Writing with Dogs

My viral Tik Tok moment, spring is sprung, and an abundance of dogs

It’s May! My birthday is this month, but more importantly, it’s finally NOT winter (April is often fickle). I love May because it means asparagus, clematis, peonies, and early strawberries. Plus, at least where I live, it’s ridiculously GREEN.

This Saturday (tomorrow if you’re reading this the day I sent it), I’ll be doing a book signing with my favorite sparkly-haired octogenarian at her adorable well-curated store The Shop on Main in Edinburg, VA. If you’re in the area, please stop by, if not for me and my books, but to meet Joan and enjoy my homemade chocolate chip cookies, which are incredible (promise – and I’ll add the recipe at the end of this email).

I’ve been quite prolific on my blogs of late, here are a few highlights:

I dabbed my toe into TikTok and one of my videos this week went viral, topping out at 1.1 MILLION views!

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My foster cottage is full – meet a few of the latest residents:

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I’m finally hitting my stride with the Who Will Let the Dogs Out podcast, give it a listen:

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And, read about how volunteers are transforming this busy rural shelter in Tennessee:

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A Little Bit Healthy Choc Chip Cookies

½ cup butter

½ cup coconut oil

3/4 cup white sugar (or succanot or a combination)

3/4 cup rapidura (or brown sugar or a combination)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

¼ cup ground flaxseed meal

1 cup organic white flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

½ cup almond meal

½ cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt (I use celtic sea salt)

2 cups grain sweetened dark chocolate chips (or use a good chocolate chip like Ghirardelli’s – cheap chips cheapen the cookie in ways other than price)

Optional – ½ cup white chocolate chips, nuts, and/or raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Cream butter, oil, and sugars. Add vanilla, eggs, and flaxseed. Beat well. (If it’s cool out and I’m using coconut oil it will be kind of hard, so I beat it much longer than if I do when it is warm to ensure that it is evenly spread through the batter.)

3. Mix together flours, almond meal, baking soda, and salt with whisk. Add to batter. Beat until mixed well. Add in chocolate chips.

4. Use mini ice cream scoop or melon baler to drop small tablespoons on to greased pan (or baking stone)

5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies and whether you heated the pans. It also depends on your oven, so watch your cookies carefully the first few times.

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Thanks for reading!

I heard this saying this week, and it was a lightning bolt moment for me:

There is more than enough drama and discord to go around these days, but I hope you will hold fast to those words. Take care of your soul and your story. Put your energy into the things that evolve you instead of wasting it on what doesn’t actually matter. Your heart will be happier for it.

Be well, friends,

Cara