Fifty Things I’m Savoring: Early August
Oysters, white sheets, my husband's voice and French strawberries.
“The spell was broken. My uncle learned to love, and I learned to cry. The secret garden is always open now: open and awake and alive. If you look the right way you can see that the whole world is a garden.” – The Secret Garden, 1993
I have arrived in France. The light comes from every direction, there is sunflower honey and you can buy clean snail shells from the grocery store. It’s like a dream, and in fact, it began as one. After expressing deep concern over driving across country with an eighteen month old, my husband asked me what I’d rather be doing. “Going to France to see my dad!” “Well, why don’t you do that?” “I will!” Dad has been having some health challenges over the last few years, the reality of which has caused me to deeply reconsider the way I spend my time. How many more summers will we have together? How do we know which is the last goodbye? Freya hadn’t met her Grandpa yet, so it felt even more poignant to make this trip. (My parents live most of the year in Australia but spend six months at their place in France, a country house on a few acres surrounded by fields and forests and blackberry brambles. It’s about an hour to the sea, and an easy drive.) I booked the ticket and packed two bags. We arrived Monday. We had an entire row to ourselves on the plane. Mum made me a birthday cake yesterday and Freya fell asleep in Dad’s arms. It’s the happiest I’ve been all year. I think this was a good choice.
It’s early August, and these are the things I’m savoring:
french strawberries
the birds at night
three dozen oysters for 19€
my parents greeting us off the train (and crying)
sunflower honey
the light on the island
fuchsia bougainvillea
the slower pace of Europe
crisp white sheets
sleeping til 10
hazelnut chocolate
my husband’s voice
when the baby sleeps
late night creativity
a warm welcome
the Olympics
birthday voice notes
an almost empty plane
easy toddler travel (!)
mum’s baking
time with my Dad
seeing the ocean
smelling the ocean
touching the ocean
baguettes and butter
walking in the sun
warm rock pools
packing light
baby cheeks
hotel breakfasts
champagne and cake
a hand embroidered blouse
french stripes
walking and talking
cobblestone streets
vacationers biking
saltwater sandals
laundry service
finding my joy
speaking my truth
soft sand
beach sunsets
pistachio icecream
thrifted kids clothes
toddler hugs
fig trees
pear trees
new possibilities
relief
expansion
pain au raisin
What are you savoring this August? Are you making the most of every precious minute with your loved ones?
x Sophie
Ps. I attempted to add more photos to this post like usual, but you’ll have to make do with the pictures my words paint. We have very patchy internet and I’ve been nursing a toddler who can’t keep liquids or anything much down without it coming out all over my newly laundered pants. Obviously this did not make the list above!