“I go down to the edge of the sea.
How everything shines in the morning light!
The cusp of the whelk,
the broken cupboard of the clam,
the opened, blue mussels,
moon snails, pale pink and barnacle scarred—
and nothing at all whole or shut, but tattered, split,
dropped by the gulls onto the gray rocks and all the moisture gone.
It’s like a schoolhouse
of little words,
thousands of words.
First you figure out what each one means by itself,
the jingle, the periwinkle, the scallop
full of moonlight.
Then you begin, slowly, to read the whole story.”
–Mary Oliver, “Breakage”
Some poetry to start your weekend. Nothing like HRH Mary Oliver to put you in your place, to remind you of the vastness and indefatigability of the world around you, to jolt you into your rightful role as interpreter. Sometimes I lose this amidst the never-ending to dos, the march of routines, the nothing conversations about getting from Point A to Point B and whether we’ll have enough roast chicken left over for a second meal. Her poetry brings the world and my hymenopteran role in it back into focus.
Post Scripts.
+If you liked the poem above, you’ll love this one. What other poems do you love?
+I have a set of these melamine bowls that I use for mini’s snacks. They’re a great size, dishwasher-safe, and a lot more attractive than your run-of-the-mill toddler plates/bowls.
+I am still smitten with my Vintner’s Daughter serum, though I had read (and have noticed!) that it increases your skin’s photosensitivity. Even though I apply both fluid sunscreen and a tinted moisturizer with SPF in it, I have noticed a couple of new freckles. I’ve started applying SuperGoop’s SPF 50 Setting Mist on top of my makeup as an extra layer of protection and think it’s doing the trick just fine. (Also, I know that pregnancy makes your skin especially susceptible to freckling and spotting, so this could be exacerbating the issue!)
+These cashmere slippers are on sale for $30 (!!!) and I just added a pair to my basket — maybe a little hospital bag treat yoself moment?!
+On the whole, I feel I’ve been more practical with micro’s wardrobe than I was with mini. She had a closet full of frilly frocks and bubbles and even an Oscar de la Renta (and I’ve never owned something by ODLR myself). That said, I am swooning over these ridiculous Hermes booties. I’ll take it as a sign that the turquoise ones feature a lion print — his spirit animal!
+OK. I’ve been meaning to share this product for literally months but keep forgetting. This Smashbox “Always Sharp” eyeliner is literally THE BEST EYELINER EVER. My mom gave me a pencil in my stocking and I will never go back to anything else. I love it so much that I updated my Best of Everything: Beauty post to include it (and also a couple of other newfound beauty favorites I’ve featured over the past six months — check it out!) Here’s why it’s genius: the cap auto-sharpens the pencil for you so it’s literally always sharp. The formula glides on with ease and stays put. And I love the colors — I wear brown most days, actually!
+Very into this reasonably-priced $145 stunner from Ganni — what a statement! I’d pair with a neutral heel like this.
+I’ve been robe-hunting lately. My beloved waffle robe from PB has seen better days (the lining is tattered!) and I’ve been waiting for a promotion I can pounce on for a little price break, but I’m also in the market for a lightweight cotton robe. I wear a fantastic white cotton one by Calvin Klein that I received as an engagement gift all the time, but it’s also looking a little worse for the wear. I’m drawn to this spunky polka dot style, this elegant Eberjey, and this on-trend Emerson Road. Separately, how insane is this charmeuse lace robe for a bride?! A stunning pick for “getting ready” photos and an elegant addition to a honeymoon trousseau. (More wedding musings and finds in the post-scripts here, if you’re tying the knot soon.)
+A gorgeous everyday dress for summer. Love the forgiving shape and the flattering length (#midisforlife).
+A fun Easter basket addition for a little one. (More Easter goodies here.)
+Such a wonderful transition-to-spring sweater. Love the open weave and the colors!