“The way we work in our culture is as though we’re in a perpetual harvest. But anyone who’s grown anything in the earth knows that this is impossible.”

-Kate Northrup, Author of Do Less

*If you see an asterisk next to a link, that link takes you to a video with sound. Just a heads-up in case you need to turn the volume down or pop on your headphones.

HOME + TRAVEL

This week I finished up the book Do Less by Kate Northrup and my book is now littered with sticky book darts. In this week’s post I’ll share several of the pieces of advice I gleaned from my reading that struck a chord with me. I hope they are helpful to this community, and I encourage you to go out and get yourself a copy of her book either through the link below or at your local library.

Recently we enjoyed a Hill Country staycation, and I took what I learned from Do Less and The Lazy Genius Podcast episode called Your Guide to Summer Meals and put the ideas to work.

Sitting down at our dining table, I wrote down the activities we had planned. I considered what meals needed to be quick, and when we could put a little extra time into preparing our meal (but not so much that it cut into our swimming time).

We settled on some prepared sides, added an already-cooked chicken to use in several meals, breakfast taco ingredients, yogurt, and a healthy Greek salad I could throw together after my son’s golf tournament when we would return hungry. I ordered curbside delivery from our local grocery store and called it a day.

Taking time to think through this aspect of our staycation meant we had more time to just relax and enjoy our stay. I knew exactly what we were going to eat, and had less food waste and more brain space dedicated to just enjoying time with my family.

In this week’s newsletter from The Lazy Genuis, Kendra Adachi offers the suggestion to “Prioritize your decisions now.” If enjoying your vacation is your priority, do what it takes ahead of time (and only focus on the essentials!) to ensure your enjoyment. There will be hiccups, but maybe now isn’t the time to make a gourmet meal or spend time searching for the perfect restaurant in a new town if your goal is family time around the pool.

GARDEN

In my Season 25 post, I mentioned the sparrows that have taken up residence in our backyard. I love watching the young sparrows as they wag their tail feathers in anticipation of the food their mom brings over.

Water Wisely

WELLNESS

We’ve had relatively mild temperatures and plenty of rain here in Central Texas for the month of June. We feel for our neighbors in the west who have been experiencing record-breaking heat. I’m sure we’ll have our share of hot temperatures in July and August as usual. I hope that you are finding ways to stay cool this summer.

*Getting Through a Rough Patch from The Cottage Fairy

CREATIVITY

“We don’t ask a flower to blossom all year long. We understand that she has seasons and cycles.” -Kate Northrup, Author of Do Less

In the book, Do Less, Kate Northrup writes about seasons of creativity. Just as in nature, we must allow for rest, renewal, and a bubbling up of creativity in moments of quiet, downtime, and in the simplest of moments in our lives (like the shower or neighborhood walk epiphanies that are so common).

When I find that I am in need of a period of creative rest, I lean into supporting the efforts of artists who are putting their creative vision into action and sharing it with the world.

I lost one of my favorite wooden earrings last week and needed to order a new one. Luckily, Luster and Ash, an Austin company, still has the Willow style earring available. You can also find these lovely earrings at ATown (an Austin shop that supports local makers).

This Etsy maker is turning old skateboards into earrings, home decor and furniture! ($)

BOOKSHELF

Sentence Building Ice Cream Activity for Kids from Maya Smart

This month’s Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club pick for July is Sparks Like Stars. When I listened to Anne Bogel’s One Great Book podcast, she mentioned a reference in Sparks Like Stars to the book I Was Anastasia.

Even though the MMD Book Club doesn’t have flight picks (MMD’s term for book club pairings) for the summer months, I decided I would make my own in this case. In a past event, there was also a mention of I Was Anastasia being a good pairing for the upcoming book club pick The Whispering House (which pairs well with Northanger Abbey). So, I’m cracking open TWO new books this month while finishing a few others I’ve had in my stack leftover from June.

My husband and I were discussing the new audio book I’ve been listening to called The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together ($) by Heather McGhee. My husband brought to my attention the quotation by Peter Drucker:

“When a cynic asks, ‘What if we train them and they leave?’ winning organizations respond: ‘what if we don’t train them and they stay?”

This quotation got me thinking about the ways in which we approach education, business, and our communities here in the United States. Often, we are trying to put a bandage on issues and problems that arise because resources, training, and support were lacking, absent, or misguided in the early stages of development.

As Heather McGhee points out in the book, a common perspective is that there is one pie and that when one person takes a piece there is less remaining for everyone else. She offers another perspective where the pie benefits a greater community where all can benefit from the sharing of resources. So far I’m intrigued by her research and look forward to listening to her perspective on how we can work together in our communities for the greater good.

Reading: Sparks Like Stars ($) by Nadia Hashimi, I Was Anastasia ($) by Ariel Lawhon, Let’s Talk About Hard Things ($) by Anna Sale, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous ($) by Ocean Vuong, The Secret World of Weather ($) by Tristan Gooley, and Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man ($) by Emmanuel Acho

Listening to: The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together ($) by Heather McGhee

Recently Finished: Do Less ($) by Kate Northrup, Charming As A Verb ($) by Ben Philippe, We’re Going to Need More Wine ($) by Gabrielle Union, The Language of Flowers ($) by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, and Luck of the Titanic ($) by Stacey Lee

Up next: Finding by Voice ($) by Nadiya Hussain, Caste ($) by Isabel Wilkerson, The Mountains Sing ($) by Mai Phan Que Nyguen, What Could be Saved ($) by Liese O’Halloran Schwartz, Northanger Abbey($) by Jane Austen, The Whispering House ($) by Elizabeth Brooks, and The Stationery Shop ($) by Marjan Kamali

In case you are looking for book recommendations for kids (or yourself!), gift ideas for all ages or want to peek into my TBR List for 2021, head over to the 52 Seasons Book Shop on Bookshop.org.

COMMUNITY

A community is stronger when we value each member. Seniors are an integral part of our community. These photographers blend nature with the lives of community elders to showcase their wisdom and organic beauty.

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - Desmond Tutu

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Disclosure: ($) If you see this dollar symbol in a post, the link is an affiliate post. I will receive income or a discount on products if you purchase that item on Bookshop.org or anything on the Etsy, Campspot, Beauty by Earth, or Prana website using my link. Income from the products in these links helps me to keep this blog growing.