Sarah Ban Breathnach's
Between the Lines - July 2022
Summer weather, like being in love, is a philosopher’s
stone which turns our ordinary days to gold. But not the whole
day…For it is never the whole day, never all our life which is
transformed in any happiness, but only the exquisite moments.--Nan Fairbrother (1913-1971)
English writer and landscaper
Dearest Friends,
Sultry, steaming, sweltering. July.
Babe of my heart, slow down. Or stop. It’s time to shed ambition and expectation, along with commutes, clothing, cell phones, and calendars. Now our wants seem to diminish. Is it because our needs are met? A cool breeze. A cold drink. A tomato sandwich. Let’s lay the blanket, open the hamper, pop the cork, and loaf on the grass with the writer of your choice. Shuck the corn, squeeze the lime, share your Grandmother’s potato salad recipe and add à la mode to that piece of the pie.
Over at The Art of Starting Over, we’re getting real and personal about the pursuit of happiness. Keep your hearts open and beach bags empty, there are gifts from the sea to be gleaned, and nobody knew this better than Swell Dame Anne Morrow Lindbergh, who gave the world elegance, grace, and incomparable beauty in her sand-drenched sojourns. Next, we’ll outfit our Artist of the Everyday toolbox with our favorite hues of happiness.
To round out the month, I’ll be sharing the tale of Swell Dame Laura Ashley, who romanced my ordinary so entirely that I moved to the English countryside, restored a 12th-century stone cottage, and wrote a book about it. Turn the pages with me, my sweet Babettes who adore Cottagecore. It’s so much more fun to play dress-up when you know why, where, when, and how to make this sumptuous yearning for Simple Abundance, your own authentic aesthetic. Let me help you Romance Your Ordinary. So, gently step over the stile of my field’s footpath or saunter along the shore and hold a shell to your ear. Listen to the erotic echo of the everyday. Put on the kettle, tie your prettiest pinny, and let’s have a putter and ponder, as we slather “Little Scarlett” strawberry preserves on our scones.
Sending dearest love and blessings on your courage and creativity,
XO
Sarah Ban Breathnach
PS For those of you looking for more comfort in your daily round, please take a look at our new Online and On-Demand Series, Living the Six Graces of Simple Abundance.