Read:

How I Found the Harper Lee Manuscript (Op-Ed by Tonja Carter, Lee’s attorney, in The Wall Street Journal): The story behind the rediscovery of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman just gets curiouser and curiouser. A rifling through of valuable papers with no supervision? An envelope that hasn’t been opened in 50 years? A possible third or even fourth manuscript? Sometimes I’ve believed as many as twelve impossible things before breakfast, but this ain’t one of those times.

The Great Gift of Reading Aloud (Meghan Cox Gurdon for The Wall Street Journal): “To curl up with children and a good book has long been one of the great civilizing practices of domestic life, an almost magical entry point to the larger world of literature.” And even if you don’t have your own little ones, organizations exist all over the country that allow you to curl up with some kids and read a good book to them. (Jarrett and I read to kiddos in our neighborhood through the wonderful The Reading Connection, but Reach Out and Read runs literary programs across the country.)

Dr. Seuss Book: Yes, They Found It in a Box (Alexandra Alter for The New York Times): Why is this the year of discovering long lost books by beloved authors? (Not that I’m complaining.) As Alter describes: “But alongside the orphaned sketches was a more complete project labeled “The Pet Shop,” 16 black-and-white illustrations, with text that he had typed on paper and taped to the drawings. The pages were stained and yellowed, but the story was all there, in Dr. Seuss’ unmistakable rollicking rhymes. ‘We didn’t know that we had such a treasure,’ said the assistant…”  Oh, the places we’ll find books.

Photo: The New York Times

Eat & Drink:

So, I’ve been trying to start a new habit. (Blame Leo Babuata’s new Zen Habits book). The habit is to eat vegetables or fruit with every meal and to start eating breakfast. I guess this really makes it two habits, but let’s not do the counting accurately thing.

Which leads me to a conundrum: what the heck do I eat for breakfast? I’ve been a nothing-but-coffee-for-breakfast gal for years, and the only thing that gets me excited about eating in the morning is a lovely little health food called the Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich. Add in the complicating factor that I’m not much for sweet breakfast foods, and that I’m very, very, (very!) lazy in the mornings, and I was stumped.

My solution? Toast.

I love me some toast.

Toast with cream cheese and sliced cucumbers, toast with peppers and an egg, toast with hummus and cukes, toast with olive tapenade, spinach, and a poached egg, toast topped with toasty toast bits. Toast is really, really good.

And apparently it’s having quite the moment in the food world, too. As Bon Appétit says: “While the rise of “toast” as a food group may sound silly, trust us: There’s no better (or easier) way to show off seriously fresh, vibrant ingredients. If you ask us, it’s the best thing since, well, you know…”

So in case you’re in a breakfast rut, or want to add more veggies to your morning meal, or you’re just lazy and like delicious food (me, me, me), here are some toast “recipes” to try:

Sourdough Bread + Hummus + Cucumber + Salt + Pepper

Whole Wheat Bread + Olive Tapenade + Fresh Spinach + Fried Egg

Whole Grain Bread + Butter + Fresh Cracked Pepper + Sliced Pears + Sea Salt

(Photo shows a bee pollen sprinkle, but I’d leave it out due to this being real life.)

Photo: Bon Appétit.

Brioche + Mayo + Summer Tomatoes + Basil Leaves + S&P

Photo: Garden & Gun

To drink with your toast? Well, I shouldn’t even have to say it but…

THIS.

And because I can’t let this food pun pass me by: here’s a toast to a summer of fancy toast and strong coffee!