Happy Friday Dear Readers!
I’ve been thinking a lot about the structure of this Newsletter and came across an idea via the amazing Substack
and want to try a new series based off the structure of her series but add a few elements and make it my own. This will be an weekly(ish) round-up (much like I’ve been writing recently) but incorporating prompts with the letters of BUTTERFLY to help guide what I share. We’ll see where this goes but I think it’s a creative way to explore what has inspired me to write here.*this is a longer e-mail so if you’d like to read in full make sure you either “read in browser” or click on "View entire message" to view the entire post in your email app.
I’ll be honest with you…this week was HARD. We had to say goodbye to our beloved 16 year old dog, Toby. He battled Cancer for the past year and for the past few months, in his old dog way - had been telling us it was time to cross to the other side. He was tired and sick. I’ve been through a dog death only one other time in my life and I will tell you that it never gets easier. Even if it was the right thing to do, the right time, etc. it was devastating to let him go. Dogs are such wonderful teachers. Toby in particular taught me the beauty of loyalty and unconditional love. There is no other creature on planet earth that loves so unconditionally. Below is a picture of sweet Toby when we first picked him up from the Rescue.
He will be forever with us in our hearts and we will always remember his spicy personality and adorable underbite.
And now onto the first Chapter of B.U.T.T.E.R.F.L.Y Notes. A roundup of little notes I’ve made throughout the week. I took notes all week and here are the words I’m using this week:
Bewitching
From her new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, Billie Eilish has a track called Birds of a Feather that is currently my favorite. Her voice is so unique and her songwriting skills (alongside her brother Finneas) are un-parallel. Her vocals on this song are airy and ethereal and make me feel like I’m in another era.
[Chorus]
(Birds of a feather, we should stick together) till the day that I die
(I know I said I'd never think I wasn't better alone) till the light leaves my eyes
(Can't change the weather, might not be forever) till the day that I die
But if it's forever, it's even better
Underrated
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All of a sudden for reasons unbeknownst to me I am obsessed with all things in cherry print. The pop of red just makes me feel happy and Summery. I just bought the above Converse and now will be adding to my cherry collection until further notice. 🍒
Tasty
We had a small dinner party this past weekend and for dessert I made an English Lemon Posset, recipe from Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Cookbook. It was absolutely delightful. Not too sweet, not too sour, just incredibly creamy and delectable. In Ina we always trust!
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Think Piece
I always love reading the wise words of
and absolutely loved this short piece she wrote about what basketball (or any sport really) can teach us about life:There is a lesson here for those of us who don’t often find ourselves in the middle of a heated basketball game. Gestures of support matter in everyday life and they need not always be spoken. Showing that you care does not always require an in depth discussion. A pat on the back, a warm hug, and holding hands are powerful communicators of affection. People who experience higher “felt love” – brief experiences of love and connection in everyday life – also have significantly higher levels of psychological well-being, which includes feelings of purpose and optimism compared to those who had lower felt love scores.
Educate Me
My 9 year-old comes home most days with questions that are often hard for me to answer. He always has the best questions. The other day he asked how mountains were made. I try keep up and receive a daily newsletter from InterestingFacts.com (I know, I know - it’s dorky) but I really do learn some fascinating things. For example - today I learned that Hummingbirds have the ability to see colors that most humans can’t.
Whereas the three types of color-sensitive cone cells in our eyes allow us to see red, green, and blue light, hummingbirds (and most other birds) have a fourth type of cone attuned to ultraviolet light. In addition to UV light, birds may even be able to see combination colors like ultraviolet+green and ultraviolet+red — something we mere humans can only imagine. Having four types of cones cells, known as tetrachromacy, is also common in fish and reptiles, and researchers believe that dinosaurs possessed it as well. Some very special humans also seem to have a fourth type of cone — about 1% of the population.
Recommended
This book is equally parts dark comedy and thriller. I love a good twisty thriller and this author pairs it so well with humor and a self-deprecating main character. I’ve been in a real reading rut lately and this one snapped me out if it. Highly recommend this one for a fast, enticing read!
What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?
Fresh Takes
- James Clear
Listening to
A new (to me) Podcast from
who also writes the fabulous newsletter .Yes, please
A new movie about the short life and tragic life of iconic singer Amy Winehouse. I really can’t wait to see this. Amy had such a unique style and voice and I want to learn more about her life and dive into this cinematic rendition of her story.
As always thank you for being here and I’ll see you next week!
Flutter On,
Sara
I just bought a cherry iphone case, it's such a happy and carefree print! i am crushing on those converse.
So sorry about Toby, Sara! And I love the structure ❤️