Wild Geese

by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body 

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

Candied Walnuts

[recipe from Allrecipes]

1 pound walnut pieces
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts onto a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the nuts start to brown a bit.

Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes or until it reaches 236°F (soft-ball stage). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla right away. 

Add the walnuts to the sugar mixture and stir quickly to coat well. Pour the nuts onto a sheet of waxed paper and immediately separate the nuts with a fork. Cool and store in airtight containers.