England – A.M. Pine – Hearth Ridge Reflections

Peek into my Public Library Stack (Part 1) 📚 + Victober Reading Beginning Impressions 🍁

October 2, 2026 amyofhearthridge8 Comments

Good morning, friends! I’m snuggling into my sweatshirt as we woke to a chilly, but gorgeously sunny morning here! What a gift! ☺️☀️✨

I have a massive pile of library checkouts that I may or may not get to due to my Victorian reading focus this month. I thought it would be fun to share what’s in my PL basket.

Mainly, I have a lot of Sci-Fi choices leftover from Sci-Fi September. I still don’t feel totally sick of Sci-Fi, so may try to see if any of these in photo above catch my fancy! I’m most interested in Green City Wars and Scion, but my 19 yo read Scion and said it was a bit brutal and had language. I’m surprised because I’ve loved James Islington so much and hadn’t run into language before. Have you read any of these? How are they?

My second pile is cozy mysteries! I know, I know, not high literature, 😂 but just the right light reading for me, when I need a break from heavy reading or the chaos around me. 😂Think Hallmark with a side of murder. 🤣📚✨I’m most interested in Autumn at Cat Cafe! 🥰🐈‍⬛🎃☕️

My friend created a Victober bingo, so I made her grid with washi and stickers! So fun! 🤩

I bought a pack of these charming bookmarks (penpals I hope to send one your way!) and I decorated my first one for Victober on front, other reading possibilities on back. I need to add 2026, so I can keep them as a memory! Maybe I should make ones for the past Victober’s that I participated in!!! I think this is my 4th or 5th official year of participation?! It’s the 11th year this wonderful Booktube readathon has been happening! 📚🎃🐈‍⬛✨🍁

My Moleskine Daily Pocket to-do is almost filled! My 2027 version is on its way! The one quibble I have is the Monday start, otherwise I loooove these. The paper is buttery and I love how they fit in my hand and the monthly and daily set up! The spines have held up to my heavy abuse.

How’s my beginning Victorian reading going? Good! I had listened to The Importance of Being Earnest a couple of days before October and that was a perfect, lighthearted choice to get me even more excited. I found this free audiobook of The Pickwick Papers and so I’ve started tandem reading and listening and it’s just as ridiculous and full of wordsmithing wonder as I remember. Yes, I had read half years ago! 🙃😂

It would definitely fulfill the prompt for Travel and Adventure. Dickens and I are fickle friends, so we’ll see if I can stick it out! I may have to just listen 🎧 while cooking etc.

I’m absolutely loving Poems of the Past and the Present by Thomas Hardy on my Kindle. Some obtuse literature/history/places mentioned, but I’m finding it very readable! This would fulfill birthday month author as we are both June born! I thought I would enjoy his poetry due to his lush writing in the novels I have read of his. I’m hoping to attempt The Woodlanders, too. A friend gave me a gorgeous old copy of it years ago, but it’s a bit fragile so may read it on my kindle.

I also picked up at 39%? with Uncle Silas as I had started this years ago. Honestly, the first part of this book draggggggged for me. But I have it on good authority, that the next part is better and gets the sinister, atmospheric plot going! So far, the main character Maud? is traveling to live with an estranged uncle to fulfill her father’s will conditions. 😳😬

I’m 5 chapters into my local friend’s bookclub read of Dr.Wortle’s School! It’s very easy to read and I like the story. Haven’t fallen in love with any characters yet, though. You could definitely use this for a Character who Has a Secret 🤐 prompt! It’s a nice, short Victorian novel, too, which can be a relief. 😅

Reading Autumn 🍂 ~

whole worlds

leaf by –

my eyes,

heart cries

tumbling in,

passing my kin‘s

by-gone sighs

rustling, flitting

let my soul sink in.

~A.M. Pine♥️🌲

How’s your reading currently? Creating anything? What’s new with you?

Happy Friday! ♥️🥰

Oh, happy day! Victober is here! 🍁🍂🧡🤎🖤 + October Collage/Writing Challenge

October 1, 2026 amyofhearthridge11 Comments

My friends! My favorite reading month of the year is here! Victorian literature has blessed me in so many ways. It’s beautiful writing, it’s gorgeous atmospheres, it’s delicious characters, and it’s over-the-top dramatics! 🎃

I’m hoping to be posting here a bit more this month (daily?!🤞🏻) in celebration of a beautiful month here in the Midwest USA and Victober.

I love putting bits and pieces of the ephemera of life together. Whether that be in the form of a poem, collage, quilting (hope to get back to it someday), pictures, quotes, making soup, lists, journals, or sending moments through the post. I invite you to join me in whatever way you can. 🤎 Post here in my comments, write in your own journal, post something yourself in your online home, or just meditate in your heart. Let’s rejoice together about a ‘new month with no mistakes in it…yet.’ 😁

My first little verse and collage in honor of this momentous month! 🍁

Which spooky or Victorian book should I start this very afternoon? The possibilities are endless! 🍁

May your coffee be hot and your book long and wonderful!

Happy October beginnings! 🧡🤎🖤🍁🍂🌾🎃

Happy Autumn! 🍂 Victober 2026 Heap of Hopefuls and other October Reading Chat~ 🖤🎃🤎🎃💛🎃🧡🎃🖤

September 22, 2026 amyofhearthridge5 Comments

Here’s a look at my upcoming (October + Victorian Literature = Victober) Reading Possibilities! I also added a few more hopefuls. I usually don’t have such a specific pile of books to read because I’m a mood reader. Only Victober is special enough to warrant a special TBR plan! 😍🥰♥️There are specific prompts/challenges and I’ll try to hit those, but mostly attempt what I’m excited about!

Dark brown Box headings are the prompts for this year which I believe is the 11th Victober!

I’ve already begun Dr.Wortle’s School with my local friend’s bookclub. I’m very interested in Daniel Deronda, too!

I really want to get to this one sooner than later!

If I can get an audiobook in from library, I’d love to finally get to this play!

My Kindle is FULL of Victober goodness and I’d love to tackle a couple of these! I have even MORE hiding in there. 😍😫😂👀

I’m not going to add any buddy reads other than my local friends and maybe attempting to finish the group read! {I started Uncle Silas a few years ago, so hope to finish it!} I’m pretty full with outside commitments, so need to keep reading open.

I’d loooove to read this! It’s on my 50×50 list and Gaskell is legitimately an interest to me. She is my favorite Victorian author. In fact, many of these books are on my 50×50 list!

Hawthorne isn’t technically a Victorian, but he was writing in America during Queen V’s reign.

Many more lovely things to choose from on the stacks!

Other reads I’m very interested in for October! I have an ‘unread’ Ray Bradbury on my 50×50 list and I think The October Country would be a great listen. I bet an audiobook would add even deeper enjoyment to these creepy short stories.

I also have an ‘unread’ LM Montgomery collection from my shelf on my list. I think this one would be perfect! 🤩

A friend recommendation specifically for October!

Another friend or two? let me know that the newly translated Book 2 is now available at public libraries! I can’t wait! I’m a huge Kiki’s Delivery Service fan! Book and film!

I’m hoping to bake a special meal/treat for the family today and put out a few autumn decorations! We can’t do too much with remodeling, but it will be fun to a little charm. Maybe we could watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which is one of my fall favorites! Or one of the less creepy episodes of Over the Garden Wall. 🤣

Happiest Autumn, friends. 🎃🍂♥️🥰 we have a play and an apple orchard/pumpkin patch visit on the schedule. What are you excited to read, watch, do in autumn? 🍂

The Simple Woman’s Daybook ✨🍂

September 9, 2026 amyofhearthridge7 Comments

New puzzle and The Silver Chair audiobook! 😍♥️

FOR TODAY~

Outside my window… ✨sunny and cool! Gorgeous! I wish I could mow/weed-whack but already have a lot going on. It’s been raining a lot and so I’m behind on yard work.

I am thinking…✨of my tween/teen girls class I’m teaching at church tonight! Our Charlotte Mason co op beginning tomorrow! Cleaning projects! Books to be read! 😅

I am thankful for…✨my new refrigerator! Even if it cut into remodeling budget. 🙃♥️👀

From the kitchen…✨I’m making sweet 🌽 corn for lunch and need to get sloppy joes in crockpot as we have church. I attempted a cake for my hubby and I’s anniversary this week. It was WAY more difficult (and too sweet) than I anticipated and was a bit of a flop. The kids ate it all, anyway! 😂♥️👀

I am creating…✨reading journal 📓 spreads and filling in September pages ~

Working on these, too! Back to Hogwarts!

My favorite readathon is COMING. I’m starting now! 🍂✨*Dr.Wortle’s School* is my first pick with my IRL bookclub! 😍

I’m never going to read those all, but fun to dream! 😂

I am going…✨ nowhere until church, working on homeschool lessons, church lessons, cooking etc.

I am wearing…✨heather gray knockoff 😅 Arirang World Tour Tshirt and green cargo pants, sandals and pearl earrings. Probably will change into something different for church!

I am reading…✨many things, but mainly excited about The Brothers Karamazov and starting Victorian things!

Here’s where I’m at in Bros K! 😎🤣👀 I’m loving it!

I am hoping…✨ to get ahead on some outside responsibilities stuff, revive my lagging health goals, and work on helping with the next step in our remodeling. 🫣😅🥵

I am hearing…✨my hubby shuffling papers in his home office. 😅

Around the house…✨messes and mayhem! 😅♥️Two children just came back from taking garbage to our dump. We have dishes etc to catch up on and the refrigerator switch out. We have more school to tackle and a little church prep, still.

One of my favorite things… ✨the golden, blues, browns, and greens of September! 🌾🍂🍃🌻

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…✨ Homeschool co op! A movie night with my 7 yo! “Relaxation” this weekend. 😅♥️

Here is a picture thought I am sharing for you…

Hope your week is going well! ✨♥️🌻

Book Questions 📚☕️✨♥️ {Part 2}

August 14, 2026 amyofhearthridge5 Comments

{I saw some book questions on an Instagram account called PensandPoison (I like SOME of her stuff, she’s a bit too clickbait-y for me) recently and have been having a lot of fun thinking about my answers. I think she answered them using all fiction, but I’m using everything to answer! I adapted these questions for me. It is a lot of questions and as usual, I can’t have just one answer 🤣, so I’ll be breaking this up into parts! I’d love to hear your answers and I hope you may find a new favorite if you try any of these!}

Part 1 HERE, if interested!

•books I wish everyone would read ~

Wives & Daughters, Sylvia’s Lovers, North & South, or Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell. Really ANY of her full length novels. Her shorter things are a little hit or miss (looking at you A Dark Night’s Work 😒😅) but her novels are so good! 😊

• books I wish I had read sooner ~ Do Something Beautiful for God by Mother Teresa, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh (just finished this!), A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles and Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini.

•books that changed the way I think ~ (The Holy Bible is a given here) Home Education Series by Charlotte Mason, The Dean’s Watch by Elizabeth Goudge, Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, and Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter. I could go on for hours.

• most beautiful prose I’ve ever read ~ currently for me, Thomas Hardy’s writing, wow! Sad stories, gorgeous writing! I read A Return of the Native last year and was blown away. This is Happiness by Niall Williams and The Road Past Altamont by Gabrielle Roy this year had BEAUTIFUL writing.

• favorite opening sentence ~ this has to go to Jane Austen’s opening for Pride & Prejudice. If you know, you know. 😅 Sarcastically funny and draws you right into the story.

• favorite endings ~ I was wracking my brain for this. I think Elizabeth Goudge’s endings are pretty great. The Lord of the Rings! I liked the sad, open-ended ending of The Mirror Visitor Series by Christelle Dabos. Although, I wouldn’t mind a 5th book, if you are reading, dear author. 😂😉🥰

• favorite literary characters~ I could probably list 100 favorites here, so I’ll just say the firsts that came to my mind! Vis from The Will of Many by James Islington, Anne Eliot from Persuason by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre, Gandalf, Mrs. Weasley, etc, etc, etc, etc!!!!!

•literary characters I relate to the most ~ Patricia from Pat of Silverbush by L.M. Montgomery (I struggle with change, too, Pat!😫) Emily from Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery, Emily from Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace. So many more!

• favorite literary villian ~ I love to bash Mrs. Norris and the Crawfords from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen and Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride & Prejudice by Austen.

• favorite author ~ my top favorite (I have many) is Lucy Maud Montgomery! Thank you, Maud for your wonderful stories! ♥️

How about you? Have you read any of these? Agree or disagree {kindly} disagree? What are your answers here? Let’s talk books! 📚 😅♥️📚✨

Book Questions 📚 {Part 1}

August 13, 2026 amyofhearthridge12 Comments

Thrifted these recently for our homeschool! ✨😍♥️

I saw some book questions on an Instagram account called PensandPoison (I like SOME of her stuff, she’s a bit too clickbait-y for me) recently and have been having a lot of fun thinking about my answers. I think she answered them using all fiction, but I’m using everything to answer! I adapted these questions for me. It is a lot of questions and as usual, I can’t have just one answer 🤣, so I’ll be breaking this up into parts! I’d love to hear your answers and I hope you may find a new favorite if you try any of these!

Book Questions 📚✨♥️

•favorite book ~ I think besides The Holy Bible, currently my favorite books are A City of Bells by Elizabeth Goudge, The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, Wives & Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell, and Bleak House by Charles Dickens. Thinking about this question made me want to reread all of these! 😂

•2nd favorite set of books ~ Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery and The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge.

•3rd favorite set of books, currently ~ Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery and Anne’s House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery. Pat of Silverbush and Mistress Pat by LM Montgomery.

•favorite book that’s not Montgomery or Goudge 😁~ Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

•least favorite books ~ usually contemporary rom coms that I keep trying 🙃😫, most recent I really disliked/low-key hated,🤣 Love in Tandem by Becca Kinzer and Date with Danger by Jenessa Fayeth. These didn’t work for me.

•second least favorite set of books ~ I really disliked both Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier. So creepy and bleak. Not for me!

•book(s) that made me cry the most ~ I don’t cry a ton while reading, but I remember being disturbed and shaking to the point of tears by The Road by Cormac McCarthy. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Labors of Hercules Beale by Gary D. Schmidt had me choked up.

•books that made me laugh the most ~ I can’t remember! 😂 Maybe I don’t read funny books? I think Jerome K. Jerome‘s Three Men in a Boat may have made me laugh and Lady Susan by Jane Austen?

•most underrated novel ~ there are SO many, but Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro comes to mind. That book stunned me and really made me think.

•most overrated novel ~ don’t come for me! 🤣 I actually like this novel for its disturbing look at twisted desires, obsession, and family dynamics, but I think Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is a bit overrated. It’s pretty depressing. 😫

How about you? What are your answers to these? Have you read any of my choices? Agree or (kindly) disagree? 😁♥️📚 I’d love to hear! Happy Reading! 📖

Jane Austen July winding down… ✨♥️🌿🫖☕️

July 28, 2026 amyofhearthridge21 Comments

I have really enjoyed joining in with the annual appreciation of Miss Austen’s life and work by reading and watching various things by Austen or inspired by! I’m getting closer to finishing my reread of Sense & Sensibility. Lucy Steele is quickly becoming another all time villain in my book. Ha. I love Austen’s character studies! I’m still plugging away at Jane Austen’s Bookshelf. I identify with the author’s bookish love and really appreciate her personal stories of why and how she feels connected or on the flip side, uncomfortable with a book/author. I don’t love the modern spin author’s try to eke out of classic writers by trying to twist the little bit they know using their modern lenses. Romney sounds a touch whiny sometimes, but it’s at least limited to the hardships female authors had to face in the 18th century, which were true. She’s not, so far, trying to read into Austen or these other authors’s personal lives and make things up.

Overall, it’s a compelling read and I’m enjoying it.

Other things I read and did in honor were watch the 2020 BBC Emma adaptation. While I liked parts of it, unfortunately, it wasn’t my favorite. I reread The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which I really enjoy. Samuel Taylor Coleridge was a contemporary of Miss Austen’s.

I also read Sarah E. Ladd’s The Governess of Penwythe Hall, which was so enjoyable as a Regency-era story. Georgette Heyer Regency novels (love!) and Amish Pride & Prejudice (don’t really recommend! 🤣) by Ashley Emma rounded out my Austen-inspired reading. 📖 Sigh. ☕️🫖♥️🌿✨

Do you enjoy Austen? What is your favorite by her? ♥️🌿✨

Top Ten Books That Live in My Head Rent Free {Classic Edition} 📚✨~ {Day 94}

July 21, 2026July 21, 2026 amyofhearthridge20 Comments

The Holy Bible ~ this is not always an easy book to read and I don’t understand a lot of it, but my spirit connects with it. It’s foundational to my life and faith. My favorite books are Psalms and John.♥️🙏🏻🌿
The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry ~ this collection of Berry’s poetry speaks to me deeply. It makes me consider time and future generations in a huge way. It makes me think of now. It makes me consider life outside of self. Our lives have meaning for a greater purpose!
Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery ~ my handle online is Amy of Hearth Ridge directly inspired by this book. There’s something to be said for hoping to be useful and a blessing to someone else in your life. How living a selfless life actually is fulfilling. Beautiful story of a daughter and father’s restored relationship bringing healing to those around them.That home keeping can be art.
Wives & Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell ~ I can’t begin to tell you how much I love the characters and journeys they go through! The father-daughter, mother-daughter, father-son, and marriage relationship studies in this Victorian novel are fantastic. This is a beautiful story!
Persuasion by Jane Austen ~ a lovely story of redemption and finally being able to have a voice. How one can live kindly and generously in the wake of S.S. Selfish People. 🚢
Home Education by Charlotte Mason ~ late 1800’s to early 1900’s British revolutionary educational philosophy. This is so very Christ-centric and focused on the personhood of children and mothers. A beautiful life-giving read.
Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher ~ a lovely story of how a child can blossom under loving and listening caregivers.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury ~ a father and son meeting evil together face on! Underlying themes of temptation, fear, and growing older! I’m due for a reread!
Christy by Catherine Marshall ~ beautiful story of a young teacher’s growth and learning in a rural Appalachian school. Gorgeous lessons for her as the very people she came to ‘help’ grow her so much in return. Wonderful female friendships embodied!
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder ~ the sheer bravery and strength of the early pioneers is astounding, convicting, and so inspiring! I often reevaluate my complaints after rereading this one. 😨♥️

I could have put Elizabeth Goudge on this list, Gladys Taber, Susan Branch, and many more poets! How about you? Which books do you think of over and over? ♥️✨🌿📚

Captain Blood 🏴‍☠️ {Day 90}

July 17, 2026July 17, 2026 amyofhearthridge6 Comments

Short Description: Peter Blood, an Irish physician and soldier in England in the 1680’s, is wrongly convicted of treason and sentenced to indentured slavery in the Caribbean. He escapes and becomes the most feared pirate captain on the Spanish Main, but all the glory of his adventures cannot help him, for the woman he loves cannot love a thief and pirate. Even when he destroys England’s enemies, even at his most triumphant…but wait! What’s that…

~ Goodreads

Wow! I loved this story of Peter Blood, gentleman pirate! 6 stars ⭐️ from me! If you enjoy historical fiction, adventure stories, or Treasure Island, you will love this Robin Hood- like tale of loyal friendship, ingenuity, and high seas stakes. I bet it would be wonderful as an audiobook! I’ll have to see if I can find one! I definitely will be trying others of Sabatini’s books.

Do you have any good recommendations for high seas or pirate stories with a classic feel?

Happy Friday and Happy Reading! 🚢 🌊 ⚓️

Wednesday Wonders ✨ {Day 69}

June 24, 2026 amyofhearthridge9 Comments

~listening to~ 🌿♥️

I’ve taken these last few days of June to catch up on listening to Booktube for a birthday month finale! Still eking out as much celebrating as possible! 😂 I hope to start listening to this audiobook on walks soon! A classic P.I. mystery that I’ve never tried, The Maltese Falcon. If I enjoy it, I hope to watch the Humphrey Bogart film.

~watching~🌿♥️ Booktube, mainly, and I hope to try the 2020 Emma film adaptation to kick off the Jane Austen July readathon! I’m very hesitant about newer Austen adaptations, because I love the old ones so much. Have you seen this one? Is it any good? 😅

~reading~🌿♥️ I’m mostly loving my L.M. Montgomery rereads and diving into Moby Dick. I have a lot of slower nonfiction going, too! I have many kindle books that I got via a gift card from my dad for my birthday! 😍♥️

~Noticing~🌿♥️ The world is blooming and so fluffy and feathery! Sigh. I saw a Belted Kingfisher on a bridge the other day, which made me so happy!

How about you? What are you listening to, watching, reading, and noticing? ~ 🌿♥️

Monday Ponderings {Day 19}

April 20, 2026April 20, 2026 amyofhearthridgeLeave a comment

Merrily Gareth ask’d

‘Have I not earn’d my cake in baking of it?

Let be my name until I make my name!

My deeds will speak: it is but for a day.’

So with a kindly hand on Gareth’s arm

Smiled the great King, and half-unwillingly

Loving his lusty youthhood yielded to him.

Gareth and Lynette, Idylls of the King, Tennyson

‘Damsel,’ Sir Gareth answer’d gently, ‘say

Whate’er ye will, but whatsoe’er ye say,

I leave not till I finish this fair quest,

Or die therefore.’

Gareth and Lynette

I’m slowly getting into my buddy read of Idyll’s of the King and I was struck remembering this lovely picture book version of this part of the poem. The Kitchen Knight retold by Margaret Hodges is lovely, largely due to the illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman!

Happy Monday, friends! Our weekly quest has begun! Go forth boldly and without fear! 🙏🏻♥️😍

Advent Diaries ~::🎄❄️♥️Pages 16-21♥️❄️🎄::~ CANDLELIGHT through SCRIPTURE ~ {Day 57}

December 21, 2024December 21, 2024 amyofhearthridge3 Comments

Happy First Day of Winter! ❄️ *Dear Rebecca, Winter Is Here* is a favorite read this time of year.

Dear Friends, hello again! I thought I’d catch up on my prompts by using them for more introspection and planning. Most of these areas, besides the marriage-focused ones, I will be including my children as we learn together. You are invited to join me in spirit or in your own planning…read on, if interested. ♥️❄️🎄

In the New Year ~2025~ I’d like too…

Light Candlelight in my marriage relationship and invest in my friendships deeply:

• planning dates, trips, times of prayer together with my husband, I’d love to jot down memories from these times and print off photos etc as a memorial of gratitude for God’s faithfulness.

•I’d like to reprioritize pen pal notes of encouragement, coffee dates with family and other friends, texting people who come to mind in prayer, local, and church women’s groups I’m in. We need one another more than ever.

The color of Green reminds me of hope, health, and creativity! It’s my favorite color 🍏🌿🌲🌱🍃🪴

•I’m planning on a few set creative challenges, especially using Bella Grace and Conscious Creativity for ideas.

•Figuring out a healthy way of living tailored to my needs and season of life and then being faithful to it.

•visiting my creative “heart homes”, if I can, occasionally or at least once next year. A special coffee shop, cabin, specific nature spots, and yes, Barnes & Noble. 😂 I love dreaming and planning at these places and it gives me something to look forward to! Yes, my major heart homes are the Lake District, Cumbria, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and P.E.I., Canada, 🇨🇦 but no plans soon for returning there. 😉🥰😍😂

My Reading life is a life-giving to me. I’m intentionally keeping it simple this year with two challenges and open-ended possibilities.

•my first challenge is to start reading all Kate Howe’s current Victorian Literature Favorites as a project for myself. I actually haven’t finished or read many of these and thought it would be fun to challenge myself with some deeper reading.

• I absolutely love Chantel’s open-ended word categories this year, so hoping to plug in what I read there. I may not do them in the months assigned, but will look at them throughout the year.

• I was so inspired by this video talking about ideas for this gal’s reading journal. I don’t pre set up most of my journal pages except in the opening, preferring to work on them as the year progresses. I’m hoping to tweak some of her ideas to work for my journal.

•I want to tie on my Apron of home keeping and hospitality in a new, fresh way this year. Sometimes this means making a meal for a new mom or dropping off a bouquet of sunflowers you grew. It can mean more than hosting in your home. I have an older house with one small bathroom. How can I use it to bless my hubby, children, and those around me? This isn’t an easy area for me, so I want to grow. I’d like to put some effort in helping my husband fix a few things and focus on a small, container flower garden on my older deck, as a way of extending our home this summer. I’d like to host bonfires in fine weather, as we have a lot of outdoor space. Praying for the Lord’s leading. I’m setting up my little to-do planner/memory book in anticipation! I feel like I’m being asked to focus on ‘Taking Heed/Paying Attention” as my phrase for the year. I found a quote by Charlotte Mason, my educational philosophy heroine, that uses the phrase “expectant attention” and it hit me like a lightening bolt. I want to pay attention to the Lord’s still small voice in expectancy for all the glorious Truth and Love He has for me.

Amy Carmichael quote for my phrase of the year! “Expectant Attention”

Little paper doors that open with goals and ideas! 🥹😍

•I’d love to take to the Forest and field more. Nature walks and returning over and over again to numerous nearby favorites has blessed us immensely over the years on rotation. We truly strengthen our relationships with each other and walk away with little bits of beauty that keep on giving. These usually just cost me a bit of planning, a lunch thrown in a bag, and a little gas for an unmeasurable amount of Joy.

•Lastly, I want to really revamp and dive into my Scriptures this year. The Holy Bible is my life map and I honestly, adore it. I don’t understand it and it’s hard to read at times, but by faith, it will not return void in my life. I’d like to try a bit more focused journaling around it and I was so inspired by Doris’ journal here. She’s not using it for prayer and Scripture items, but I feel I could adapt some of it.