I left you just as I had arrived in Norway. I had grand plans of continuing to share, but that quickly slipped down the list of priorities. Embarrassingly, that was in May. The rest of the trip was full of synchronicity beyond belief, delicious, bountiful meals, and somehow, running into the king of England (along with a few other remarkable people).

I kept notes the whole way through, but once we got to Norway, I felt less like a tourist and more like an archaeologist digging into my family’s past. It became too layered and complicated to just throw together a post and call it done. I’ll publish the rest of the trip as I see fit, once I’ve really digested it.

A few days before coming home, I started to dread the idea. I was returning to complete unknowns. After losing my job in March, I didn’t fully know what the next month would look like (to be honest, I still don’t), and that felt destabilizing. But instead of letting the fear lead me, I leaned in. Between job searching, I moved into an adorable apartment with my love, started drafting patterns for myself again, and landed comfortably back in the creative flow state I’d been missing since graduating in 2020.

This summer has healed me. With so much time on my hands, I’ve been able to do my favorite things. I christened my apartment by baking two monstrous cakes: a peanut butter and chocolate one covered in pretzels for my brother’s birthday, and a four-layer chocolate sponge with blood orange cardamom curd and rich chocolate buttercream for my mom’s. I spent many days at the ice-cold river, at beaches, and picking blackberries along the way with some of the most wonderful people in my life. I rediscovered the magic of ice-cold watermelon on a hot day and taught myself to make cultured butter. I’m also a Costco member now.

And because this summer wasn’t already full enough, I added a side quest: volunteering my time weekly at a stall at the farmer’s market. It’s given me a bounty of organic vegetables and fruit, a wholesome anchor into the “real” world, and a front-row seat to true work ethic. If you ever want to learn about priorities, hard work, and simply getting shit done, turn to a farmer. I never imagined my creative work needed farming knowledge, but here we are.

I’ll leave you with a story that’s been giving me a glimmer of direction heading into fall. My first official job after graduating college (right in the middle of the pandemic) was in bridal production. I loved being in the studio. The work was meticulous, yes, but it was also deeply romantic, and I cherish that chapter of my life.

About a month before losing my job this year, I had the urge to order materials to see if I could still sew a veil practically with my eyes closed. I remember being so frustrated the package wasn’t arriving fast enough, and in true me-fashion, I eventually forgot about it. The day I was laid off, the package showed up.

I’ve grown more at ease with the unknown. And maybe, by stepping outside of it, I’m beginning to see more clearly what it is I truly crave.

Summer Favourites

• Sourdough crispbread

• Amélie

• Local produce

• Red hair dye

• Bread-maker jam

• Butter by Asako Yuzuki

• Costco

• Bowling

• Nude beaches

• Chancho — best freaking tacos

• Coffee (back at it)

• Pattern weights

• Sun gold tomatoes

• Adobe Illustrator

• Carbonation (in general)