As September rolled to an end, I emerged from a 4-month hiatus to return to poetry. October 2 marked the deadline for submission to an anthology, Atelier of Healing: Poetry about Trauma & Recovery, and so the work began.
During this break, I caught up on nonfiction reading: Roxane Gay, Anne Carson, Maya Jasanoff all crossed my bedside table.
September was a month of venturing out of the apartment: to museums, gardens and historic streets.
Saucony Freedom ISO 2 
New Gardens at NTU, where Older Daughter goes to school.
It was time to break in new shoes, and explore new running grounds.
The month saw several Kitchen Firsts (from top left, clockwise): first loaf of sourdough without added yeast as a booster, chocolate babka (my new favourite), almond paste (I will never have to hunt it down in the store again!), apple challah (we’ve only had the plain version before).
How was your September?
This post is my contribution to The Changing Seasons hosted by Su at zimmerbitch.
All things bright and beautiful 
Hah! I know what you mean about trying to hunt down almond paste in the stores. I’ve resorted to making my own as well. Have a batch sitting in my fridge, thanks to your post about the apple crumble with almond paste.😁
Deb
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I am so glad to hear, Deb!
I’ve frozen some as well – slotted for almond rolls! (maybe I will put in a streusel top too).
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Your September looks as though it was filled with many good things. The chocolate bread looks especially good.
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It was a good month, Laurie, for the most part. Lots of time to explore & reflect.
The bread was good – but didn’t slice well and just all fell apart. I am making a cinnamon version of this babka today, with a few tweaks and hoping it will hold together better!
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Good luck!
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Just an update to report that the cinnamon babka worked out better than its previous cousin. Some unravelling towards the centre slices but nothing drastic.
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Yay! Success!
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Yay for sourdough; and for exploring.
I really love the street art in your header shot too 🙂
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Thanks Su! I knew you would understand the Sourdough challenge & sense of achievement!
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WOW!!! A sourdough loaf now, wow! I’m envious. I’m still into yeast. I love babka. I make this, too. And that apple challah looks so good. I could only do the regular challah. Such an exciting post for me to read, thanks for sharing Ju-Lyn. 🙂
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What a great month for you – and amazing cooking!
September was a changeful month, I feel. In some ways it got worse. Our second wave started and cases are going up rapidly. The relative normalcy of August has given way to calls for a strict lockdown in October. But I did continue to go out every single day either for running – lots of trail running this month as the leaves start to turn and the trails look amazing but also cycling, more off-road as I picked up a new gravel bike as well. But soon my resolve to keep going outside for exercise, and to learn to enjoy winter weather is about to be tested. 3 degrees outside this morning and rain is in the forecast with a high of 12. I am going to steel myself for a bike ride, letting the autumn beauty encourage me to go beyond our building’s awning and in to the cold rain.
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Despite everything, it sounds like a great month, Ju-Lyn. Your food selection always looks so enticing.
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Looks like a pretty fantastic month. All that baking and yummy-ness, too!
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Ju-Lyn, your balance of creative and healthy pursuits always inspires me. Thank you. I got new sneakers for Korean thanksgiving and the other day I went on a beginner’s run. Hoping some day to post regular run photos like you 🙂
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