Beautiful writing, as always. Your commenters seem to have chosen to take the bakers' fork in the road to sleep, but I would like to offer the historical perspective. Seems that we are hard-wired to awaken in the wee hours, a practice, going back millennia and worldwide, of 'first sleep' followed by 'The Watch', followed by second or 'morning' sleep. Until the Industrial Revolution and commencement of artificial evening illumination, folks did not toss and turn at 3 AM, dealing with their daemons or the dark poetry spinning in the brain or thoughts of the space between the stars, but rather the mundane, making use of the Watch for utilitarian, and sometimes incidentally pleasurable, purposes. For a very interesting read during the next Watch, please see https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep. Frankly, I prefer your dreamy approach to traveling the pathways of the dead of night.
A GREAT article - thank you!! Though I knew about biphasic sleep, I did NOT know about: "...the poet William Baldwin's Beware the Cat (1561) – a satirical book considered by some to be the first ever novel, which centres around a man who learns to understand the language of a group of terrifying supernatural cats, one of whom, Mouse-slayer, is on trial for promiscuity." Pure gold.
But note: even the Watch didn't touch 3am - it's just a freaking weird time, no matter how many phases you sleep in 😳
Awesome happy you enjoy her work! And don't forget to check out Maurice Sendak's book. It's the middle book of a trilogy starting with "Where the WIld Things Are" and "Outside Over There". All three are powerful picture books, deeper than one might notice at first glance. Camille Hayward wrote a fun analysis "Sendak's Heroic Trilogy", available on jstor.
I'll definitely check both out - and thank you so much for sharing them! Yeah, it seems like there's quite a lot of folks with the 3am wake up right now. Legit wondering if all the solar activity has something to do with it...
As always, a quote to steal and share! The "aproned angels are performing mundane miracles" I'm gonna have to share with my baker friend! Kudos to you Kimmy!
Bless the witching hour bakers!! I worked at Little Tart for a short time and remember well stumbling in serve coffee shortly before dawn and feeling lifted by baking-croissant smell. Thank you for this sweet reminder!
100% with you on the sleep disturbances lately. Just thinking of bakers and bread in those moments of reading your words immediately soothed me, so I'm going to definitely give that a try. Thank you so much for this one. 💖
Insomniacs think alike! I just wrote something up about me facing my demons, but losing the battles. Dealing with the harsh realities of sleeplessness I often make food at the crack of dawn. That's why I make what we call 'insomnia quiche'!
This is so beautiful. I will think of it at my 3 am appointment with my demons.
Thank you so much. I hope they're amenable to less frequent convenings 😂
Beautiful writing, as always. Your commenters seem to have chosen to take the bakers' fork in the road to sleep, but I would like to offer the historical perspective. Seems that we are hard-wired to awaken in the wee hours, a practice, going back millennia and worldwide, of 'first sleep' followed by 'The Watch', followed by second or 'morning' sleep. Until the Industrial Revolution and commencement of artificial evening illumination, folks did not toss and turn at 3 AM, dealing with their daemons or the dark poetry spinning in the brain or thoughts of the space between the stars, but rather the mundane, making use of the Watch for utilitarian, and sometimes incidentally pleasurable, purposes. For a very interesting read during the next Watch, please see https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220107-the-lost-medieval-habit-of-biphasic-sleep. Frankly, I prefer your dreamy approach to traveling the pathways of the dead of night.
A GREAT article - thank you!! Though I knew about biphasic sleep, I did NOT know about: "...the poet William Baldwin's Beware the Cat (1561) – a satirical book considered by some to be the first ever novel, which centres around a man who learns to understand the language of a group of terrifying supernatural cats, one of whom, Mouse-slayer, is on trial for promiscuity." Pure gold.
But note: even the Watch didn't touch 3am - it's just a freaking weird time, no matter how many phases you sleep in 😳
OMG, that Fuseli painting!
Isn't it amazing? Always loved that one. The weird-eyed mule really clinches it.
Let me volunteer Chapin's "A Sourdough Story" as another great newsletter....and Maurice Sendak's classic "In the Night Kitchen".
If it's any comfort, I've been on a run of waking up around 3am...fortunately without terrors or distress, but it's still quite annoying.
Just added "A Sourdough Story" to the list - thanks again for sharing it!
Awesome happy you enjoy her work! And don't forget to check out Maurice Sendak's book. It's the middle book of a trilogy starting with "Where the WIld Things Are" and "Outside Over There". All three are powerful picture books, deeper than one might notice at first glance. Camille Hayward wrote a fun analysis "Sendak's Heroic Trilogy", available on jstor.
I'll definitely check both out - and thank you so much for sharing them! Yeah, it seems like there's quite a lot of folks with the 3am wake up right now. Legit wondering if all the solar activity has something to do with it...
As always, a quote to steal and share! The "aproned angels are performing mundane miracles" I'm gonna have to share with my baker friend! Kudos to you Kimmy!
Please do. Thank them for their dawn patrol service 😂🥐
Thank you for reminding me how much I’ve always loved Ray Bradbury. And fresh baked bread. ❤️
He's a force to be reckoned with for SURE.
Bless the witching hour bakers!! I worked at Little Tart for a short time and remember well stumbling in serve coffee shortly before dawn and feeling lifted by baking-croissant smell. Thank you for this sweet reminder!
That's a pretty solid way to start a morning! 🥐 Thank YOU for giving it a read. Loved your latest coyote piece!
I absolutely love this but more importantly I FEEL this….to my core!! ❤️
I heeeaaar you. Hope you get more restful nights ahead 🥰
100% with you on the sleep disturbances lately. Just thinking of bakers and bread in those moments of reading your words immediately soothed me, so I'm going to definitely give that a try. Thank you so much for this one. 💖
Kinda wild, how many folks seem to be struggling. Sure hope it helps! 💚🥖🍞🥐💚
Thank you for sharing Wordloaf, Kimberly! Love this post, will share it back with my readers.
So glad this post led me to Wordloaf! And glad you enjoyed it ☺️
Up thinking and putting things into the Universe ✨
Insomniacs think alike! I just wrote something up about me facing my demons, but losing the battles. Dealing with the harsh realities of sleeplessness I often make food at the crack of dawn. That's why I make what we call 'insomnia quiche'!
Gonna try some passionflower tonight. And I'll def give that app a whirl! Thanks, Duane!