23 Comments

I’m going to edit the post to add this great dog quote I recently read in Oldster

Expand full comment

Add "se-nager" to the list. It's like being a teenager again, but there's no curfew, you have your own car, you don't have to hide the alcohol...https://groups.io/g/laughing_place/message/5218

Expand full comment

Good one!

Expand full comment

Hi Alison, Found your Substack through the Farrah post zoom thread. So much I relate to - from finding cooking a refuge and a journey to other countries (especially when my children were small) to being in my Second Adolescence, the Encore Years, Adulthood II, the Third Chapter - why do we need a label?! to the food you revel in (Georgian recipes - the country, not the state) - and of course figs. Your openness, humour and love of good food made me hit subscribe. I don’t think you’re whinging (yes I’m a Brit) :)

Expand full comment

Oh, Sally! This makes me very happy. I found and followed your Substack. We indeed have a lot in common and I look forward to getting to know you. Thank you!

Expand full comment

Paying homage to the poet Louise Gluck, her poem, Crossroads.

My body, now that we will not be traveling together much longer

I begin to feel a new tenderness toward you, very raw and unfamiliar,

like what I remember of love when I was young —

love that was so often foolish in its objectives

but never in its choices, its intensities

Too much demanded in advance, too much that could not be promised —

My soul has been so fearful, so violent;

forgive its brutality.

As though it were that soul, my hand moves over you cautiously,

not wishing to give offense

but eager, finally, to achieve expression as substance:

it is not the earth I will miss,

it is you I will miss.

Expand full comment

That is beautiful. Thank you!

Expand full comment

Beautiful post, Alison! Love figs, I always forget about baking with them. The metaphor of the fig tree sounds exactly like what midlife should be :)

Expand full comment

Heard your music the other day. Beautiful!

Expand full comment

Ha, thanks! My best work is with my band Diamondwolf: https://www.diamondwolfmusic.com/

Expand full comment

Happy Birthday! I have to my eternal shame managed to kill two fig trees in my life. I will save my relationship for the eating and leave it to others to grow them.

Expand full comment

Shame is overrated. I say eat and enjoy figs!

Expand full comment

I’ll take it!

Expand full comment

We should all aspire to find our figgy interior

Expand full comment

With or without the wasp?

Expand full comment

Regrettably, with, that vicious pollinator

Expand full comment

I love this. AND I recently bought a fig tree at a sweet little nursery on Whidbey Island. I will think of purpose and being a human casserole every time I see it now :)

Expand full comment

A fig tree!!!!! When I move to Portugal I want one!

Expand full comment

Apparently they do well here in the PNW. I am very excited about all the figgy things I'll make!

Expand full comment

Love the casserole quote. I aspire to this as well. Being a dog wouldn’t be bad either. A badass dog casserole maybe?

Expand full comment

Ugh. Auto correct. I meant to say “Being a fig wouldn’t be bad either. A badass fig casserole maybe?”

Expand full comment

I’m glad you did because I had forgotten to include Nemo Case’s dog reference.

Expand full comment

Happy Birthday! I love the aspiration to be like a fig!

Expand full comment