we had a name picked out for him before we even saw him. it came to me one day – i’m not sure what sparked it, or where I was, but it came to me and it just made sense. i thought, his name is going to be miles.
we saw him on a warm spring day – it was one of those days when you still appreciate the sun in contrast to the long, cold winter. it’s hard to remember that feeling now, as i sit here wishing for the crisp chill of fall air. we saw him, peering out at us with a look of resignation in his eyes. he had been alive for 15 weeks – what were those weeks filled with? confusion, uncertainty, fear?
it took two days, but we brought him home. actually, henry brought him home. he was scared and we were scared. excited, but scared. we were proud of ourselves for making a decision solely for ourselves – free of judgment or out of doing what was expected of us – but for the first time in our lives, we had something that truly depended on us.
it has been four months now, and it’s been a journey. this dog – he has taught us more than we could have ever imagined. it’s almost as if our feelings are amplified; our love is stronger, our appreciation greater, our priorities realigned. miles challenges us to be better – to be patient, to be genuine, to be mindful, and to be grateful. he makes us stop and reconsider the confusion and chaos that we create for ourselves. he inspires us to be curious, to once again find amazement in things that we’ve grown accustomed to. he inspires us to love unconditionally. every day, we strive to enjoy life as fully and freely as he.
stone fruit cobbler
this simple and rustic cobbler celebrates the end of summer with delicious, plump stone fruit. the fruit gives it a sweetness and a tartness, while the whole wheat biscuit topping gives it a heartiness that makes it a satisfying breakfast. serve with some heavy cream for an extra special treat, or ice cream for a country-inspired dessert.
for the whole wheat biscuit topping:
recipe adapted from
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (you can substitute all-purpose flour if you would like a less hearty taste)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup sour cream
in a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. add the butter to the mixture and incorporate using a pastry blender until only little pieces of butter remain, mixed throughout. add sour cream and mix gently. knead the mixture with your hands until ball of dough forms – being careful to not over mix. refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
for the filling:
5 or 6 pieces of stone fruit (I used 2 peaches and 4 plums – apricots would be great in here as well), cut into segments (you can also remove skin, but this is optional)
1/3 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, halved and seeds removed
the juice of 1/4 of a lime
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
pinch of kosher salt
preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl combine fruit, sugar, the seeds from 1 vanilla bean, the juice of a 1/4 of a lime, and salt, mixing gently. add 2 tablespoons of flour and mix to incorporate (depending on how juicy your fruit is, you may want to add slightly more flour, but your mixture should be loose).
pour mixture into a cast iron skillet. remove the dough from the refrigerate and, using your hands, break into small pieces (about the size of golf balls). scatter the pieces over the top of the fruit and bake until golden brown and fruit is bubbling (about 45 minutes).
remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on a cooling rack. serve warm with vanilla ice cream (if desired).
