L.M. Browning's Blog, page 18

The Quelling | A Poem

We have come to the inevitable outcome wherein both of us reap what we have sown.

Ashes, Dust and Air | A Poem

And in that moment I saw the beginning, middle and end

Ever-green | A Yuletide selection from Oak Wise: Poetry Exploring an Ecological Faith

    Oh, what an abandonment the first winter was, As life withered without expectation of return. How spited the first peoples felt When the warmth of their day was stolen And the abrasive wind drove them from the merriment Into starvation.   How disconcerting To watch the entire world die —Every plant wilt and [...]

Our Children | A Reflection in the Wake of Newtown

  In the light of the shooting, every time I have heard the voice of a child today it has echoed through my heart, not my ears. Sitting here in the library working I hear little ones talking and giggling, unaware of how fragile it all is. …unaware of the state of the world they [...]

Sketches of a New England Holiday Season | Baked Apples Recipe

  I have a tradition; every year around December 1st I take a long weekend and go stay at a historic inn in New England. Sometimes I venture to Concord, Massachusetts to stay at Concord’s Colonial Inn, walk Walden Pond, visit Orchard House and take in the grounds of the Old Manse but usually I [...]

Leek and Rosemary Dressing | Recipe

  Who doesn’t have memories of making Thanksgiving dinner? Some people dread the day-long cooking event—planning for it a week in advance. Personally, I love an excuse to be in the kitchen all day. Of course, having worked as a baker for many years, I have endured the dark side of the holidays—rising at 3 [...]

Luminaria | A Holiday Selection from Fleeting Moments of Fierce Clarity

Winter in New England is a mosaic of luminous pieces. It is a warmth felt about the chest—a radiance. As gifted a wordsmith as I am, I cannot convey a New England winter here in this small space and do it justice. I find, all I can do is conjure the images and memories I have gathered over the thirty winters I have spent here and leave you to assemble the great picture in your mind.

Cinnamon Buns | Recipe

  I have found that yeast dough can intimate a lot of people. I will admit that making bread can be a bit tricky. When I was a child, my mother tried to make a loaf of white bread from scratch using a recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook. I remember the recipe calling for around [...]

Launch of The Poet and the Hearth Food Blog

    Just before the holiday, I posted a letter entitled Slow Crafts of the Heart. In the post I reflected on my love of cooking and baking as a means to unwind. As I mention in the post, over the years many friends and family have prodded me to start a food blog. Despite [...]

Visit the New Bookstore

You may have noticed a few changes in the design of the website. One of the reasons I chose to overhaul things was to bring back the bookstore, which is something many people have told me they missed. The bookstore is now open again! There you can purchase signed editions of all my books currently in print. Thank you for all your support!