02 | head in the clouds

Every June I make sure to head back to Pennsylvania in time for the strawberry harvest. This year was an amazing yield. We ate strawberries and cream multiple times a day. June in Lancaster county is a dream. The Spring coldness is long gone, and the summer humidity is coming. But the rare, clear June day is pretty spectacular.

Traveling | My sister lives near Belmar Beach, NJ. We went on two cloudy, moody, beautiful mornings in a row, picking up limpet shells, oyster shells to use for silver findings as well as all kinds of sea glass, broken shells and stones. What an amazing perspective shift to be at the ocean. I hope I get to live near water some time. The desert is full of sea life fossils, and is oceanic. I designed and planted a flower garden for my sister, in front of a deck that my brother built. It was the first project of his that I have responded to with a landscape. It was such a satisfying experience

Listening | I listened to an interview with Suleika Jaouad by Tim Ferriss. I was inspired by her story and perspective on moving through difficult challenges in life. She is a NYT writer and just published a book called Between Two Kingdoms about her near death and “recovery”. I highly recommend reading or listening to the book and following the links below to some incredible content.

https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9780399588587

https://tim.blog/2021/06/02/suleika-jaouad-transcript/

https://www.theisolationjournals.com/

MUSIC | I have been making playlists in Apple music, but I will be transferring over to spotify soon so that I can share them with you. I’ve been borrowing heavily from Kevin Bacon’s Monday Blues.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqLAWrnaNK/

01 | heating up

June 3, 2021

Summer is arriving here in the Sonoran Desert. We are out at dawn and dusk with the other animals - rabbits, coyotes, javelinas, and so many birds, waiting for them to pass through without expending too much energy in the process. I hike with my friend a couple of mornings a week. We talk about water and saunas, and heat. I lived in New Mexico for 7 years, but I have never experienced this kind of brightness. We are particles of light, and light is passing through us. A certain acceptance of transparency + translucency is required. Here are a few things to inspire.

Reading | The Blue Zones of Happiness by Dan Buettner. A companion piece to the Blue Zones book about longevity, this book contains research and suggestions for “nudging” or setting up your environment and lifestyle for easy choices for enjoyment and daily happiness. A simple example is moving your body everyday.

https://www.bluezones.com/blue-zones-of-happiness/

Listening | I’ve been listening to Valerie June on repeat this month, and loved hearing about her evolution as a singer-songwriter.

https://brokenrecordpodcast.com/episode-94-valerie-june

Looking | I have been immersing myself in architecture, from how to site a house, to what makes a volume work. My grandparents + their generation built many of their own homes and outbuildings. I aspire to design and build my house. Here are 2 projects. The modest scale, the lightness on the land, the truth to materials makes this dream feel much more within my reach.

https://www.amazingarchitecture.com/houses/desert-nomad-house-in-tucson-arizona-by-studio-rick-joy

https://www.remodelista.com/posts/soot-house-anthony-esteves-spruce-head-maine/

The studio work is also heating up. I hope the work contains an organic intelligence that is mysterious and enhances your daily experience.