If you could chuck your to-do list out the window today, what would you do? π π Iβd 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. βΊοΈπ
Hereβs whatβs on my stack that Iβm currently interested in or really enjoying!
Cheesy, bordering on super silly continuing cozy mystery series that pokes fun of the Regency literature era tropes πI β₯οΈ 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! Canβt wait to try this! I adore anything with lighthouses!Oh my word. Iβm absolutely adoring this book. Montgomeryβs writing and characters make my heart sing. ππ₯Ήβ₯οΈ
I love keeping houseβ¦itβs really a lovely phrase, isnβt it? Keeping itβ¦holding it fast against the worldβ¦against all the forces trying to tear it open.
βMarilla!β Anne sat down on Marillaβs gingham lap, took Marillaβs lined face between her hands, and looked gravely and tenderly into Marillaβs eyes. βIβm not a bit changed-not really. Iβm only just pruned down and branched out. The real me-back here-is just the same. It wonβt make a bit of difference where I go or how much I change outwardly; at heart I shall always be your little Anne, who will love you and Matthew and dear Green Gables more and better every day of her life.β
~ Anne of Green Gables
πππ thinking about my Anne getting MARRIED. πππ My oldest son is doing a lot and making decisions, too!! Change and them growing up is in my heart. Hard, but beautiful. β₯οΈππ»
If I can stop one Heart from breaking
I shall not live in vain
If I can ease one Life the Aching
Or cool one Pain
Or help one fainting Robin
Into his Nest again
I shall not live in Vain.
~ Emily Dickinson
We are enjoying Dickinson again in our co op currently! She is one of my most favorite poets and I think this above poem IS my favorite by her. π₯²β₯οΈ The prayer over my life. Here is a beautiful print of it for your home.
When Marilla had eaten her lunch Anne persuaded her to go to bed. Then Anne went herself to the east gable and sat down by her window in the darkness alone with her tears and her heaviness of heart. How sadly things had changed since she sat there the night after coming home! Then she had been full of hope and joy and the future had looked rosy with promise. Anne felt as if she had lived years since then, but before she went to bed there was a smile on her lips and peace in her heart. She looked her duty courageously in the face and found it a friend-as duty ever is when we meet it frankly.β
~Anne of Green Gables, emphasis mine
Iβm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then thereβs a pair of us-donβt tell!
Theyβd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
~Emily Dickinson
A few favorite Emily resources β₯οΈ
Anne went to the little Avonlea graveyard the next evening to put fresh flowers on Matthewβs grave and water the Scotch rosebush. She lingered there until dusk, liking the peace and calm of the little place, with its poplars whose rustle was like a low, friendly speech, and its whispering grasses growing at will among the graves. When she finally left it and walked down the long hill that sloped to the Lake of Shining Waters it was past sunset and all Avonlea lay before her in a dreamlike afterlight-βa haunt of ancient peace.β There was a freshness in the air as if a wind that had blown over honey-sweet fields of clover. Home lights twinkled out here and there among the homestead trees. Beyond lay the sea, misty and purple, with its haunting, unceasing murmur. The west was a glory of soft, mingled hues, and the pond reflected them all in still softer shadings. The beauty of it thrilled Anneβs heart, and she gratefully opened the gates of her soul to it.
I donβt remember when I first encountered the wonderful world of Booktube, but it was pre-covid and Iβve been happily watching ever since! If you arenβt sure what it is, Booktube is a corner of YouTube that focuses on reading and talking about reading! π I also have found AMAZING reading journalers which is like a sandwich of my two favorite hobbies ever! There are YouTubers for EVERY hobby! Flosstubers, Gardentubers, Cookingtubers! ππ β₯οΈ Overall, Iβve found a small group of people in the Booktube world who are sooo friendly, welcoming, and as passionate about books and reading as I am! As with anything, you have to weed out a few thorns and balance the time spent, but this has been an enriching part of my life. Today I thought Iβd share a few of my current favs! As you know πI read a wide variety of random things, so Iβm going to share my Eclectic Booktuber favorites! I have many MORE, I love, but these are my jam currently.
Do you have a niche YouTube corner? A hobby that you like learning about on YouTube!? Iβd love to hear! Maybe I will do another of these lists later for my general favorite Booktubers!
Good morning! βοΈ Resurrecting my Wednesday Wonders seriesβ¦I recently answered these questions here, but they are always changing, so indulge me again?! πβ₯οΈπ·
β’listening toβ’β₯οΈπ²~ Iβm finally getting to the sequel in L.M. Montgomeryβs Silver Bush duology, using this audiobook recording of it that is fantastic! Iβm LOVING Mistress Pat even more than the first. Patricia is growing up and feeling the growing pains of possibly having to leave Silver Bush and everything changing! I identify with change being hard! π₯²I also want to listen more to this Josh Garrels release!
Music practice always going on around here! So thankful we have the ability for lessons!
β’readingβ’β₯οΈπ²~ My mood shifted yesterday π and I started rooting around for things to read. ππ I think Iβm leaning towards cozy classics, charming characters, and delicious nature descriptions. Of course, I first picked up, my gal, Maud Montgomery! Hence, Mistress Pat! A memory I have is rereading the whole Anne Series when I was pregnant with my first. Her name is Ann-E π₯Ήβ₯οΈπ and she getting married later this year! Maybe Iβll reread the series this year in honor!? ππ
Moody stack!
β’watchingβ’β₯οΈπ²~ Iβm slowly rereading all the greats with my younger set. The Wind in the Willows is one of the current ones. Itβs such a great book for spring! I was craving the claymation? film version and so enjoyed watching it. The peaceful atmosphere (except Toad πΈπ) was just as I remembered it.
β’noticingβ’β₯οΈπ²~ Our Black Willow trees sustained a lot of damage in a recent ice storm, but I salvaged a few branches with buds for the table. The robins have been so cheery even though itβs been rainy and cold. Iβm waiting not so patiently for warmth and usually by the end of April, the Barn Swallows are back! πβ₯οΈ
Millayβs poetry has been recently touching me deeply. Do you have a current favorite poet? Mine is constantly changing. Iβm a lover of words and Beauty of poetry often waylays me! The other morning I stopped with great delight over my steaming coffee and knew that I was hearing the spring peepers on our little pond. It brought me so much joy. I received a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas last year and Iβm sooo glad I picked this giant tome of her work. β₯οΈβ₯οΈβ₯οΈ