"Patrick" does roll off the tongue a little better than "Maewyn Succat."

Thank you for such thoughtful comments on here and Facebook in response to the previous post about tips/advice.  Here are a few that readers sent me this week. 

1. Keep a journal or jot things down. You won’t remember things that you think you will. Plus, it’s thrilling (sometimes cringe-worthy) to find these musings years later.

2. Always take a sweater.

3. Learn to love coffee or hot tea. It’s comforting when you’re alone and social when you’re with a friend.

4. When you’re really stressed about something, ask yourself, How much will this matter in 10 years? or even a year from now? Learn to let it go.

5. Buy yourself some school supplies every year, even if you haven’t been in school for a long time. There’s something revitalizing about a batch of new freshly-sharpened pencils, a clean notebook, a superb new pen

6. If someone is happy with their life don't try to change them just because they don't meet all your expectations; accept them for who they are.

7. If someone you love is in a bad situation, do what you believe is right. If they don't want your help, just let them know you'll be there for them when they need you.

8. No matter how down you feel, if you smile and act happy you will soon find yourself feeling happier. It takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown.

9. Do something good for someone just because you can, not because you want people to think you're a good person. If you're a good person, people will already know it.

I truly consider myself fortunate to call these ladies "friends." Because I have a weird quirk about things being on odd numbers...

10. Put yourself in the company of people who think/say/write/live stuff like this.
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I don't care how cute your green, fake vintage t-shirt is, I'm betting you don't know the history of the holiday either.

Some of my favorite greens...

Fresh basil on homemade pizza

Whimsical ink pens that write really well

Themed parties and high school letter jackets

Spring gardens

Paint projects and summer melons

Surprises in the shrubs

Cushaw...well, at least all the delicious sweet stuff it can be made into

Home

Homemade Christmas ornaments

Asparagus, downtown restaurants (The Bristol) and enjoying a meal by yourself

"Just because you feel like it" projects

Smoothies and best friends

Neat bathrooms

Discovering beautiful landscapes with your best friend

Mini-marathon shirts and the Jeff Ruby's meal afterward

Hilarious and creative friends that send you e-cards with green backgrounds

Pistachio bread and cupcakes

Pistachio Cake (from Allrecipes.com)
1 (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz. package instant pistachio pudding mix
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. almond extract
7 drops green food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour bundt pan or cupcake pan. In large bowl, mix cake mix and pudding mix. Make a well in the center and put in eggs, water, oil, almond extract, and food coloring.  Blend and then beat for 2 minutes. Pour into pan and bake for 50 minutes (if using a bundt pan). Let cool for at least 15 minutes before inverting on wirer rack. (If you so choose, top with buttercream icing:))
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In the next Pillow Book post, I'll be talking about the Silas House writing workshop Neal & Jennell Poindexter and I attended at Berea College, offering a couple of recipes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Dinner: A Love Story, and reviewing Ben Hewitt's book, The Town that Food Saved (one of my favorites I've read in a long time). I specifically want to think about a question he poses about 1/2 way through: Do people make a town, or does a town make its people? I encourage you to be pondering this.