Of Artichokes, Butterflies and Clarinets

(Not in Alphabetical Order)

Thanks so much for subscribing!!

It’s been lots of fun (and only a bit daunting) to gather my thoughts for this world premiere of E-Musings. There’s so much I want to share with you, things I’ve read and watched and listened to and eaten, my travels and my close-to-home experiences too. What will the tone of this newsletter be—silly, serious, some of both? Yes!

So here we go…

First some silly. I wrote this for Little Old Lady Comedy, inspired by all the frantic and relentless fundraising emails we get from FAMOUS PEOPLE who only want us to help save the world…

Then some (more) serious, my latest essay for Gather Magazine. When we struggle in life, we can be each other’s guardrails, training wheels, hands when we’re falling…

I did promise you a clarinet, didn’t I? Here’s a little chamber music for your Tuesday, from one of my favorite pieces composed by Sheridan (and I love seeing him at the piano, with Ya-Jhu as his page turner, in this video from 2013! They were so young!)

Music: first movement of Sextet for Clarinet, Strings and Piano by Sheridan Seyfried (performance at Atlantic Music Festival, Waterville, Maine)

Have you ever wanted to attend an intimate dinner party thrown by a world-class chef? Patrick, Ashlyn, Steve and I had a fabulous time last week at Her Place, a center city Philly supper club. Chef Amanda Shulman cooks up amazing seven course meals (yes, here come the artichokes), a different menu every week, for a few lucky diners (the place seats just 24). This was a splurge but well worth it, and it’s always a treat to eat out with my two favorite foodies, Pat and Ash…

Blog Preview:

My blog, Working Title, is published every Wednesday morning, but you don’t have to wait till tomorrow to know what I’m writing about…this week’s subject is: International Women’s Day! Silly? Serious? Pop over to the blog tomorrow and see!

Inspiring Quote of the Week:

This was the bulletin cover for my last Sunday working at Christ’s Lutheran in May. The very thoughtful pastor had remembered how much I love this quote, and the book it came from (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). The older I get, the more I’m aware that I, that we, should cherish every little piece of living we’re granted.

And finally, the butterflies!! My new book, Nanamorphosis, is available for pre-order:

Have a week filled with at least as much silly as serious, my friends. Be back next Tuesday!