Aeon Embrace

                 10

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day) 

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and 

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were; 

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and 

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone. 

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea 

― E. E. Cummings, 1894 - 1962

Icaro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
15 FEBRUARY 2015 (VIEWED)   WIKIPEDIA

An icaro (or ikaro) is a song sung in Shipibo healing ceremonies, or by vegetalistas. The word icaro is believed to be derived from the Quechua verb ikaray, which means "to blow smoke in order to heal".

... Icaros are either whistled or sung, and can be expressed in any language. The shamans generally sing in a spirit dialect that is a mixture of their native language (i.e. Quechua, Shipibo-Conibo, Asháninka, etc.), Spanish, and different evocative sounds or vocables. Icaros represent a system of communication between the shaman and the spirits, and the shaman and the participants in the ceremony. The shamans believe that every living thing has an icaro and that these icaros can be learned. Read More

Cinnamon Bun Centers = The New Muffin Tops

2 APRIL 2010   LOAVES AND WISHES   ERIKA

Do you remember that Seinfeld episode where Elaine goes crazy for muffin tops? They are crunchy, explosive and, without a doubt, the best part of the muffin. She inspires her boss to open a bakery that sells only muffin tops, and he's left with loads and loads of "muffin stumps." No one wants the stumps, so Elaine tries all sorts of crazy schemes to get rid of them. Hilarity and legal consequences ensue.

Well, just as Elaine fell for the muffin top, I am in love with the cinnamon bun center. The heart of the cinnamon bun is really the only reason to bake them, imho... 

The cinnamon bun center reveals its true magic only with the passing of time. When cinnamon buns first come out of the oven,

they are warm and springy, and universally awesome. Sadly, as the day goes on, the edges get stale and the glaze hardens over the top. But, as you uncoil the cinnamon roll, you find that the center has becomes magically more delicious. The glaze has dripped down between the swirls and mingled with the cinnamon and dough in a kind of alchemy. What you find is something halfway between liquid and solid, a state of matter which science has yet to classify. Dare I call it "goo"? 

Wouldn't it be great if we could just bake cinnamon roll centers without the edges? Alas, there is likely some sort of philosophical conundrum or law of physics that makes that dream impossible. But what about those brownie pans that only turn out crispy "brownie edges"?  

... Until then, I will just have to find a way to illicitly dispose of the outskirts of my cinnamon buns. Read More

Jennifer Lawrence 

Vanity Fair - March 2015

Photo Patrick Demarchelier