in thanks for the MA summer home team, angels every one:

* my twin, Claire
* sweet Reid
* Eve and Aileen, my garden family
* kindest Aaron
* rescuer LaurieAnn
* my sister Liz
* warmhearted Eve K.
* lovely Deb P.
* "time creating" Clare P.
* Nick, with his crazy laugh
* and Eva, with her smiles

I cannot believe I've been here a year! So much has happened, and yet sometimes I feel like it's all been a dream. The hardest part of leaving is saying goodbye to dear friends. But I've loved other things about this place, including:

* being close to the ocean and to wonderful beaches (especially Singing Beach, with its climbing rocks). * proximity to Maine, to Walden Pond, to the White Mountains. * Harvard. It was pretty nice, being a part of this privileged and inspiring community for a year. I actually leave with a real fondness for the place (finally broke down and got a t-shirt). * great public transportation and, this summer, being able to get everywhere on a bike! * so many passionate, awake people scheming and having conversations about ideas. * overhearing conversations ("And there WERE 2 particles, by God, there were!"). * access to classes, conferences, speakers, teachers, museums, music. * great locally-made ice cream! * festivals, policies and legislation that are well-informed, thoughtful, and supported by local folks who are highly involved in the design.

All that said, I'm looking forward to going back to the mountains and ocean and snow for a bit.

This past May, in Anchorage, we had a music tribute night for Blake. It was at the Taproot, a place that he loved, and there were so many gorgeous people there. It was a beautiful evening, a perfect way to honor him. Maddy's talented husband Nick took pictures; here are a few of my favorites.

Birthday pics!

Jonas, Dan, Eve, Claire, Eva, Nick, LaurieAnn

In thanks of:
* a new song
* my beautiful goddaughter, Vicki
* talking with Mom on the phone today
* Anish Kapoor at the ICA (see below)
* stormy weather that brings fresh, cool air
* a sparkling clean fridge

(photo from ICA)

Oh, I love this! It's from mid-June, on a hike up Mt. Monadnock with a great crew of Harvard folks, including some of my favorite singing girls. Monadnock, supposedly the most-hiked peak in the U.S., is about 1 1/2 hours north of Boston. The day was HOT - 93, I think - and we were climbing what you can see is a relentlessly vertical and rocky ascent. The view at the top is worth every scramble up.

Just spent a happy and relaxed week traveling with Elise-- first in Connecticut, to see her fabulous grandpa Mort, and then to New York to visit her completely entertaining cousins, auntie and uncle. Twice, we took the Long Island Railroad into the city. (It was my first time there!) Highlights: On Tuesday, we picnicked while listening to Lang Lang (with the NY Philharmonic) in Central Park, and yesterday we spent hours at The Met, where there was a fun Jeff Koons exhibit (on the roof, overlooking the park) and more amazingness than I could take in. Now back to Boston for 2 more full weeks before heading to Kentucky and then Alaska... (p.s. My camera's broken (again), so I've pilfered these pics from The Met and from the AP.)

Every time I move to a new place, I re-buy the necessary furniture: bed, bookshelf, and, most importantly, DESK. Here are my two last desks, the first from Anchorage, the second (which I absolutely love-- so perfect for writing and for all sorts of artsy projects) I've used here in Somerville. It's being picked up today by a buyer from craigslist. Sigh... I am getting better at change, but the 7-year-old in me who cried when Dad threw out our old couch still gets sentimental.

Two notable culinary successes this week! The first was a tofu and kale saute, with a marinade of my own creation (ask me for the secret recipe if you want- it includes peanut butter...). The second success, though, I got from my weekly Grist webzine. These lovely crepe-like creations were divine this evening as dessert, with raspberries, yogurt and mulberry syrup. Here's the recipe; click to learn a bit more about the Austrian grandma who passed it along. All I can say is, yum.

Chef Kurt's Grandma's Auflauf Recipe:

2 forkfuls of flour (seriously, that's what she wrote, but it comes to about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
1 egg
"enough" milk (I'll explain in a minute)

Heat a 10-inch skillet (non-stick, if you prefer) over medium-high heat and melt a teaspoon of butter in it. While the butter melts, crack the egg into a bowl, add the flour and beat. It'll get thick and pasty. Mix in enough milk to get the consistency you like. Thinner batter makes a thinner, more delicate auflauf.

When the butter is melted, pour the batter into the pan and tilt side-to-side to spread the batter out thin. As bubbles begin to appear on the surface, the auflauf is ready to turn (usually 2-3 minutes). Flip it with a spatula, cook 1 minute longer, and remove to a plate to serve.

Auflaufs are fine plain, but are more interesting filled and rolled. Your favorite jam is always a good filling, or brown sugar, or orange liqueur. At the farmers market, I simply sautéed some sour cherries with raspberries and added a little honey. With a little imagination, the possibilities are legion.

This past weekend, two of my favorite people had birthdays. Here's Annie, my long-time pal from Girl Scout camp almost 20 years ago (wow...), who currently holds down the fort in Seattle. Happy, happy birthday, my Annie girl! It's been a good year for you, huh? I'm wishing you so much happiness for the year to come.

And here's Lisa, who has an incredibly hospitable heart, and who I get to hang out with soon in Anchorage! Hope it's an amazing year, dear one.