywhere!

Poor Lolly! She chased me(us) with a switch in her hand furious at some random offense . . . walking on the roof of the paint shed, saying bad words, eating the last of something not meant for us left out in the kitchen, just being kids sometimes seemed enough of a reason to get her goat. I think, how overwhelming to raise 5 children and then to have to raise their children too? Maybe that’s how it felt to her on occasion . . . and not just us kids, but also the kids of the crew working below. … Tina and Aimee and Jennifer, Jardin and Aengus . . .

do you remember how tight she tucked us into bed? Reciting the Lord’s Prayer and then turning off the light. The sound of her zories flapping away on the floor. The creak of the floorboards, and the sound of the t.v. going on in the other room, the lure of the grownups laughter, the longing to be in there with the grownups where all the fun was.

Your essay for me evokes such longing and bravery to live each day and believe in yourself, believe in the small efforts to make a difference, believe that making jam and creating a home where children can come home to someone making food for them/with them matters . . . you are a light in our lives! Keep writing please!

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