Hello again, SLP world! How are you? Have you been hydrating? Getting your steps in with Pokémon Go? Just want to make sure all of my internet friends are doing well 🙂

If my timing is correct, then this blog should be live on my last day at St. Lynn’s Press. [insert sad face emoji here] Even though balancing my internship and my job as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble has been more than a little stressful and tiring – I’m on day 9 of an 11 day stretch between the two and espresso is the new water – I wouldn’t change the craziness that has been this summer for the world. (Actually the only craziness I would definitely change would be the whole taking my life in my hands trying to get on the Glenwood exit off of 376 thing.)

Cathy has kept me pretty busy throughout this whirlwind of an internship (not sure if that’s because she wanted me to stop complaining about how we need to start using the Oxford comma or because she wanted me to learn like, all the things. Probs both): I was able to get my editorial feet (fingertips?) wet with Jan Bills’ Late Bloomer (due out November 17), but then Cathy full-on dunked me (the kind of dunk that is surprising and terrifying but ultimately refreshing) with Mike Krebill’s Scout’s Guide to Wild Edibles (due out November 15) – I edited the entire manuscript. I learned SO. MUCH. from both Jan and Mike; my head is swimming with a wealth of knowledge covering everything from Japanese boxwoods and right plant right place to proper identification of persimmons and how to make a delightful quiche out of weeds in my yard. Granted, I am significantly more likely to go start a garden than to go forage for wild mushrooms among other things, but it’s still lots of great info to have 🙂

Wait. Actually, I’m going to eat my words (literally). Just the other day, Cathy, Holly, Christina, and I went on a little field trip down the walking trail behind the office and we foraged for wild grapes. So, yeah. I guess that info does come in handy. See photos below of our spoils:

We also saw some porcelain berries that are very pretty but very inedible. A photo op (and subsequent Instagram post) was in order.

Also, because Holly is a magical human who I’m convinced could make delectable soufflé out of pine cones and quinoa, she whipped up some super tasty jam with our finds:

The foodie fun continued (with less foraging other than to hunt down the dessert table) at Pittsburgh’s first annual Three Day Blow festival. Hosted by Wigle Whiskey, the festival proved to be a majestic cornucopia of food, drinks, writers, and thoughtful conversations on food writing, business, and all kinds of other awesome stuff.

Though I did eat some incredible mac and cheese and, like, all the desserts (see below), Cathy, Chloe, Christina and I also sat in on this workshop all about the conversations between writers and editors, which was lots of fun and very educational.

Back at the office, I managed to clean up my desk so it was less of a hot mess, and I started making pretty to-do lists because I’m on this new hand lettering kick. Pro tip: pretty to-do lists makes you get stuff done more efficiently. Fact.

Also, just as another update: I ended up passing the tomato and pepper plants Holly gave me to my grandmother…under my care, they were facing imminent doom/probable death, but since being placed under my grandmother’s watchful eye and green thumb, they’ve both yielded some fantastic fruits 🙂

Welp, I think that’s about all I’ve got for this one, folks. It’s been real. I now leave you with this photo of the I-still-don’t-know-which-river-this-is River.

 

Happy life, keep it sassy, and always use a(n Oxford) comma.

M

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