the letter tucked in a susan branch book . . .

 The one thing I knew I wanted for my birthday last month was to add to my growing Susan Branch book collection. My mom and sister got me a handful of her older books as well as a preorder for her upcoming winter book, which I am excitedly awaiting. When I was looking through each of the books, I came across a letter tucked inside the back of Vineyard Seasons, a letter from a father to his daughter in June 1999. This is one of the *many* reasons why I tend towards used books...sometimes you find the sweetest notes tucked inside the back flaps or even written on the inside cover. Here’s what the note said:

Dear Kristen,
How are you? I am fine. I’m tired of editing sports. Amelia is in the other room figuring pricing- and she is meeting with her girlfriend Anne and husband to walk at 4:00 pm. I think I’ll go home then too.
I had breakfast with Bill on Monday. He and Ash just got back from Costa Rica. He sounded good. I guess Monday was yesterday.
I made stewed sprouts and also I cooked cabbage and kielbasa. I have 2 jars of it. It will last all week.
This is a neat book. The lady Sue Branch is like you. I met her once. She is one of Amelia’s good friends. She lives on Martha’s Vineyard.
Anyway I thought you would like it.
Love,
Dad
P.S. I hope I’m sending it to the proper address. This is an old used book. I hope customs understands. Pop.

Little notes like this, evidence of someone’s ordinary, everyday life, tucked into a book, found 27 years later, somehow make the world seem smaller and remind me that everyone out there is just living their own little life. Reminders of the beauty tucked into ordinary days and the sweetness in small, little things. I don’t know if I’m the only one who finds things like this heartwarming, but maybe it made you smile a bit today.

a daybook for august

Little glimpses into the past few weeks . . .

{{ feeling that patriotic vibe all summer long with this handmade T-shirt. my sister saw similar ideas online and I took what she showed me and made our own version or the fourth of July. I was so pleased with how they turned out. }}

{{ confetti from our poppers on the fourth of July...we don't do fireworks at home; instead, we head to town for their fireworks show and do little poppers at home. and yes, we swept up our mess afterwards...my sister made sure every single little piece was picked up so no little critter gets ahold of one. }}

{{ a july sunset on the way home from a day trip to the hills }}

{{ homemade blueberry muffins...the perfect late night baking session }}

{{ a good-night mug of nourishing hot cacao with whipped cream whilst watching Vera...I've started adding some cardamom to my hot cacao, and oh my goodness, is it divine! }}

{{ deep summertime green...one of my favorite colors }}

{{ we absolutely enjoyed a couple days where the high temp was 78-80 F...if summer felt like this during the day all the time, I do believe I could love it }}

{{ so thankful to live in a quaint cottage nestled in the trees...I feel like I live in a treehouse ♥ }}

{{ another night...another mug of hot choco }}

{{ pattern mixing is one of my favorite things...and so is pairing up favorite pieces with old pieces to make them feel new again }}

outside my window

Absolutely gorgeous summertime green...which I will not stop talking about because it's seriously one of the only things I actually like about this time of year. We've had lots of rain this spring and summer, which gives me all the happy feels, and I think the trees love it, too. We've had to water more lately as it's been so incredibly hot and things are starting to not look so good...our basil is looking rather poorly. The crepe myrtles are stunning this time of year, though. All the different colors are gorgeous around town!

i am thinking

Of what I want to cook for dinner over the next few days; how to use up leftovers so they don't go to waste; of some crafty project ideas with my sister; of what book(s) I want to read after I finish the one I'm working on; what fun autumnal things I want to do this year

i am thankful for

rainy days; sunset drives in the countryside; admiring the lush vibrant green; being inspired by creative folks; *really* good books; candlelight and mugs of hot cacao; simple, ordinary days that are my favorite kind of day

from the kitchen

Last week, I made lemon butter salmon for dinner, and it was my first time eating it. I'd made it before for my mom and sister, but I'm so not a fish person. To my complete surprise, I actually loved it...this felt like a major accomplishment to me. Ha! It was my sister's birthday on Wednesday, and she requested homemade peanut butter ripple ice cream with dark chocolate chunks and a caramel fudge chocolate cake...not only was it so fun making them, along with her birthday dinner, but they were so delicious! 

i am creating

In the last week, I have crocheted so many granny squares, I've run out of yarn...I'm hoping it is on sale this week. I am officially obsessed with granny squares. And I'm officially over halfway through making all the squares I need for my first afghan. My sister and I have also done some decoupaging recently; we have a bit to do to finish our project, but it's been so fun.

i am wearing

On this hot August day, I'm wearing one of my favorite sundresses...brown and white gingham dress with a floral crop blouse with lace details over. You can see it in the photo above. {{smiles}}

in my cup

Just plain ol' iced water for me this evening. I'm someone who genuinely loves drinking water, and on hot days, it just hits the spot.

i am reading

I've been thankful to read a couple really good stories these past few weeks. First, I read The Penderwicks at Point Mouette, which is the third book in the series. I absolutely loved it; and seeing as how it was set at the beach, it was the perfect summertime read. I love the Penderwick family so much, and I really enjoyed getting to know Aunt Claire in this book. She is such a sweet, caring, understanding aunt. At the time of writing this post, I'm in the last 100 pages of Anne of Avonlea, which is just so darn good. It's my first time reading beyond the first Anne book, and it is exactly what I hoped and dreamed it would be...and more. L.M. Montgomery is quickly becoming a real favorite of mine. I love her storytelling style; she has a true knack for immersing her reader in the story and makes it feel as though Anne, Diana, Marilla, Rachel, and Gilbert are your own little circle of friends...and how I wish they were. It's a good thing to read a book you just really, really love, but it's also a bad thing because you hope your next read is just as good, and when it's not, it can put you in a real reading slump. At least that's what I've noticed about me.

i am listening to

Aside from listening to some of my favorite film scores while cooking dinner in the evenings, which I highly recommend, by the way, my top 5 songs this past month are:

Chasing Rainbows (The High Kings); Up on the Roof (James Taylor); Through the Dark (One Direction); Sunrise (Norah Jones); On the Sunny Side of the Street (Steve Tyrell; from Father of the Bride)

i am watching

Seeing as how I've been crocheting nearly every evening, it's given me a chance to try out a few Hallmark movies, and I've got a few new favorites to add to my list. 

A Harvest Wedding- I loved this one so much. Jill Wagner is one of my favorites, so this was a must-try for me. The autumnal scenery was stunning and I loved the farm setting. The whole story was really sweet, and I also greatly appreciated how the usual tension and miscommunication and misunderstanding part of a Hallmark movie wasn't really present in this one. For me, this one belongs on my "favorites" list.

The Way to You- This is another one to go on my "favorites" list. I seriously loved this movie. I loved the wintry New York City setting, and the main characters were both likable, which is always a plus. I loved how the male lead who lived a more mainstream lifestyle really respected the female lead's unconventional, creative lifestyle, instead of condemning it or making subtle jokes about her choices. That was refreshing.

Hearts of Winter- Another Jill Wagner movie. While I wouldn't consider this one a favorite, I still really enjoyed it. I especially loved the father-daughter relationship that was portrayed in the movie; it was really sweet and heartwarming. I loved that the father's character was so devoted to his daughter and he really tried his best to be the best dad he could be for her. I found that particularly touching.

i am hoping

that the rest of summer isn't too hot; to continue working on my granny squares; that the next book(s) I pick up to read are just as amazing as the last few I've read

i am hearing

cats playing and goofing off; the air conditioner just clicked off; TV on in the background; the hum of my computer; and music playing in my headphones

around the house

lots of little tidying and cleaning projects...it's amazing how spending 15-30 minutes working on an area makes a HUGE difference.

one of my favorite things

My newest favorite thing is my brand spanking new crochet hook with a grip...it makes my crafting time so much more enjoyable and easier on my hands.

word collecting

I think magic is remembering. Remembering what it feels like to talk to the wind as a child, to trust the pull of the moon, to believe the world was alive with something unseen. Maybe growing up isn't about forgetting. Maybe it's about learning to listen again.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thanks for joining me here today...

I hope your upcoming week is a beautiful one!

a hodgepodge of ordinary joys

hodgepodge - 

a collection of things; jumble

If there was ever a word to describe my taste in things, whether it be music, what I watch or read, what I enjoy eating, what my hobbies and interests are, it would definitely be hodgepodge. The world, both online and in real life, likes to lump people together in boxes and place labels on everyone and everything. Everything must be so set and categorized. Lots of people give themselves to one thing in life...for example, reading; that's all they do for enjoyment. I'm just not a set or one and done in the area of interests and in-the-box sort of person. I'm a hodgepodgey sort of gal, and I'm not ashamed of it. I don't follow one aesthetic or style or way of doing anything in my life...I like to gather what I've learned or what I like about something and make it my own in some way. I don't want to live in a way that looks exactly like others. I don't want my home to look like someone else's. I have many interests and enjoy variety of hobbies. I believe in being a wildflower sort of person...embracing my uniqueness and thinking for my own self and in letting my interests and hobbies be wild and free to bloom as they will.

 And today's post is a hodgepodge of the ordinary joys that make me who I am. In a world where everyone and their cousin loves to gripe on and on about what they don't like, I find it's much more beneficial and lifegiving to celebrate the things I love. And these are just a few of them...

~ Reading ~

It’s no secret that reading is one of my dearest loves. Novel and lifegiving memoirs are my two favorite sorts of books to read...domestic fiction, cozy mysteries, middle grade family stories and mysteries, small town stories with a cast of characters, stories with magical elements, stories that put a heavy emphasis on the things I hold dear and believe to be of utmost importance, such as family, home, simple living, old-fashioned values, etc. And for me, it’s got to be physical books. I'm old-fashioned when it comes to things like that. {{winks}}

~ Crocheting ~

Shortly before Christmastime, I taught myself how to crochet granny squares. I'm currently working on my first afghan, which I believe will call for 140 granny squares, if my measurements are correct. I've got about 40 done so far, and I enjoy making a few here and there in the evenings. I've chosen four colors: lilac, sage, mustard, and blush. To me these say "autumn" and "spring", which are my two favorite color schemes, and I'm very pleased with how they're turning out so far.

~ Walks in the neighborhood ~

I'm a walker. It's my preferred choice for exercise and movement, and it's also good for my mental health. Our neighborhood is a lovely place to take daily walks, as it is quiet and has sidewalks. And as a major plus, we've got tons of nature, so my walks are full of lots of trees, birdsong, butterflies and bees flying about, squirrels in the grass, and lots of green. 

~ Learning to quilt ~

Another creative endeavor I've begun this year is working on my very first quilt. I've been so inspired and learned a ton from YouTube over the last 18 months. I've chosen the St. Louis 16 Patch for my first quilt, as I've learned it's an easy quilt block for beginners. I'm going for an autumnal and spring color theme with lots of florals and I'm happily embracing a very scrappy, imperfect, but fun approach to quilting. 

~ Decorating with collected treasures ~

Hometending is very dear to me. I love making our home into a cozy haven that we just love to be. Home is our favorite place, so it might as well be as cozy, comforting, and enjoyable as we can make it. I love thrifting for home decorations and little treasures to add to our shelves, cupboards, walls, coffee table, etc. There's something to warm and homey about a collected home, as opposed to a home that is so mainstream with pieces that are mass-produced at stores like Hobby Lobby. I find the quality to be better, the prices to be much more affordable, and the styles much more suited to our taste. And it's fun getting to go on what feels like a grown-up treasure hunt at the thrift store!

~ Collecting teacups and mugs ~

My teacup and mug collection began in the winter of 2015, and it has grown so much since then. I was obsessed with teacups for a long time there, but now I'm more of a mug girl. Teacups are a bit daintier and fancy than I tend to care for...mugs, for me, are more down-to-earth, homey, cozy, comforting, and feel good in my hands when they're full of a warming drink. I tend to go for seasonal designs most of the time, but I do love more general styles, too, which for me includes lots of florals and nature designs.

~ Perusing my collection of old cookbooks ~

I've been collecting cookbooks since I was 8 years old. As a young girl, I spent my TV time watching the Food Network when everyone else my age watched Cartoon Network. (Not that there's anything wrong with that! It just wasn't me.) My collection is huge, I admit. But I find great pleasure in simply taking a few down from the shelf at a time and flipping through them. Most of my collection is quite dated, from several of my favorite publications that my mom collected as I grew up. It's also fun picking new recipes to try...and just to get inspiration from as well.

~ Collecting books ~

I will also admit here that I have a quite large book collection. Nearly all of my books are used, as that is what I personally prefer. And probably three-fourths of them I got for less than a few dollars each. Our community library, as well as the big city library each have massive book sales each April. You can fill a box for $12, and do you know how many books you can fit in a big box?!?! {{smiles}} I also frequent little free libraries around where I live every few months. And, of course, I do shop at local used bookstores and Abe Books online. I really, really prefer used books so much over new ones...I love how they already feel broken in and well-loved. It's like a perfectly worn in pair of jeans. I also do not like for my books to remain in perfect condition. That honestly annoys me...a perfect looking book or book collection. I like a hodgepodge, mixy/matchy, obviously well-loved book collection. I like for my books to look read and used and enjoyed. So, yes, my book spines are broken, and pages are creased and sometimes the corners are folded over or pages written on. And I think my shelves show that quite well.

~ Watching favorite shows ~

I'm of the belief that watching TV shows and movies that one finds comforting to be one of the best hobbies out there. My favorite shows include police/crime dramas and cozy mysteries, Gilmore Girls, The Middle, Home Improvement, and I just began watching Friends for the first time. It's especially wonderful when you pair a favorite show or movie with a board game or crafty project or even while you clean. That's one of the coziest things to me! 

~ Holistic wellness & Natural living ~

I've been a student of holistic and natural wellness since my late teens. It's a topic that I could talk about for ages...and then some. I enjoy studying herbalism, ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, somatic healing, holistic nutrition, homeopathy, yoga, aromatherapy, etc. For me, these things are not only beneficial and informative to learn about, but also very inspiring and lifegiving and hopeful.

 ~ Coziness. Comfort. H O M E. ~

Home is the nicest word there is, as Laura Ingalls said. And I heartily agree. There's no place like home, says Dorthy Gale. How I echo those words. Home is truly my most favorite place to be. I seriously do not understand people who do not like being at home or who can't be at home for any length of time. For me, home is where it is at. I have many thoughts, beliefs, convictions, values, and deeply rooted feelings about home. I believe home to be the most important place on earth. Simply put.

~ Watching favorite movies ~

Just as with TV shows, movie watching, particularly rewatching is among my favorite hobbies. I know some people can't stand rewatching the same things over and over again, but I love it. {{smiles}} A few of my top favorites are: Julie and Julia, Under the Tuscan Sun, Little Women (1994), Miss Potter, Letters to Juliet, and many of the Hallmark Mystery series.

~ Commonplacing ~

I've been keeping a commonplace book since 2015. I know they've gotten rather trendy and popular thanks to some "influencers", but some of us kept these types of journals way before then. It's my favorite way to keep my favorite quotes together, and a fun way to look back on what speaks to you at different times in your life. I like keeping mine very casual and not fancy at all, using simple composition notebooks instead of designer journals...very unlike the ones popularized by certain "influencers".

~ Journaling ~

I don't know what some would call the kind of journaling I like to do...but for me, it's simply creative journaling or scrappy journaling. I love stickers, washi tape, scraps of paper I collect from random things, etc. It's a way to have fun and be creative without thinking too much. I find it very peaceful.

~ Storybooks ~

So, yes, I collect storybooks. I believe storybooks are for every age group, and I honestly find so much inspiration in the illustrations as well as the stories themselves. My collection is completely used and well loved, and thoroughly enjoyed, too. I love reading them now, and hope to share them with my future children one day. The one in the picture above is from our family collection from my sister's and my childhood. It was, and still is, a true favorite of ours!

~ Cooking ~

Cooking has been a love of mine since I was very young helping my mom by pulling up a chair to stand on. Nowadays, I love not following recipes, not measuring anything, and just having a sort of free-for-all when I cook. It's the most fun! Especially when I play a CD in the kitchen, too!

~ Nightly teatime ~

One thing I'm trying to incorporate into my daily rhythms is a nightly teatime. I've done this on and off through the years, and I'm trying to get back into the habit of it. We have a wide variety of teas to choose from, and of course, tea must be enjoyed out of a pretty mug, in my opinion. ♥

There is a large measure of joy in ordinary moments.

~ Susan Gale Wicks ~

What are some of your ordinary joys? Do share with me in the comments!

 Do we have any in common? Let me know below!

some crochet & scrappy fun

Well, it seems as though spring is springing around my corner of the world. Just in the last handful of days, I've noticed several types of trees blooming already...even though it seems quite early to me. The sunsets have taken on their warmer weather look, at least to me. And the temps are certainly leaning towards a warm (and early) spring. Even though we still have 20 days left of winter, I find myself leaning into a spring direction...it's hard not to when nature is showing signs of buds, blooms, and birds singing in the morn. Before winter officially makes an exit until later this year, I wanted to share two of my most recent crafty projects that I got up to this winter.

Right before Christmas, I taught myself how to crochet a traditional Granny Square. I found myself catching on quite fast, as I had practiced different crochet techniques earlier in the autumn, which helped me a ton. I have since become Granny Square obsessed! I absolutely love the look of the traditional square and especially mixing different colors in for each round. I am working on a bigger project of a blanket, and right now I'm about one-fifth of the way done with the first part. However, when our winter storm came in late January, I was inspired to make a Granny Square headband using some random yarn I had in my stash from previous knitting projects. I chose a lovely lilac, blush rose, and a happy daffodil yellow. This was a quick project and an incredibly easy one...but let me tell you, I used that headband so many times during our cold spell. I have a collection of winter beanie-type hats, which I love wearing when my hair is down, but if I'm wearing my hair up, I prefer a hand band. I knitted myself one a few years back, and this crochet one really sparked joy for me. 

Another snowbound evening, I found myself rummaging through my stash of fabric scraps. There is quite a lot of fabric that I've had for years, and for one reason or another, much of it just isn't my taste anymore...but no need to waste it. I pulled out a bunch of bits of this and that if I loved the colors, and cut many, many, many strips. I found a wreath frame in my craft cupboard that I've also had for a long time...and so one frigid evening, with a good movie on in the warmth of my cozy living room, I set out attaching all those many fabric strips to the wreath frame. And the result was a very colorful, very scrappy rag wreath. It brings me so much joy every time I look at it.

Those two projects were the perfect one-night crafts for a couple cozy evenings. They were fun and relaxing and enjoyable in every way, cost me zero dollars as I already had the supplies in my stash (and they'd been sitting there for some time already), and I'm still enjoying them. Though the head band is probably tucked away until next winter, unless we get another cold spell. Which I would not be sad about. {{smiles}}

What have you created lately? What are your favorite sorts of creative projects? I've learned over the last while that I always gravitate towards craft projects involving yarn or fabric or embroidery floss or felt...and then my scrappy journaling, too, with lots of stickers and washi tape...what about you?

december 15: hot chocolate coziness

The Christmas season and the coziest time of year wouldn't be what they are without mugs of hot chocolate...and homemade marshmallows. This weekend, our temps dipped into the teens, which gave me absolute joy. And it was the perfect excuse to whip up a batch of our favorite homemade {pink} marshmallows, which we cut into mini Christmas trees, thanks to an old cookie cutter in our collection. And we curled up on the couch, put on a Christmas movie, and enjoyed hot chocolate in our new Christmas mugs. It was pure bliss! Our Christmas tree was lit and our (electric) wood burning stove was keeping us warm and toasty. Talk about the definition of festive coziness and comforts!

Snoopy was right..."nothing better than hot chocolate to get you through a cold day."

december 13: magical sunset

december 13

This photo is from Thursday evening...I stepped outside to get ready to hop in the car to run some errands, and everything was glowing in the most magnificent pink. It was like something out of a fairytale...and for certain, the most gorgeous sunset I'd seen in quite awhile. A beautiful reminder that magic is everywhere, if you look for it and pay attention. Nature sure is a wonder.

december 7: sunday feasting

sunday feasting.

tonight i made this delicious baked ziti from the beautiful book. glad and golden hours. i served it alongside roasted asparagus, and it was the most perfect, comforting meal for a chilly december sunday evening. and it was the perfect fuel for taking down the autumn decorations in our home in preparation for decking the halls this week.

what did you have for dinner tonight?

a daybook for summer's end

{{this has got to be the world's tiniest mushroom...my sister found it one evening in a flowerpot in our garden. isn't it cute?}}

noticing nature || the signs of summer's impending end are everywhere. the crepe myrtles have been blooming for a while now, and they're slowly losing their colorful confetti blossoms. trees are still green, but they've lost their lushness and vivid brightness. it's settled into a weakened shade of green, as though the trees are weary of the summer heat and sunshine. everyone's grass is showing little golden wheat-colored patches. and every few days, we'll spot a flock of geese flying in their uniquely amazing "v" form, which is a sure sign that summer is drawing to a close. we've had our first little taster of autumn this week, too, which has been nothing short of utterly delightful. cooler temps and that distinct scent in the air and in the gentle breeze blowing that clearly but gently says that autumn is indeed on the way. {{i can't wait!}}

on my playlist || the princess diaries film score (not the soundtrack) has been a favorite lately, and well, it's just so darn good. and nostalgic. and magical. and whimsical. and perfect. 

bookish ramblings || in all honesty, i barely read anything this summer. it was a hard summer, and i just didn't have the mental energy or capacity to read. however, i did read *one* amazing book in july, and it became one of my two favorite books in the romance genre. "the magic of sea glass" by jenny hale was absolutely, hands down, sheer perfection. i've read several of her other books before, and while i enjoyed them, none of them even stand close to this one. i loved every single thing about the story, the characters, the setting, the summer vibes, just every bit of it. i'm hoping the autumn allows me to return to my stack of books.

currently watching || hallmark movies are always a hit or miss for me. it seems that whenever i watch one, i either hate it completely or love it immensely. and, thankfully, i came across (quite randomly) "all of my heart" recently, and it was everything i want and love in a movie. it was set at a gorgeous bed and breakfast in bucks county, pennsylvania, and i'm still swooning over that house. ha! i just really enjoyed that movie, and there are two more in this trilogy...i have watched the second one and enjoyed it as well, and i've still got the third one to go. 

a grateful heart || for the anticipation of autumn's arrival; iced tea; comfort books; hallmark mystery movies; country drives on summer evenings; the chorus of crickets and cicadas; the first red leaves in our yard; cooler august days...and nights; full moons that look ever so enchanting; the giddiness of news that a favorite author is going to be releasing the next book in a trilogy that i love very soon; our basil plant flourishing all summer long; my mom and sister and doing life with them; our fur babies and the smiles and laughter they bring us; freshly baked cookies that smell like october; surprise rain showers

from my kitchen || we've been experimenting with more gluten free recipes lately and have found a favorite pie crust recipe that has taken our beloved pot pie recipe over the top. i also stumbled upon a few variations of recipes for what i call "iced creamy tea", and it is absolutely divine...so perfect for these late summer days.

what i'm wearing || well, at the time of writing this post, i'm in my pjs...haha! a super soft tank top and cotton shorts. 

home & hearth || autumn cleaning is in full swing, which leads to autumn decorating, which ends up with coziness in abundance. and a very happy me.

a few of my favorite things || my current obsession is this: a slice or two of sourdough bread toasted (i buy mine at aldi because for the life of me, i cannot get a sourdough starter to work in our home. and i've tried several times.) drizzle some olive oil on the toasted bread, mash up an avocado on the slices, lay several slices of tomato on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. finally, drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette...i have a recipe that i came across and tweaked to our preferences this summer and it is blissfully scrumptious. i cannot get enough of this recipe. and it's good without the avocado it you don't have any or they aren't ripe enough yet. it's basically a bruschetta avocado toast that tastes like everything is right in the world. i'm trying not to burn myself out of this toast because i've eaten it so much this summer. ;)

quodophile || "i have come to think that care of the soul requires a high degree of resistance to the culture around us, simply because that culture is dedicated to values that have no concern for the soul." (thomas merton)

creative reveries || absolutely nothing at the moment, though i do have several projects i hope to get to over the coming months. autumn and winter inspire me like no other times of year. in just about every way imaginable.

in my cup || the iced creamy tea that i mentioned above. i've seriously made it 3 times in the last week using different herbal tea flavors. so far, my favorite is hibiscus with orange coming in a close second.

joyful anticipations || autumn. everything about it. enough said. ♥

what's inspiring me || i've realized in the last few weeks that menu planning doesn't work for me. it takes away the fun of cooking for me and part of what i love about cooking is coming up with what i want to make kind of on the spot. menu planning makes something serious and rigid out of something that has always felt fun for me...but hasn't for a long time. it's been fun winging it each night, using what we have in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. and, in all honesty, we all love this method more. it's way less stress and pressure, and it allows us to not only eat what we're in the mood for, but also to use what we have and not end up buying special ingredients at the store. i've also loved using my cookbooks more lately; something i haven't done for a very, very long time. and we've discovered a few new favorites, too. happy, happy!

how are your late summer days going, dear readers? do let me know what's bringing you delight in the comments below...♥

some delightful things & hints of springtime

♥ reading some really great books...especially out in the fresh air and sunshine

One of the ways I've been nurturing myself is by reading really good books. I've been fortunate that all the books I've been picking up lately have all been so enjoyable. My March has been spent mostly reading middle grade stories as well as beginning a brick of a book, coming in at 977 pages. I've decided that instead of being overwhelmed by the length of the book and having it sit on my shelf forever, I would just read a few pages here and there and make bits of progress on it each day. I've especially been enjoying sitting outside in the shady goodness of our trees and reading some of my book. And another *huge* way I've been nurturing myself this month is by reading some lovely picture books. I'll be sharing more about my newfound favorites soon!

♥ the tiny buds poking through on our red bud tree and seeing daffodils beginning to bloom in our yard

I peeked out my window one afternoon, and there they were. Tiny violet-colored buds just beginning to poke through the tree branches. It's a yearly tradition for me to take my camera outside and have some picture-taking-fun once its fully in bloom, which shouldn't be too long now. We've also spotted tiny buttery daffodils in our yard as well as some random grape hyacinths. I'm also eagerly anticipating the periwinkle that grows in our ivy patches. 

♥ the gentle return of sandal-wearing season

We're having more days that call for sandal wearing, and that makes me so happy. There's nothing quite like a pair of six-year-old sandals that are so worn-in in all the right places that makes them feel like slippers. I am one person who wears my shoes out until they literally fall off my feet...I love that comfortable, worn in, familiar feel.

♥ making book lists

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been finding tremendous delight in making book lists. For so long, I had a tendency to see a book that sounded interesting to me and I'd either write down the title in a random notebook or on a scrap of paper or even take a screenshot of the cover with my phone. Then the titles would get lost in my phone photo album or in random notebooks and whatnot. Last spring, I made a little journal from a spiral notebook I got from Dollar Tree. In it I wrote out lists of all the books written by authors that I've either enjoyed or want to try out sometime. I then went through and added a little dot next to each title I owned, in order to make sure I didn't purchase it twice. And I went through a second time highlighting all the titles I've already read. This has been hugely helpful in organizing my many book lists.

A couple weeks ago, as I was watching a bookish video on YouTube, and was writing down a few titles that were recommended, it occurred to me that it would be awfully handy to have book lists of recommendations from bookish YouTubers that I enjoy watching. I only watch a couple channels regularly, with a few more as random watches here and there. I have been so enjoying spending some time in my evenings going through a few YouTube channels' backlog of videos and making some lovely book lists. I've already reserved a handful (or two!) of titles from my library from these recommendations. My lists include some wonderful recommendations from Amy of Hearth Ridge, Miranda Mills' List of Ultimate Comfort Reads (even though I really don't watch her channel anymore), and Kate Howe's 100 Life-Softening Books. So, needless to say, I've got a long list of recommendations to refer to, and best of all, they're all in one place and in some order, too.

♥ natural sunlight coming through the windows

I don't care what the weather is, I just love having natural light come through my windows. Open the curtains and let nature show her beauty, I say! But, I'll admit that the evening golden sunlight streaming in through the kitchen windows whilst I'm cooking dinner or washing dishes has been awfully wonderful. It just feeds my soul! It's not too bright and certainly not hot yet, but the golden hues are so lifegiving. It also doesn't hurt that I've been playing my favorite film scores nonstop in the kitchen, so it creates a mood and vibe that is perfection.

a collection of irish favorites for st. paddy's day ☘️🌈☘️

A beautiful morning to you, lovely readers! As St. Paddy's Day is on Monday, it has become a yearly tradition of sorts for me to share a post of Irish goodness. As you may probably well know, Ireland is a favorite place of mine, and one that holds many special memories for me as well. There is a very special place in my heart for the Emerald Isle, for so many reasons. Today I have decided to share a collection of Irish favorites. I hope you'll join me for this little celebration and maybe after you've read this post, you'll put on some Irish music and let it whisk you away to the land of green hills, ribbon roads, and the wild Atlantic coast.

{{Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, July 2016}}

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five favorite irish albums to listen to . . . 

While it was a challenge for me to pick *just* five albums from my favorite Irish singers to recommend, I did it! Here they are...

The High Kings ♥ The Road Not Taken

Celtic Thunder ♥ Odyssey

Orla Fallon ♥ My Land

Cuig ♥ New Landscapes

Emmet Cahill ♥ Ireland

{{somewhere in County Galway, February 2017}}

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irish favorites to watch . . .

Leap Year ♥ Although this isn't a Leap Year, I absolutely recommend this movie for St. Paddy's Day, as well. It is one of my very favorites. This is a movie that is funny and heartwarming all at the same time, and it truly showcases the gorgeous countryside scenery of Ireland. 

The Carter Couch Podcast ♥ I am not a podcast listener...at all. I seriously detest podcasts, but somehow last September I fell down the most random rabbit hole on YouTube and ended up watching the first episode of this podcast the day after it released. My sister and I quickly became obsessed and never missed an episode...now we're anxiously awaiting the second season's release. This podcast features Irish country singer, Nathan Carter. I admit I've only listened to one of his songs with The High Kings before as his music isn't really my taste. But this podcast is so hilarious! I literally have tears streaming down my face when I watch these episodes from laughing so hard. And yes, I do prefer watching on YouTube instead of just listening. I think you would really miss out on some of the antics and funny moments if you just listened. Highly recommend for a good time!

Celtic Thunder ♥ My family and I have loved watching Celtic Thunder concerts on DVD for over a decade. We've even seen them live in concert four times...so far. My personal favorites to watch are Mythology; X; Odyssey; Live and Unplugged. This is a sure way to have a fun evening as a family!

{{Dingle, County Kerry, June 2016}}

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my five favorite irish songs . . .

Okay, so this was nearly impossible...I seriously have dozens of Irish songs that I love so much, but I chose my top five favorites at this very moment. Note: tomorrow I could be loving five others...but, seriously, I love them all so much. I am linking to videos of versions of these songs that are really exceptional. I hope you take some time to give them a watch or listen.

Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?

Chasing Rainbows

Rare Auld Times

The Mountains of Mourne

The Fields of Athenry

{{County Wicklow, June 2016}}

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my five favorite things about ireland . . .

♥ the winding ribbon roads, though they be very, very narrow

♥ the green patchwork grass and seeing it both from the air as you begin your descent into Dublin airport as well as driving on the hilly/mountain roads and looking down and out and that's absolutely all you see

♥ Connemara's secluded quietness and the feeling of being somewhere absolutely no one knows exists, except the fairies, of course

♥ County Wicklow's rolling hills...the absolute first place I was able to breathe in and see Ireland with all my senses. One of my most favorite places.

♥ the scent of turf fires lingering in the air and gentle rain surrounding you as you wander the paths through the countryside and the misty fog hanging in the air so low you think you can touch it

{{Powerscourt Waterfall, County Wicklow, June 2016}}

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irish blessings for you . . .

May green be the grass you walk on,

may blue be the skies above you,

may pure be the joys that surround you,

may true be the hearts that love you.

&

May every sunrise hold more promise,

 and every sunset hold more peace.

Wishing you a beautiful St. Patrick's Day, friends!