noticing nature
We are most definitely in the deepest part of the summer and everything is lush and dark, deep, richly green. The crepe myrtles and hydrangeas are in full bloom all over town and it is exceptionally gorgeous. Seeing the lush green landscape scattered with full blooms of hydrangeas and the colorful confetti flowers of crepe myrtles is literally one of my favorite things about summer. Along with the music of summer nights. I love the sounds of summertime and the flicker of lightning bugs in the garden just adds to the magical ambience. With all that said, I am aching for autumn to arrive. {{smiles}} Until then, I am delighting in these earthy pleasures of summertime.
And a little funny thing that happened this week...on Thursday morning, my mom and sister woke up to find 17 turkeys in our front and side garden. I was in the shower, so I didn't see them in person, but my sister took pictures, and it was the most bizarre thing. Some were tiny babies, and some were bigger. And they just rambled around our grass and then made their way down the street in a line. What makes this crazy is that we live in a residential area neighborhood. We do have quite a bit of nature around, but still, we've never seen turkeys like that before. It certainly made us laugh!
musical treasures
I have had the grandest time using Spotify over the last few months. I totally forgot it even existed and remembered that I had an account earlier this year. And I've thoroughly enjoyed creating a playlist of songs that I love...some I've even remembered from my girlhood days, which brings me extra bits of happy. I love Celtic music, Irish pub tunes, soundtracks from my favorite movies, instrumental pieces, pop/classical crossover artists, and other feel-good music. I can't tell you just how much joy this has brought me. ♥
bookish ramblings
I recently finished Susan Branch's Martha's Vineyard, Isle of Dreams. And I do plan on sharing a post just for this book at some point. In the meantime, I will simply share the review that I left on my GoodReads account...
Magical. Hopeful. Beautiful. Inspiring. Encouraging. Uplifting. Lifegiving. Enchanting. Relatable. Funny. (Literally laugh out loud funny.) Real. Full of splendour. Just one of the absolute best books I've read. Ever. If there was an option to give it 10 stars, I would. Absolutely nothing about this book did I not love. Thank you, Susan Branch, for writing such a gem. It is so dear and spoke to my heart in such profound ways.
After finishing this wonderful memoir/diary, I picked up a novel that had been on shelf for a couple years. But after getting just over halfway through, I decided to shelve it for now. It was moving a bit too slow for my mood at the time. And the story was quite different from what I expected. Now, I've picked up a cozy, lighthearted summertime romance set in the English countryside along the seaside. For my birthday a couple weeks ago, I received quite a number of books all with that lighthearted, cozy vibe, which I'm loving (and needing and appreciating) these days. So far, it's good. Let's hope it continues.
what I'm watching
I finished watching the entire series of Rizzoli and Isle a few weeks ago. At the exact same time as I finished Susan Branch's book. Because I loved both the series I was watching and the book I was reading so much, it kind of left me with a low mood, down-ish feeling. A sort of "depression" that only comes from enjoying the absolute heck out of something and then it being over. Kind of like coming home from an awesome holiday and it being over yet you being filled with such happy memories and good times and utter joy in your heart. It's like that. At least for me.
So I've begun rewatching Blue Bloods again...which I love dearly. Along with rewatching the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series and movies from Hallmark. And I'm very sporadically and randomly rewatching the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries. I really enjoy all of these, so it's all good.
gratitude journal
I'm grateful for another birthday and turning 29. For eating lunch in the park whilst watching people kayak and paddleboard and walk around the lake. For cloudy summer days and steady rain in the night. For nights spent crafting and painting and journaling. For soft t-shirts and comfy jean shorts and worn-in sandals. For fresh flowers in old family vases. For flowers drying for me to put in pretty vases to enjoy forever. For cooking dinner with my mom and sister. For lightning bugs and the musical encore of nature on summer nights and how they remind me that life is just so magical. For the reminders to be kind, gentle, and gracious to myself. For things that make me laugh so hard, the tears flow. For the anticipation of autumn. And for homemade pecan apple butter cooking in our kitchen.
from my kitchen
As I just mentioned, I made homemade pecan apple butter a few days ago. We had some apples that weren't the most delicious for just plain eating, so I decided to save them from the trash and make some apple butter. Just a teeny taste of autumn coming...and it is so delicious! For my birthday, my sister made me a scrumptious strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting and slivered almonds sprinkled on top. Then, she and my mom made me one of my favorite meals for dinner.
what I'm wearing
Black denim shorts, a deep blue floral top that ties at the waist, and my old but oh-so-comfy black sandals. And I recently had my mom cut my hair and give it some layers at the bottom. I'm really loving the change and it's also cooler for the summertime.
in my mug
A few nights ago, I had the most delicious tea I've had in a long time. It was Tazo's Wild Sweet Orange, and I am now obsessed. Other than that, I'm mostly enjoying jars of iced water and iced raspberry leaf tea. They're basically my summertime staples.
a few of my favorite things
♥ getting a new mug with yellow daisies on the outside, forest green on the handle and mustard yellow on the inside. It just says "deep summer" to me. And it reminds me of Lorelai Gilmore and her "thousand yellow daisies".
♥ listening to old One Direction songs. It's a total vibe that I really can't put into words.
♥ Susan Branch's Distilled Genius, a collection of quotes book. It is like dream commonplace book.
♥ I don't watch many different YouTubers. I have a small handful of channels that I love though, and I've been enjoying watching some of my old favorites from them.
wordy goodness
There is power in whimsy. Whimsy is enthusiasm that refuses to defend itself with practicality. It is finding meaning in pure enjoyment. It is the practice of honoring delight for delight's sake. When being awake feels gray and stale, try adding more whimsy to your life.
(Seen on Pinterest)
This quote really spoke to me. Incredibly, deeply, profoundly spoke to me. It's something I've been feeling quite strongly about for awhile now and am becoming more and more passionate about. And it's something I've been purposefully incorporating more and more into my life. I just thought these words were so beautiful.
creative joys
I've been painting quite a lot lately. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing and just do it totally for fun and relaxation. Sometimes I have an idea in my head, sometimes I am inspired by something I see, and other times I like to look up simple designs online and go from there. You may have seen a few of my paintings in my vlog a few weeks ago. I've also been working on my crafty journal a lot. I received a good collection of stickers for my birthday to use in my journal, so I'm looking forward to using them very soon. I don't like having any expectations or pressure when I craft. I am very conscious of not putting any pressure of perfection on myself, because it honestly takes away any positive benefit for me. I love just doing whatever my mood guides me to do. And it's the best. I don't know if you'd be interested in seeing some of my journal pages...I've thought of doing a vlog showing them. Let me know.
Do let me know what's been going on in your corner of the world, dear reader friends!