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Did You Ever Love Me? Book Review: Can Rithvik singh turn heartbreak into a homecoming?

Did You Ever Love Me? by Rithvik Singh is a tender contemporary poetry collection about love, heartbreak, longing, self worth and learning to let go. Its greatest strength is emotional accessibility: Singh writes directly to readers who feel intensely and care deeply. The collection offers comfort without pretending heartbreak is simple, though its simplicity may occasionally feel familiar to seasoned poetry readers. Did you Ever Love Me? Have you ever loved someone so completely that, after they left, you were left wondering whether they had ever understood what they had been given? Not merely whether they loved you, but whether they ever noticed how much you loved them, how much patience you offered, how many small things you remembered, or how often you chose to stay when leaving might have been easier. There is a particular loneliness in that question because it rarely arrives at a dramatic moment. More often, it finds you while you are doing something completely ordinary. Yo...

Barley Soup

I don't know where you are located, but I can tell you that here in New England, the weather has been cool.  Cool enough to crave a warm soup to have after work.  One of my favorite soups is oh so simple to make and can use what ever veggies you have on hand.  My grandparents used to make this soup with some beef and some marrow bones to add flavor. It's hearty without being over bearing, it's a good in between season soup. You can use beef stock, vegetable stock or chicken stock.

 Barley Soup

2 carrots sliced and diced
1 stalk celery sliced and diced
1 medium onion sliced and diced
1 small can chopped tomatoes or stewed tomatoes, up to you if you want to drain the liquid.
1-2 cups of other veggies-corn, peas, broccoli, asparagus-optional
1-2 qts broth of choice
1 cup pearl barley,rinsed
Olive Oil
salt, pepper, bay leaf.

Directions

Take a stock pot, put a glug of olive oil in the bottom of the pan and toss in your carrots, celery, and onions. Let the sweat and soften, about 5 minutes on medium low heat. Try not to carmalize.

When the carrots, celery and onions are soft, add in your broth, drained tomatoes, pearl barley and bay leaf. You can add your other veg too if you are so inclined.

Bring to a boil, then let simmer until the barley and other veg is cooked, which would be about 30 minutes give or take.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Depending on how your stock is seasoned, you may need more or less salt.  I use about a teaspoon per two to three quarts of soup.

You can use more or less barley.  More barley, thicker soup, less barley, thinner soup. 

I don't like cooked celery, but like carrots and will often add more carrots. It's totally up to you.

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