Season 30 - 33
Just a heads up that I will be taking a quick break as we prepare to move during Seasons 30-33, but I’ll be back to writing again for Season 34. We are not moving very far and will still be in the Austin area with even more nature at our fingertips. Leaving our house and thriving garden after 11 years will be bittersweet, but we’re excited about putting down new roots, getting involved in the neighborhood’s community garden, and all the new adventures ahead.
* A beautiful video on all the emotions involved in a move from one home to another
*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
Recently we spent some time in the mountains. I find I always feel a little braver there. The oppressive heat in Texas is lifted from my skin and my spirits, and I’m able to feel a little freer to explore and push outside my comfort zone.
Sometimes this freedom means riding (where I wouldn't venture alone) down a mountain bike trail with my husband and my son or putting aside my fear of meeting a mountain lion or bear no matter how many times they tell me it is unlikely!
Being on vacation for me is akin to switching my internet browser to reader view. All of the noise of regular life is muted for just a few days. I’m able to just focus on the simple things in life like admiring the apricot tree in the backyard of our rental, walking in the neighborhood or hiking on a trail and noticing the plants that grow in that area, browsing the local bookstore, or beginning the day by asking what we feel like doing today instead of what do we need to do. We can choose to turn off our phones or choose when to engage with them. There is choice and freedom in moving at a slower pace with more curiosity.
We intentionally made this vacation simple after a complex year. We focused on mountain biking, hiking, and golf. Hearing music in the center of town on the first night, we made our way to the local park and ended up playing hacky sack and talking with a few local residents while we listened to the band play. In the late afternoons and evenings we spent time lounging at the coffee shop or enjoying dinner at the tables that lined the sidewalks on the main street. I made plenty of time to read and just enjoy the slowness.
I also picked up this book and a second reading journal for the year at the local bookstore.
This past weekend I watched You’ve Got Mail as part of a watch party with Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Book Club. Bookstore owner Meg Ryan ponders whether her life is small because she likes it that way or because she is too afraid to make it bigger.
I find myself wondering if a small and simple life is where I feel the most grounded and that is why I prefer that type of life, or if I should be more brave and try new adventures more often. I appreciated this article by Anne Bogel on why Not Every Adventure Has to Be Grand.
On our road trip we found ourselves listening to podcasts and looking up random bits of information we never think about or make time for in regular life. I’m sharing a few of the ways we kept ourselves entertained on the road.
(By the way, if you need a makeshift speaker because one phone is being used for navigation, your cup holder has some decent acoustics! Just place your phone in the cupholder, and you’ll notice the sound is amplified.)
Need to look up the best platform or app to buy or rent movies at the best price? I love the app Just Watch.
Random facts: How All 50 States Got Their Names
Teach critical thinking to your kids with The Big Fib podcast.
How do I get a job as a taco journalist? We loved this new podcast called Tacos of Texas.
Looking for a fun new place to camp? Check out Camp Fimfo in New Braunfels, Texas on Campspot. It looks like a great place to take the family for a weekend! Click the Campspot logo to find out more and book your next adventure! ($)
You Need A Budget (YNAB) ($) has a new re-design and I absolutely love it!
Get the details with a side of humor by watching Hannah’s latest video in the Heard It From Hannah series. I love her pro-bird take on a well-known saying “Feeding two birds with one scone”.
GARDEN
We came back from vacation to find a melon making its own way snuggled into our cucumber and melon arch.
It is hot and and dry in the garden, so I’m getting my fill of flowers by watching the Growing Floret documentary on Discovery. This documentary is not only a look at the behind-the-scenes struggles and triumphs in growing a business, but also the way life, family, business, and personal growth align with the life cycle of flowers. In life, as time passes we have to make difficult decisions, and yet there is beauty in each transition. (Plus, Erin’s an introvert like me, and I relate to some of the struggles that come with needed space and calm in a busy world.)
Our resident mockingbird babies in May and photos of them now. They’ve been out with mama (she’s the one on the suet feeder) learning how to navigate this big wide world.
WELLNESS
Mid-Summer Pep Talk from The Lazy Genius - mental and emotional fatigue are real even when we feel we’re moving forward
When Everyone Seems Happy Except for You
*An update from Paola from The Cottage Fairy on the wildfires and her community
CREATIVITY
We’re still enjoying watching Making It every week. The creativity is so inspiring!
BOOKSHELF
Barrier Breaking Olympian books for kids
Picture books to celebrate the summer Olympics
Reading: I Was Anastasia ($) by Ariel Lawhon, Northanger Abbey($) by Jane Austen, The Whispering House ($) by Elizabeth Brooks, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous ($) 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 ($) by Heather McGhee
Recently Finished: Sparks Like Stars ($) by Nadia Hashimi, Do Less ($) by Kate Northrup, Let’s Talk About Hard Things ($) by Anna Sale, 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, 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
She’s nearly 100. He’s 2 and lives next door. Here’s how they became best friends.
"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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