Iām loosely participating in five? July specific Booktube Readathons! I really enjoy just marking off prompts! šā
I decorated some of my July pages ahead in my to-do pocket Moleskine because thereās some travel and family stuff going on. I usually decorate this one the day of use because itās so small, but I donāt pack all my journaling supplies when going on trips! I especially love the Jane Austen stickers I saved for the start of Jane Austen July! šā„ļøšø
Deck-a-TBR-a-Thon! Summerween! Private Eye July! Jane Austen July! Zoom in for Prompts, if interested! š ššš
These are some summer long prompts! I made a great dent in them in June!
Two June Read-a-Thons that I had a lot of fun with! I just read what Iām in the mood for and make them fit mostly, but I do tailor a few of my choices depending on topic. Read a couple American Revolution type books with my kids etc.
June Reading Journal pages almost full!
I purchased coffee stickers and cute yellow bakery type washi so my July theme is Yellow Coffee & Flower Shop! š¤Ŗš ššš¤šš¤š
VERY ambitious health/mental/spiritual/relational goals for July! šš±š
What are you creating lately? I so enjoy working in my journals.
Iāve 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! š I hope to start listening to this audiobook on walks soon! A classic P.I. mystery that Iāve never tried, The Maltese Falcon. If I enjoy it, I hope to watch the Humphrey Bogart film.
~watching~šæā„ļøBooktube, mainly, and I hope to try the 2020 Emma film adaptation to kick off the Jane Austen July readathon! Iām very hesitant about newer Austen adaptations, because I love the old ones so much. Have you seen this one? Is it any good? š
~reading~šæā„ļø Iām 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! šā„ļø
~Noticing~šæā„ļøThe 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? ~ šæā„ļø
Click in to read a little boyās thoughts on jam! šā„ļøš„°š
Happiest First Day of Summer and Fatherās Day! Iām over here at Hearth Ridge enjoying family, sunshine, flowers, and an Anne of Avonlea reread. Church and feasting, too! God is good! āØ
Beauty in the midst of construction zone! š š„°
Iāve enjoyed Jessicaās blog for awhile now and I saw she was joining in a bookish blog hop about our 2026 reading! I used to blog hop a lot and really enjoyed linking up with others over a common topic. š Iām joining her at Words & Peace for this reading meme reflecting about your first six months of reading.
Instructions from Emma at Words & Peace:
In 2021, Jo at The Book Jotter started hosting the meme Six in Six. She stopped blogging in 2025, so I have decided to host it myself.
What is 6 in 6?
The idea is to look back at the books you have read so far in the six months of this year. Now, I love plays with numbers, so Iām extending this meme: you can post any time in July, or as early as 6/6, June 6th.
What do you post?
Choose 6 books in 6 categories. You can come up with your own category, or choose among the following examples (copied from Joās blog):
Six new authors to me
Six authors I have read before
Six authors I am looking forward to reading more of
Six books I have enjoyed the most
Six books I was disappointed with
Six series of books read or started
Six authors I read last year ā but not so far this year
Six books that took me on extraordinary journeys
Six books that took me by the hand and led me into the past
Six books from the past that drew me back there
Six books from authors I know will never let me down
Six books I must mention that donāt fit nicely into any category
Six books I started in the first six months of the year and was still caught up with in July
Six trips to Europe
Six blogging events I enjoyed
Six bookish things Iām looking forward to
Six Espionage or Historical Novels I enjoyed
Six Cool Classics
Six Non-US/Non-British Authors
Six From the Non-Fiction Shelf
Six books that didnāt live up to expectations
Six books that I had one or two problems with but am still glad I tried
Six books that are related to The Great War or Second World War
Six bookshops I have visited
Six books Iāve read in an English translation
Six books which are better than the film
Six books which are worse than the film
Six books that have sport as their major theme
Six favourite places to read
Six books read on kindle and then went and bought an actual copy
Six books I abandoned
Six classics I have read
Six books I have read on my Kindle
Six physical books I have read
Six book covers I love
Six book covers that bear no resemblance to the story contained within
Six books to read to avoid politics
Six books I have read but not reviewed
Six books I have read in lockdown
Six classic mysteries
Six books about Royalty
Six pretty book covers
Six books set in a country other than my own
Six books that feature a Pandemic
Six books that are great when self-isolating
Six books recently added to my wish list
Six mysteries, thrillers or crime novels NOT by Agatha Christie
Six books with titles connected to rivers, seas and storms
Six nature related books
Six books about Librarians and Libraries
Six books I really want to buy in the next six months
Six books that feature a building in the title
My categories Iāve chosen to share about are:
Six favorite genres so far
Six favorite reads so far in 2026
Six favorite Booktube Readathons
Six New-to-Me Authors
Six Mysteries I loved
Six Books I Read from My Shelf
My Six Favorite Genres: (many are a mixture of these below! Iām such an eclectic reader!)
Fairytale/Classic Retellings
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Mystery
Young Adult
Middle Grade
My Six Favorite Reads so far 2026 (so hard to choose!)
The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco (beautiful, heartwarming Middle Grade)
The Robe by Lloyd C. Douglas (gorgeous, Biblical Historical Fiction)
The Will of Many by James Islington (wonderful epic Historical Fantasy)
Through Rushing Waters by Catherine Richmond (Heartbreaking Historical Fiction)
Mistress Pat by L.M. Montgomery (beautifully written classic)
Dawn of Wonder by Jonathan Renshaw (classic fantasy story of an underdog!)
My Six Favorite Booktube Readathons So Far this Year: (You can still join these! I donāt follow the monthly prompts, I just fill them in as I go!)
Iām taking a Booktube watching break/Instagram break and a few days in, itās already been nice. Iāve mostly been listening to the birds on my deck early in the morning. Starlings are loud and strange sounding birds. š¤£ Recently, I got to hear two owls (Barred?) chattering because I went out there at 4:00 am. I did get in the Agatha Christie audiobook of Dumb Witness, Poirot and Hastings make me laugh! š I also got the audiobook Ruby Holler in, but weāll see if I get to it. I decided to soft quit Calculated, my last audiobook, because I have to be in the right mood for revenge stories. I do like the main female character, though, and setting, so I will probably finish it.
Watching ā„ļøšæ~ my hubby, three younger kids, and I traveled to see the biggest steam train recently. It was used during WWII to haul big loads over Utah mountains?! We had a fun Tookish adventure together! š ā„ļø I read almost a whole book there and back! š Otherwise, I havenāt been watching much? I hope to watch the movie āSummer of Monkeysā with my kids as we are almost finished with the book. š„°ā„ļø
Reading ā„ļøšæ~ I talk nonstop here šš about my reading, but Iām currently most enjoying The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane, What you are looking for is in the library, and The Bride of Fallen Stars is intriguing me on my Kindle.
Noticing ā„ļøšæ~ Iām mostly noticing flowers, trees, and seedlings. š± š„° Itās a wonderful time of year!
What are you listening to, watching, reading, noticing? ā„ļøšæ~
ā¢thankful for the laundry blowing on the line ā¢the killdeers and geeseā¢the smell of pine in the sunā¢delicious chicken and veggie kebobsā¢talking with Ricci and many others at graduation partiesā¢for a hot shower ā¢new gratitude journalā¢for a hubby who works hardā¢for remodeling ā¢for gorgeous storm cloudsā¢
I sometimes think the worst thing a young person can feel is when you can find no answer to the question of what you are supposed to do with this life youāve been given. At moments youāre aware of it balanced on your tongue, but not what comes next. Something like that. I can now say that another version of that happens in old age, when it occurs to you that since youāve lived this long you must have learned something, so you open your eyes before dawn and think: What is it that Iāve learned, what is it I want to say?
ā¦let your compassion come to us quickly, for we have become very weak.
Excerpt from Psalm 79:8, CSB
Sunday evening bonfiresā¦
I love finding random journaling prompts on Pinterest and really enjoy looking back at lists Iāve made!
Currently: š
Readingā¦
My main focus this month is dipping into my massive stack of Victorian literature (one Victorian inspired in that stack!)for an online event called Victober! Community reading of literature published in the UK during Queen Victoriaās reign {1837-1901}. I set aside many other things to be apart of this lovely reading focus. Itās honestly become a highlight of my year for the last few years! Iām reading poetry from Tennyson, Emily Bronte, Oscar Wilde, and George MacDonald. Iāve dipped into Queen Victoriaās childhood diaries a teeny bit, too. Iām slowly rereading Our Mutual Friend. My favorites have been the drama in Charlotte Mary Yongeās The Three Brides (Kindle) about three newlywed SILās thrown together under their new invalid widowed MIL, Shirley by Charlotte Bronte, and Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy with the audiobook read by Alan Rickman.
Iām supposed to be reading Niall Williamsā This Is Happiness with my IRL friends, but got distracted by the Victorians! š¤£
Iām also dipping into various things for study and to keep up the homeschooling co op classes Iām facilitating, momās group, a writing commitment and our own homeschool. The opening chapter of The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis was fascinating and so lovely.
A little book haul from a HUGE, fabulous used bookstore that I had only 30 minutes to peruse. š
Watchingā¦
Iām on a bit of a social media purge so missing my Booktube watching, š¤£ but I did watchāHarry Potter and The Sorcererās Stoneā with two of my older kids. Itās the only one of the movies I truly love.
Iām ātryingā to find balance?! with all our outside activities, homeschooling, cultivation of relationships, and taking care of myself. Itās not working well š š„², but one has to have something to keep aiming for even if they miss continually. š
Nature walk to examine a āshaggy barkā hickory tree. ā„ļø
Looking forward toā¦
Continuing Victober and hopefully watching the BBC miniseries of āOur Mutual Friendā this month?! and next probably. Itās long!
Dreadingā¦
Hmmm, deadlines are necessary evils, but they can be stressful for me. Leadership is stretching for me. Unfinished household projects. The great clothing change-out. The usual. š
Obsessing Overā¦
All things Victorian! I made these recently! It was difficult, but so fun! Iāve loved noticing one of my favorite autumn thingsā¦glancing in the rear view mirror and seeing the leaves swirl up, dance, come āaliveā!
Learningā¦
So much through facilitating our co op highschoolers through The Divine Comedy and realizing that worry can be pride, Iām saying I know more than God. š¬š«£š šš»
Drinkingā¦
Iāve been making half pumpkin spice flavored coffee with regular dark blend and itās so great! I drink it black and itās just a hint of pumpkin flavor. I donāt loooove flavored coffees, but this is gooood. š
Lovingā¦
My hubby and I took a 4 day trip north in celebration of our 23rd anniversary which was in September. We enjoyed history and nature together!
Hating (or rather Broken Up About)ā¦
All the relational tensions, loved ones going through illnesses, marital pain, financial stress and just the general feeling of the absence of love š permeating the air. ššš»ā„ļøOh, Lord, come!
I love Hawk Weed?! š§”š§”š§”
Startingā¦
Revamping my prayer time again! Needed something fresh! Journaling and alternating spots Iām reading in the Bible. Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms. Currently added a Proverbs of the Day! Love finding the one that matches the day of the month! ā¤ļøšš»
Thinkingā¦
About our lifeās work?! and about the resurrection of my poetry scribblings and collage art, what I need to sacrifice to make it happen. Thinking about the movie ā Dead Poets Societyā, which I watched for the first time a couple months ago. š„²
Feelingā¦
Not sure. š¤ Overwhelmed a bit šµāš«šš¬š , but also inspired by the gorgeous autumn weather and all the lovely knowledge and life ripe for the picking. Itās right here for the taking.āŗļøā„ļø
Praying forā¦
My heart to be knit closer than ever to my Jesus and a listening heart to be wide open for others and for all the beauty here and now in this moment. For all the suffering near to me and far from me. šā„ļøšš»
How about you? Whatās currently beating in your heart? Let me know your answers to these! ā„ļøšHappiest October! š š¦ š·ļø šøļø š
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 