Seasons 1-2 (2023)
Welcome if you’re new to the blog! Every two weeks, I post a video focusing on nature through the lens of the seasons we experience both on the calendar and in our lives, as well as a few seasonal book recommendations.
January promises new beginnings and a chance to reflect on our ever-evolving lives. January and September always feel similar to me in that we return to a rhythm that feels counter to the unstructured days of vacation.
This year, we headed off on a road trip to Colorado to usher in the new year. The journey through those in-between places along the way allowed us to let our minds wander, sing or move along to songs we haven’t heard in a while, listen to podcasts or have conversations that our daily life rarely gives us space to explore.
Wandering through the Colorado forests on snowshoes, sleds, or skis with our toes warmed by our long socks and snow boots led to hands curled around hot chocolate or cider by the fire. Our hearts were filled with a renewed sense of wonder. When we returned home to Austin, our daily routine ruled our days again. I didn’t mind the change, though, because I knew that in a few months, I’d be ready once more for the boundaries of the school year to dissolve, offering mornings to sleep in and days with endless possibilities.
Enjoy this walk into the snowy forest with our family.
The music featured in the video is Morning Hike by Lindsey Abraham and Robin by S.A. Karl on Epidemic Sound.
WEEKEND READING
I’m changing up the book recommendations section of the blog to include a collection of books paired with ASMR room recommendations. What is ASMR and Why Are People Watching These Videos?
Creating a reading environment that provides a rich and immersive experience can be transformative for your reading life. I hope your journey into this winter world helps you enjoy the season you’re in or takes you to a place you’d like to be as you walk alongside the characters in the story.
After completing Nevermoor and Greenglass House, I continued my exploration of all things snowy and adventurous this season. I’ve paired these book picks with cozy ASMR rooms.
A Winter’s Promise is a book in translation that I heard about recently and couldn’t wait to read. In the story, a young girl named Ophelia, content with living a simple life and acting as curator of her family’s historical archives, is forced to wed a young man living far away in an icy world that isn’t what it seems. This book is part of the Mirror Visitor Quartet series by Christelle Dabos and Hildegarde Serle (French translator). The other books in the series are The Missing of Clairdelune, The Memory of Babel, and The Storm of Echoes.
I HIGHLY recommend listening to Voyage of the Frostheart in audiobook format. The narrator, Joshua McGuire, is such a good storyteller. The world-building in this book is incredible!
This year I’m starting my morning with a poem or a short piece of literature that feels seasonal and inspiring. For January, I’ve chosen The Quiet Music of Gently Falling Snow by Jackie Morris. This book began as a collection of art that grew into a collection of stories offering possible interpretations of the art as imagined by the artist herself. One of the stories, called String of Stars, reminds me of the story of the song-weavers in Voyage of the Frostheart.
The book was featured on The Cottage Fairy YouTube Channel with Paola Merrill.
If you love nature and haven’t had the opportunity to read the monthly Natural Wonder Newsletter by author (and new mom!) Andrea Debbink, I highly recommend signing up. You can also pre-order her newest book, Sylvie and the Wolf, on Bookshop.org.
What’s my simple joy this week? I love a fresh start. This week I’ve enjoyed simplifying my routine and paying attention to what matters most in my life right now, which happens to be keeping things simple so that I have more time for the activities and people I love.
Purchasing items from the links below helps to support this blog AND some incredibly talented authors, illustrators, small businesses, and makers:
52 Seasons Libro.fm Audiobook List
I read once that if there is something that you want to do, but you're not sure how to get there, just begin.
Writing blog posts for 52 Seasons is a creative journey into the expressions that come from my heart: writing, photography, tending a garden, immersing myself in nature, reading stories from voices that need to be heard and sharing them with others, keeping a home, being an advocate and supporter of education and basic human rights, and sharing resources with others.
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