Happy Friday, y’all! This week was marked by lots of heavy anxiety and a death in the family, so it was a bit tough to sit with and process. There were times were I felt like I was on a stimulant of the otherworldly kind and other times where I felt like I was dragging myself - both physically and emotionally - through molasses. However, it’s days and weeks like these that remind me of where I find my greatest solace and comfort: art, books, loved ones, subjects that bring me joy, and nature.
“It’s cold today, but in a spring way, and I love you.” - Vladimir Nabokov, in a letter to his wife on March 24, 1937 from Letters to Véra
Anywho, grab your coffee (or whatever beverage you prefer!) and let’s take a break.
I love mid-century design in all forms, and one newsletter that I consistently look forward to is
. Some folks window shop for homes on Zillow but all I need is the last half of this newsletter to transport my imagination to an evening that’s spent dining al fresco under the smooth roof lines of a retro single-story halfway across the country.If you’ve been online this week, you probably heard about the botched Photoshop job on a seemingly innocent photo of Kate Middleton and her three children that was released by Kensington Palace on Mothering Sunday. Less than 24 hours later, a “kill notice” was issued by three of the world’s major photojournalistic entities due to the digital manipulation of the photo.
from wrote a great piece that breaks down the significance of the situation, particularly in regard to how it reflects on the establishment as a whole. I loved this reel by too.A piece from
that interviews Katie Gee Salisbury, the author of a new nonfiction release, Not Your China Doll, that chronicles the life, experience, and legacy of Anna May Wong during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
doing
Playing Wordle, Connections, Conexo, and Contexto on an almost-daily basis
Admiring the garden beds in our backyard, which have been a source of immense pride and joy over the last couple weeks; there’s nothing quite like watching plants take hold and find their footing in the springtime
Waiting for hummingbirds! I’ve been keeping track of migratory sightings with this interactive map, and it looks like I’ll need to get their feeders cleaned and stocked with sugar-water shortly
reading
Wow, No Thank You (on audio) by Samantha Irby, which has provided me with some much-needed levity and belly laughs this week
Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell; I love Emily first and foremost for her meticulous words and em dashes, but our shared love of gardening is our invisible string
Still chippin’ away at Lonesome Dove and The Custom of the Country, which are multi-month group reads for the From the Front Porch and Novel Pairings book clubs
listening
The musical score and soundtrack from The Intern; it’s one of my favorite albums to put on when I need to think, write, or just feel good and alive
Kacey Musgraves’ newly released album, Deeper Well (eek!); upon first listen, my favorite songs are “Deeper Well”, “Too Good to be True”, “Sway”, “Jade Green”, “The Architect”, “Anime Eyes”, and “Nothing to be Scared Of”; this album is if 1960s folk-rock à la The Mamas & the Papas (“Cardinal”) had a child with Irish folk music with a lil’ sprinklin’ of classic Kacey on top
One of my favorite three-hour-long Disney World ambiance videos; this music loop truly encapsulates a modern Epcot and if caught in the right mood, makes me so damn emotional (lol)
consuming
As mentioned in this post, iced lattes with coconut milk; they’re so good!
My almost-daily afternoon tea, which is the perfect lil’ boost of caffeine to finish up the work day; my favorite blends right now are Thé Des Moines and Thé Du Hammam
Instagram, where you can often find me laughing at memes and sharing work from my favorite artists in my stories
Check out my planner-related videos on YouTube
My shelves on Bookshop.org
Some of my favorite products, which are saved to my Amazon storefront
‘Til next time,
PS. Affiliate links are used in this post. They’re at no cost to you but if you do choose to use them, they give me a very small percentage of the cost of your purchase.
Where to find me: Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest | Goodreads | StoryGraph
Ooh thank you for the MCM recc. I love searching "mid century modern wall unit" and envisioning my life with that piece in it lol
Everything in here is such a gift. Kacey & Disney ambiance... I know the soundtrack to my Friday! My coworker - and now, you - have inspired me to tackle Lonesome Dove this year. Hoping for some great gardening + birdspotting vibes for you this month!