A Summer Gathering Idea Worth Keeping
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Hello friend, As I was finishing this month's blog story, The Oak Tree and the Mourning Doves, I found myself thinking about summer gatherings. Father's Day is coming up, then the Fourth of July, and before long we'll all be sitting around picnic tables, backyard grills, and family dinners. It occurred to me that these are often the moments when the best family stories come out. Someone mentions a favorite dish. Someone remembers how Grandma used to make it. Someone tells a story you've heard a dozen times, and somehow everyone still laughs. We always assume we'll ask for those recipes and stories later, but later has a funny way of sneaking up on us. So consider this a gentle nudge: if there's a recipe you've always loved, ask about it this summer. Ask where it came from. Ask who made it first. Ask what they remember about it. Write it down while the people who know the answers are still sitting across the table from you. A while back I created the Kitchen Memory Kit, a free collection of prompts designed to help capture not just a recipe, but the memories attached to it. Because the ingredients are only part of the story. The real treasure is knowing who made it, when they made it, and why everyone remembers it. You can download the Kitchen Memory Kit here. And if you're looking for a beautiful place to keep those recipes once you've gathered them, you'll find recipe cards and printable kitchen binders in the shop. I also wanted to tell you about something new I've started called Simple Wonders. Every Thursday I'm sharing one piece of artwork paired with one fascinating thing from the natural world. No breaking news. No productivity advice. Just something interesting and beautiful to notice. Last week's Simple Wonder featured the Fly Agaric mushroom, the bright red mushroom that seems to appear in every fairy tale illustration ever painted. Tomorrow's Simple Wonder is about cardinals, and I learned something while researching it that genuinely surprised me. The idea behind Simple Wonders is simple: to pause for a moment and notice something remarkable that has been there all along. If you enjoy nature, art, and small moments of curiosity, I think you'll enjoy this new little Thursday tradition. You can find it each week on Instagram at @francessimonedesign. Until next time, Fran P.S. If you're gathering with family this summer, I'd love to know—what's one recipe everyone hopes shows up on the table? |
Frances Simone Design
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