Reading stack todayโ€ฆ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š{Day 16}

If you could chuck your to-do list out the window today, what would you do? ๐Ÿ˜…๐Ÿ˜‚ Iโ€™d find a lovely spot by water, under a tree, or in my cute local coffee shop, grab a latte , and read. I know, surprise, surprise. โ˜บ๏ธ๐Ÿ˜‰

Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s on my stack that Iโ€™m currently interested in or really enjoying!

Cheesy, bordering on super silly continuing cozy mystery series that pokes fun of the Regency literature era tropes ๐Ÿ˜‚
I โ™ฅ๏ธ my Kindle! Amish in April selection (Booktube Readathon), a couple of fantasy novels, a mystery, writing nonfiction, and continuing 14 yo spy thriller series!
Middle Grade Historical Fiction! Canโ€™t wait to try this! I adore anything with lighthouses!
Oh my word. Iโ€™m absolutely adoring this book. Montgomeryโ€™s writing and characters make my heart sing. ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿฅนโ™ฅ๏ธ

I love keeping houseโ€ฆitโ€™s really a lovely phrase, isnโ€™t it? Keeping itโ€ฆholding it fast against the worldโ€ฆagainst all the forces trying to tear it open.

Mistress Pat โ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒฟ

Itโ€™s ok to be always beginningโ€ฆ {Day 1}

My daughter and I admiring the rays we just got to pet! ๐Ÿ˜โ™ฅ๏ธ

Hello Friends! New fresh month, no mistakes in it yet! Iโ€™m hopping on to share that Iโ€™m going to attempt to do a bit of a 100 Day Project here! Iโ€™m excited to have a little something to challenge myself with and a place to dump all the beautiful ideas Iโ€™m gleaning. I have no format for what I will be sharing, it may be little more than a brain dump some days๐Ÿคช๐Ÿ˜…, lists, a photo, a quote, and so on. My hope is that it will encourage and inspire you. What am I doing with the little Iโ€™ve been given? That is the question Iโ€™m asking myself currently. โ˜บ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒฟ

Soooo, what prompted this plan? A couple things! My oldest child, my daughter, is engaged to be married later this year! ๐Ÿ˜ณ๐Ÿ˜ญ๐Ÿ˜โ™ฅ๏ธNothing like a family wedding to celebrate and work towards in multiple areas. Secondly, my sister kindly gifted me this book and we are going through it together:

Iโ€™m already a pretty established journal-er, but wanted to step it up a notch! By journaling HERE, my poor dark, quiet blog friend, ๐Ÿคฃ and using it as a catalyst for little writing creative projects. I see these as offerings of worship. ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ

My goals and poetry writing notebook. Yes, weird combination, but itโ€™s working currently. ๐Ÿ˜…๐Ÿ’œ I found some fun graphics on Pinterest to color in as I go!

I also love my little to do/gratitude daily journal so will be keeping up with that! Another strange combo that works well for me!

My absolute favorite journaling is my reading journal and I have two buddy reads beginning this month! ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ’œ

My reading journal spread where I will paste my April read book covers and short review! ๐Ÿ’š๐ŸŒฟ
New this year has been favorite reads by month! ๐Ÿ“š
Buddy Read #1 ๐Ÿ“šโ™ฅ๏ธ
Buddy Read #2 ๐Ÿ“šโ™ฅ๏ธ

I will be using the prompts in The Book of Alchemy and also continuing The Body Revelation questions, both with my sister. โ˜บ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธThose are most likely private prayers/entries etc that go into my spiritual journal.

How โ€˜bout you? How do you โ€˜begin againโ€™? How do you breathe life into creative or life projects? Having some sort of paper/stickers/glue and pens always motivates me! ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ˜‚โ™ฅ๏ธ Iโ€™ll leave you with a quote that I saw that has me thinking deeply!

โ€œโ€ฆthey fear love because it creates a world they canโ€™t control.โ€

โ€ขGeorge Orwellโ€ข

๐Ÿ˜ฌ๐Ÿ˜ณโ˜ ๏ธ๐Ÿ˜โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿ’œ Chew on that, my friends! Bless you all!

๐Ÿ๐ŸƒOde to September๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿ‚ whole person work check-in, book chat, and more

There is just something about September๐ŸŒพ๐Ÿ‚๐Ÿ that has gotten under my skin and deep down into my soul. The golden tinge, the lazy, drift-y woodsmoke through the warm sunโ€™s slant, the cool, autumn-touched mornings, and the swirl of leaves ๐Ÿ‚ behind my van as I go a toolinโ€™ down the road. Sigh. I declare September as my โ€˜new yearโ€™, the sitting among fluttering Queen Anneโ€™s Lace with the Chicory and Golden Rod as my only resolution. Oh, glorious September, donโ€™t go with your woody smell of freshly sharpened pencils, favorite cardigans pulled out, and bold Zinnias flaring out of gardens. The cicadas screaming buzz, green speckled grasshoppers, and that deep, dark secretive cricket singing from behind the refrigerator. There is an end of summertime, early autumn ๐Ÿ‚ rustle and crunch to everything, cornstalks, leaves, and a rattle and roll to the landscape. It is SO unbelievably beautiful and Iโ€™m thankful for new seasons and new, fresh beginnings.

Never put the key to your Happiness in somebody elseโ€™s pocket.

Tom Ziegler

{Previous Whole Person Work Posts}

Spiritual:

Iโ€™m really trying to get into focused prayer and devotions. I have a well established devotional time, but it has been very distracted and disjointed. Iโ€™m loving the second half of Ezekiel! Itโ€™s an intense book, but oh, thereโ€™s some richness and encouragement, too.

Again He said to me, โ€œProphesy to these bones, and say to them, โ€˜O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the LORD GOD to these bones: โ€œ Surely I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live.

Ezekiel 37:4-5, NKJV
I bought this charming pumpkin, her name is Hazel. ๐Ÿ˜…โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿ•ธ๏ธ๐Ÿ•ท๏ธ๐ŸŽƒ

Physical:

Iโ€™ve really struggled and I know itโ€™s because my good habits were not well established again after letting them fall by the wayside. Homeschooling began and it has been a battle for me in getting enough well, everything. ๐Ÿ˜•๐Ÿ˜” Sleep, water, walks, and healthy, nourishing meals. Pray for me to slowly integrate these back in as our homeschool days are evening out now.

Mental:

Honestly, with school beginning, Iโ€™ve felt myself feeling โ€œcrazyโ€ and even though homeschooling is going well, itโ€™s just that added โ€œon- nessโ€ that I know contributes. We have extra outside obligations, also, and I know that adds to this feeling. Iโ€™m recognizing I need to adjust some of my summer habits and be very choosy about what Iโ€™m giving mental space to and also remembering to judge my feelings by Truth. Taking my thoughts captive! My sister sent me this quote to think on:

The wonderful thing about praying is that you leave a world of not be able to do something, and enter Godโ€™s realm where everything is possible. He specializes in the impossible. Nothing is too great for His Almighty Power. Nothing is too small for His love.

Corrie ten Boom

Emotional:

Iโ€™ve been *trying* to turn off social media (curse you, Booktube- jk, jk! ) and actually use my hands to make bouquets, write penpals, and lately, create altered composition notebooks. Creating with my hands always helps encourage and calm my emotions. We took a little โ€˜Tookishโ€™ adventure the other day to a cemetery with gorgeous leaves and had a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie ๐Ÿช snack there, yes, I know thatโ€™s sort of weird , but we loved reading the history of peopleโ€™s lives on the headstones ๐Ÿชฆ and enjoying the autumn atmosphere. We then visited a new-to-us public library and it was fun setting aside my Baggins habits of wanting to hide in my house all the time. ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜

Half of a .69 cent composition notebook ๐Ÿ““collaged into a gratitude journal! ๐Ÿ˜
Another half a composition notebook collaged into an Inspiration notebook! Much easier to cut them this way in half than the other way. My hubby says heโ€™ll help me with a saw next time! ๐Ÿ˜‚ I may do some of these as Christmas gifts. Used Modge Podge over and under it all! So fun and relaxing!

Servanthood: thinking ๐Ÿค” on this quote! ๐Ÿ˜จโ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿ™

Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition. It will devise subtle, religiously acceptable means to call attention to the service rendered. If we stoutly refuse to give in to this lust of the flesh, we crucify it. Every time we crucify the flesh, we crucify our pride and arrogance.

Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 130

Verse focus:

I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing. Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit and the earth will yield its increase and they will be secure on their land. โ™ฅ๏ธ

from Ezekiel 34, NASB

Last, but certainly not least, Iโ€™ve been so encouraged and enjoying my reading. I finished Volume 1. of Charlotte Mary Yongeโ€™s delightful family saga, The Pillars of the Home, with my favorite online book people, Victorian literature lovers. Victorian literature is fast becoming a favorite genre! We will continue Volume 2 for Victober! I also SO enjoyed Distilled Genius by Susan Branch, a collection of her illustrations and hand lettered quotes. Branch and I differ in some worldview and lifestyle aspects, but overall, I loooved this collection. Iโ€™m currently rereading for the third time, her Marthaโ€™s Vineyard: Isle of Dreams, one of my favorite memoirs of all time.

How about you? How are you? ๐Ÿ•ธ๏ธ๐Ÿช๐Ÿ•ท๏ธ๐Ÿ““๐Ÿชฆ๐Ÿ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿ‚โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿ˜„โ˜•๏ธ๐Ÿ“–๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ’Œ๐Ÿ“๐Ÿ–‹๏ธโค๏ธโ€๐Ÿฉนโฃ๏ธ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’Ÿ Please chat below, Iโ€™d love to catch up!

Wednesday Wonders

There is wonder all around usโ€ฆ

Listeningโ€ฆ How to Heal Your Relationship with Food

Readingโ€ฆ on the top of my stack: Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflections by Macrina Wiederkehr and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen. A wonderful, intriguing bit of Miyazaki to fill your joy cup.

Watchingโ€ฆ slow, peaceful vlogs.

Noticingโ€ฆsummer flowers, clouds, barn swallows, warmth, and summer smells! ๐ŸŒฟ

Summer by Susan Branch
Pine-scented air and Life-giving words โ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒฟ
Lake Michigan, little boys, sand, heart-shaped rock from almost 16 yo son, and comfy orange pants โ™ฅ๏ธ

What are you listening to, reading, watching, & noticing? โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿฅฐ๐ŸŒฟ

๐ŸŒฟWednesday Wonders๐ŸŒฟ

The Golden Circle by Hal Borland, paintings by Anne Ophelia Dowden

There is wonder all around usโ€ฆ

Listeningโ€ฆmy friend recently sang this song and sent me the music video. Iโ€™ve had it on loop. Thinking about my lasting influence. What truly will matter when Iโ€™m gone?

Readingโ€ฆ โ€˜Charlotte Mason and the Spirituality of Motherhoodโ€™ . Wow, lots of food for thought here.

Watchingโ€ฆ lovely journaling inspiration here.

Noticingโ€ฆ little bits here there of life. Forget-Me-Nots โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ Little Free Libraries โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ Bare Feet on Warm Rocks โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ Little Bridges โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ Boys Sleeping in Sun-Soaked Hammocks โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ Tasha Tudor, Moomims, & New Thrifted Cookie Cutters โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ

What are you listening to, reading, watching, & noticing? โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿฅฐ๐ŸŒฟ

Whatโ€™s currently on my mindโ€ฆ

Hello ๐Ÿ‘‹ friends,

Hope this finds you well. Iโ€™m pulling the old โ€œmy brain is so full Iโ€™m going to try and empty it by dumping on my blogโ€ trick. ๐Ÿคช๐Ÿ˜‚โ™ฅ๏ธ Thanks for listening with your eyes and Iโ€™m sure, heart. ๐Ÿ˜Œโ™ฅ๏ธ Our homeschool year is s-l-o-w-l-y winding down, we still have a field trip and a couple loose threads to tie up. Three GLORIOUS summer months stretch out in front of me full of โ€œGREENING POWERโ€ as Macrina Wiederkehr writes. More on her later!

Iโ€™ve been reading a lot, maybe a bit TOO much ๐Ÿ™ƒ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿ“š, excessive amounts of reading escapism and excessive food have been my obsessions when feeling stressed, pressed, and down right exhausted. Iโ€™m declaring yet again popcorn abstinence ๐Ÿ˜…, more water & walk therapy, and staying far, faraway from sugar/ flour. I feel so much better when I do so. As for reading choices, I do feel Iโ€™m balancing light & fluffy (Dean Street Press books are my current favorites) with some learning (as a human, woman, Christian, homeschooler, writer, I need to always be learning!) and some hard for just challenging perspective and understanding. I recently finished the heart wrenching Grapes ๐Ÿ‡ of Wrath by John Steinbeck and wow, going to be thinking on that one for awhile. Iโ€™m so fascinated by the Great Depression era and the Dust Bowl currently.

The eyes of the whole family shifted back to Ma. She was the power. She had taken control. โ€œThe money weโ€™d make wouldnโ€™t do no good,โ€ she said. โ€œAll we got is the family unbroken. Like a bunch of cows, when the lobos are ranging, stick all together. I ainโ€™t scared while weโ€™re all here, all thatโ€™s alive, but I ainโ€™t gonna see us bust up.

John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath
Bittersweet Nightshade ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿ’›

I find myself returning to favorites when stressed so Iโ€™ve been listening to Wives & Daughters with the amazing reader Prunella Scales. Itโ€™s included with my Audible account. This is my 3rd time through and there is something just SO comforting about Mrs. Gaskellโ€™s writing. Iโ€™ve also watch bits of my current favorite movie ๐ŸŽฅ and I adore it. I believe โ€œTotoroโ€ by Studio Ghibli will calm even a hardened criminal down. ๐Ÿ˜…

Google

Iโ€™ve also been thinking about my summer reading plans. BookTube {niche YouTube category ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿ“š}has really helped me be a bit more purposeful about my choices, but I have to be very careful to balance that with margin for mood reading. Iโ€™m currently very interested in Native American/Indigenous stories, especially historical fiction/biographies/poetry. I asked for a poetry anthology for my birthday (June is my birth month!) , so hopefully ๐Ÿคž๐Ÿป Iโ€™ll be digging into that this summer.? Iโ€™m also super interested in archaeology , geography/geopolitics from a relational or conversational or โ€œlivingโ€ side. So in other words, not dry. ๐Ÿคช๐Ÿ˜… Do you have any recommendations? Someone mentioned Eric Cline, so I may try his archaeology book.

Iโ€™m also interested in Asian history, creativity memoirs (Iโ€™ve read ALOT of these, so Iโ€™m only interested in ones that will blow my mind ๐Ÿ˜‚) , historical fiction on โ€œside warsโ€ not the World Wars, a bit burned out on those. Iโ€™m also on a search for authors similar to Maud Hart Lovelace and L.M. Montgomery. I realize the two Mauds are a tough acts to follow, but Iโ€™m looking for sweet family-centric, โ€œlife softeningโ€ type stories. So far, Iโ€™ve enjoyed some D.E. Stevenson, Susan Scarlett, and Molly Clavering. Howโ€™s your reading been going? Any books you are excited about this summer?

In other cheerful news ๐Ÿ˜…, Iโ€™ve been thinking about these lyrics and how so much of our world and culture is fake & dead โ˜ ๏ธ๐Ÿ˜‚. Thereโ€™s a part in the MV, where the artists are with sand, water, wind, fireโ€ฆand it just touches me deeply about the finiteness of this all. Itโ€™s floating and blowing away. The artist Suga smiles at the flames and as a Christian woman, I want to smile at the hard things of this world, not in denial or despair, but in a realization that itโ€™s the spiritual that really matters. All else is going to be gone. As a pilgrim just passing through this place, I find joy in knowing that the suffering that so many are going through is finite. Catholic poetic and mystic, Macrina Wiederkehrโ€™s book of poetry and short devotions called, โ€œSeasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflectionsโ€ has been so lovely, hopeful, and inspiring, touching on some of these very themes. A Christmas gift from my friend. Iโ€™m hoping to get more of her writings soon.

Amazon

Iโ€™m the slowest soul to try new apps etc ๐Ÿ™ƒ, but I finally got the Libby app and have been so happy checking out audiobooks and kindle things from the library! Yes, you do have to wait longer, but itโ€™s so convenient and inexpensive. Iโ€™m trying this above manga series via Kindle and the library. How cool is that? Guess what? The manga pages turn the opposite way in Kindle, too! ๐Ÿคฏ๐ŸคฃMy 4 yo son and I planted some moonflowers after I bought him a book for his birthday about them. I really hope they grow and we can watch them bloom in the evenings! ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜Œโ™ฅ๏ธSpeaking of birthdays, our birthday โ€œseasonโ€ is done here at the end of July and *whispering*, I always sigh in relief. ๐Ÿ˜‚โ™ฅ๏ธ

Do you have โ€˜heart homesโ€™? Iโ€™ve been thinking about the places that have really meant something to me over my life. Of course, thereโ€™s big amazing places, like Prince Edward Island and The Lake District, Cumbria ๐Ÿ˜, but smaller, intimate places that Iโ€™ve visited that spoke soul-speak straight deep down. I have a few and had a chance to travel to them recently. I also often realize that the place Godโ€™s given me to curl up in currently is a stunning place. Right at my fingertips, right out my door.

Otherwise, hereโ€™s a list that swirling in the gray matter ๐Ÿง  , my love and desire to know more of tamaracks/larches and birches, Julie Cameronโ€™s Walking in This Worldโ€, my favorite from her, my penpals, Hetty Feather series I want to check more into, loving the first audiobook, wanting to learn more about watercolors, pen & ink illustrations, thinking and loving Moon Jumpers by Janice May Udry and all the magazines to catch up on. Also, how in the world can I resurrect a floundering writing practice? By writing, of course, Amy. ๐Ÿคฏ๐Ÿคช๐Ÿ˜…๐Ÿค“ Iโ€™ll leave you with more reading and nature photos, thanks for being here. Please chat with me below! Whatโ€™s on your mind? ๐Ÿ˜โ™ฅ๏ธ Till next time, grace and peace through beautiful Jesus to you!

Writing โœ๏ธ inspiration
Magazine backlog to soak in! โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ
Amish plows โ™ฅ๏ธ

Joy Journal {April 26th ~ Happy Birthday to my dear daughter}

๐Ÿ“–Dear Friends,๐Ÿ“–

What is inspiring you or bringing you joy currently? Please join me in comments, in your journal, or on your blog!

๐ŸŒทIโ€™m grateful today forโ€ฆ๐ŸŒท

||for newly minted 14 yo daughter ๐Ÿฅฐ||her delight in completing her Redwall Series collection ||reliving memories and enjoying photos of almost 2 months of participating in a local production of The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe, what a wonderful experience and lots of new friends ||people who devote themselves to care for others in dangerous or difficult places|| those who are adoptive or foster families || new to me music, Sarah Sparks || for Jane Brocket, Sarah Clarkson, Tresta Payne, andTerri Conlinโ€™s email newsletters, full of beauty, encouragement, and delight || for my church ladies Bible study on Philippians||

||sunlight on forsythia and Charlotte Mason, glimpses of spring hope || springy play lists || for little boys who ask for Christmas trees ๐ŸŽ„ during spring snow storms || friends who send me videos and photos of our local Aurora Borealis sightings || prayer ๐Ÿ™ || daffodildowndillys and the promise of tulips ๐Ÿ’ || clothesline flapping noise|| cat snuggles, whiskers and darling purring with contented closed eyes || lovely return visits to favorite reads, in this case The Alpine Path by LM Montgomery || warm, brown sweatshirt and oversized cozy black sweater || warm, cozy glow of lamps||

|| birds daintily eating dog food on deck|| wrestling with a short piece on Gerald Manley Hopkins for friendโ€™s magazine โ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒฟโœ’๏ธ๐Ÿ“||time away with hubby learning about serving our world with love, with a bit of space for quiet contemplation|| delicious, quiet breakfast with our pastor and his wife|| enjoying the nooks and crannies of our hotel|| long car conversations with my husband ||birthday surprises arriving and special food ingredients waiting on countertop ||little boy excitedly helping me wrap gifts for sister|| trying how to figure out how to send a surprise to Canadian penpals ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿค“๐Ÿ’Œ๐Ÿ“ฌ๐Ÿ“ฆ ๐Ÿ’ธ๐Ÿค‘๐Ÿ˜‚|| lovely books stacked everywhere here to dip in and out of||

||our friendly local public library || a felted bit of sunrise, gift from a daughter, shining into my soul||magazines +coffee + Trader Joeโ€™s + my sisters = โ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธโ™ฅ๏ธ||contemplating books that impacted as a woman/mother/caretaker in an ongoing series|| sunshine ๐ŸŒž in Wisconsin, never take it for granted ||plan to take daughter & friend to craft store and fancy ice cream ๐Ÿฆ soon, sheโ€™s so excited ||

I believe this is โ€œLa Discessa dello Spirito Santoโ€ mentioned on pg 155, School Education by Charlotte Mason ~ so gorgeous! {Google image} If itโ€™s not the right one, oh well, I still love it! ๐Ÿ˜‚โ™ฅ๏ธ

Joy Journal {April 5th}

โ€ขmonochromatic children playing in school yard, black & bright splashes against the drab gray of early springโ€ข puddles fizz-pluming under my tiresโ€ขtheater life, two childrenโ€™s makeup-encrusted smiles, as they see me gazing up at them, role reversalโ€ขspring yard clean up, imprints left in the soaked grassโ€ข bags of purge waiting to be someone elseโ€™s treasureโ€ขruddy grinning cheeks, watery eyes, runny noses, muddy springy play, cold wind grasping at strawsโ€ข

โ€ขbookish mugs for bits & bobs, gifts from friends โ€ข soft-colored sticky tags, enough to shareโ€ข splashes of color against red-brown brickโ€ข discussing Grapes of Wrath, sipping oat milk latte, and conversation with a sweet friendโ€ข foam heart on latte, day of small thingsโ€ข little boy with bandana, ninja, he saysโ€ข blocks on book shelf in alternating patternโ€ข epic soundtrack as I slip through gray countryside, just a hint of green under her skirtsโ€ขan unexpected flash of stain glassโ€ข

โ€ขlittle bodies being compass roses, pointing arms northโ€ขalmost 14 yo birthday gift buying, disconcertingly not little girl things anymore โ€ข shafts & shadows of longer sunlight โ€ขshockingly orange chairsโ€ข midwestern goodbyes โ€ขsurprise book won, Katherine Wentworth by D.E. Stevenson โ€ข reviewing, revamping, & renewing rhythmsโ€ข charming nooks & cranniesโ€ข

Joy Journal: August 5th

Early morning prayer and Bible reading outdoors has been life giving the last few weeks ๐ŸŒฟโ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒฟ

โ˜•๏ธDear Friends,

What is inspiring you or bringing you joy currently? Please join me in comments, in your journal, or on your blog!โ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒฟโ™ฅ๏ธ

Iโ€™m grateful today forโ€ฆ

This ๐ŸŒฟquote๐ŸŒฟโ€ฆ

It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity – a friend on IG reminded me of this quote and it was exactly what I needed.

||pressing pizza dough down into three pans, flour-y hands|| talking with 3yo about his Schliech puma and jaguar toys||our new rescue kitten, Ghibli or Gibs||laying in the breeze and looking up through the Honey Locust to a patch of blue above||Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz, an unique, adult murder mystery within a murder mystery ||Black-Eyed Susanโ€™s opening their eyes||

3yo and Iโ€™s snuggle reading ๐Ÿ“– one dayโ€ฆ

||my daughterโ€™s chamomile flowers|| a wildflower bouquet from my oldest son|| new paneling slowly going into the bathroom || delish iced coffee made by friend, talking about homeschooling, life, and books with my bookstudy women||Christmas gift planning, thrifting and homemade ideas|| catching 3 yo on floor with pile of books, slowly turning the pages|| looking up and around and seeing 3 children reading near me โ™ฅ๏ธ๐Ÿ“š||

||stacks of picture books to put away|| Malcolm Guite reads C.S. Lewisโ€™ poetry at The Kilns ||zucchini, cucumber , and lovely green peppers from Amish stand||glorious sunrises breaking the darkโ€™s hold || star-drenched skies|| paper bits, quotes, snippets, collage journal resurrected || jalapeรฑo tango paint color still growing strong from Menards|| the summer smell, new mown hay, a friend said it โ€œsmelled greenโ€ and I looove that ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒณ๐Ÿชด๐Ÿ’š||

Amish ๐ŸŒพ wheatโ€ฆ

||a friend texting me a quote from the book she is reading || white paint to wash away a few years of country living ||Miriam Elizabethโ€™s Jane Austen July vlogs on Booktube || using a laundromat for the first time in a long time, reading The Princess Bride while waiting for clothing to dry|| old Carl Larsson calendar art cut out and reused||Austin Kleonโ€™s email newsletters, so many weird fascinating things to get creative juices flowing ||single sunflower ๐ŸŒป that grew under bird feeder || Berber van Gorpโ€™s peaceful ASMR art journaling YouTube channel ||

Book choices for an upcoming road tripโ€ฆ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š

Whatโ€™s on your gratitude list? Are you still soaking up summer or gearing up for autumn? Iโ€™m praying and planning a bit, but Iโ€™m still loving summer. Iโ€™m sooo enjoying reading ๐Ÿ“– outdoors and hanging out our ๐Ÿงบ laundry. ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒžโ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒป๐ŸŒฟ Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Love ๐Ÿ’•, Amy

Joy Journal: July 12th {Living Education Retreat and More}

Toad clover hat โ™ฅ๏ธ

โ™ฅ๏ธDear Friends,

What is inspiring you or bringing you joy currently? Please join me in comments, in your journal, or on your blog!

Iโ€™m grateful today forโ€ฆ

The Gale by Winslow Homer – Wikipedia Commons

-and-

Les Maisons by Chaim Sountine – Wikipedia Commons

||making ice coffees at home|| Gerald Manley Hopkins wordsmithing || Karen Andreolaโ€™s books and back blog posts. || paper & river birch trees || sunlit diamonds on river and lake || buying just one book treasure from my favorite used bookstore || a favorite book, Fog Magic, found in a Little Free Library || washing my hair in the lake || making my very first ๐Ÿต matcha latte, so good || Regina Spektorโ€™s โ€œThe Callโ€ || sunlight glinting off web as spider lowers herself to the floor ||

Green, white, and blue โ™ฅ๏ธ

|| extended family picnic in the shady, sun-flickering light of my childhood backyard || a lovely friend, Kathy, passing on a free Sense & Sensibility outdoor theatre ticket to me, it was a wonderful performance || the gift of a pedicure from and with my sister || reading The Mysteries of Uldolpho with a Booktuber friend || finishing I Capture the Castle and the feeling of wanting to start it right back over again immediately || Still thinking on Tove Janssonโ€™s The Summer Book and itโ€™s quiet and gentle exploration of youth, aging, and how the natural world ties us all together in understanding. I loved this book. || early cabin mornings, drenched in pine scent, quiet prayer with my coffee || time with cousins, sister in laws, and camp friends for my children and I|| daughter taking me for iced coffee ||

Deceased Common Sulfur my daughter found – so beautiful!

How well I remember that run through the stillness, the smell of wet stone and wet weeds as we crossed the bridge, the moment of excitement before we stepped in at the little door! Once through, we were in the cool dimness of the gatehouse passage. That was where I first felt the castle – it is the place where one is most conscious of the great weight of stone above and around one. I was too young to know much of history and the past, for me the castle was one in a fairy tale; and the queer heavy coldness was so spell-like that clutched Rose hard.

Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle
Illustration by Tove Jansson, The Summer Book

|| Nancyโ€™s opening talk on Joy at the Living Education retreat || White Pelicans at sunrise || watching a Kingfisher land on tree, then dive into lake for a catch || the joyful swooping, diving of fork-tailed Barn Swallows, over lake and over me when Iโ€™m lawn mowing, one my my most favorite summer joys of all! Their iridescent coloring is stunning || Artโ€™s talk on joy and sorrow, the interweaving of Biblical truth, Charlotte Mason, the thoughts of Catherine of Siena, and Hans Christian Andersenโ€™s โ€œThe Wild Swansโ€ together in a beautiful way || talking about hospitality with Brittany and a few other ladies || mozzarella, balsamic, and tomatoes sprinkled with basil || early morning meditations near lake and worship in teeny chapel || chapel windows, stained glass and unique way of opening ||

Forget-me-Nots and little bridge over stream โ™ฅ๏ธ

|| my sonโ€™s excitement as he shared what he had learned in Donโ€™s Critical Thinking session || camping through a rain storm in our tent with my son, using my umbrella inside, memories || gifts from friends, healthy banana pumpkin walnut muffins, special flavored Scandinavian falk salt, new coffee mug, salsa, and a lovely photo of us, framed || listening to A Wrinkle in Time with my son as we drove to the retreat in Minnesota || Amberโ€™s lovely thoughts on poetry, learning new-to-me poets to explore, Effie May Newsome and Gwendolyn Brooks || all the wonderful conversations I had over good food or near the lake, so encouraging || meeting three Instagram friends, IRL! So exciting! || forget-me-nots || driving through Mankato, MN home of Maud Hart Lovelace, inspiration for Deep Valley || new book titles to search and look forward to || lovely tote bag with bookmark, card, and journal gifted to attendees ||

What is bringing you joy? What are you thankful for? Lots of love, Amy ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•

Joy Journal: May 26th, 2022

Tree frogs ๐Ÿฅฐ

What is inspiring you or bringing you joy currently? I hope to start a new series here. Please join me in comments, in your journal, or on your blog!

Right now, Iโ€™m lovingโ€ฆ

|| the Betsy, Tacy, and Tib series by Maud Hart Lovelace || โ€œWith Youโ€ sung by Jimin and Ha SungWoon – I actually reimagine this as a love song to Jesus โ™ฅ๏ธ || โ€œThe Peace of Wild Thingsโ€ collection by Wendell Berry || barn swallow watching || Seattleโ€™s Best decaf – thanks to Booktube friend, Tiffany for this recommendation || searching for new-to-me mystery series ||Kate Howeโ€™s Booktube || a new to me Booktube, A Day of Small Things || finding 100 Days of Dante podcast || starting L. M. Montgomeryโ€™s Selected Journals Volume 3 ||

|| Harney & Sons Paris tea, fruity Earl Grey || first peony bud on bush friend gave me two summerโ€™s ago || Salt & Sound music || Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright, anticipation for the sequel || bird and rabbit watching || rereading Little House series this summer with my younger children || endless cloud-filled skies || finding a math tutor for my son || Paul Johnsonโ€™s A History of the American People, who knew a tome like this could go down so smoothly? || contemplating reading some Moomins or another Tove Jansson book with friends || little boys in flannel button-downs || Schliech animal scenes perpetually in living room || Totoro socks from daughter || vignette series rattling around in brain || thinking back over favorite summer reads in years past, what are your favorites? || new fresh slate to start drawing upon for next homeschool year ||

Double-headed dandelion my daughter found ๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’›

Whatโ€™s on your joy list?

Happy Friday, friends! Lots of love from Hearth Ridge, Amy ๐ŸŒฟโ™ฅ๏ธ๐ŸŒฟ