#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Tonight‘s #hyggehour will be spent in the company of Encyclopedia Brown for #EBBR & thenfinishing up The Serviceberry for #RiseUpReads

Snacks are pear cheesecake & Hint Water in one of their seasonal flavors(cranberry orange). Mood is fine, a bit tired & not quite ready for an early morning flight to Hilo where I‘ll be in meetings tomorrow & then spend the night & come back Tuesday evening.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by one of my dim sum dishes yesterday. Deep-Fried Taro which I love to look at & bite into the crispy outer shell & savor the deliciousness within. 😋🥟

Fried taro dumpling
Light, crispy shell hides tender
Savory treasure

A little late for #5JoysFriday but who is counting? It was a really busy week but there was joy.

1. I found this bookish throw at Barnes & Noble last Sunday & since I had a $15 credit, I treated myself to cozy joy!📚💛

2. 32 hours at a dojo with my executive team wasn‘t always relaxing, but it was a good reset & had many joyful moments.🍵💚

3. I got two #ARCs from NetGalley this week that brought me joy. One for a favorite series & I don‘t ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by me, an oft solo diner, trying to break my habit of saying “just one” to the host when I eat out. I am content, at ease with myself & my own company & more than “just.” Also, no, I don‘t want to sit at the bar.

Table for Me

Trying to unlearn
That quiet, small “just one” phrase
I am whole, not “just”

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Yesterday‘s haiku was inspired by my night in my stark little room at the dojo. It was a cool (not cold, it‘s Hawaii) blustery night with the rain hitting against the window invoking a cozy, comforting feeling.

Rain pounds the window
Drops shine, diamonds in the night
Cozy in my room

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘ve been at an executive retreat the past 2 days & part of the agenda was several sessions of sitting in silence from 20 to 45 minutes at a time. This morning‘s at 6:30 AM inspired this haiku.

There are no cameras/phones in the room while the practice is going on but I found this sunrise picture of our dojo‘s grounds.

Dojo at Sunrise

Bell sounds, rooster crows
Darkness eases into dawn
We sit in stillness

Tomorrow is Friday! I‘m currently trapped in an executive business review/retreat at a dojo until tomorrow afternoon. (And we go to 9 PM tonight) 😵‍💫 But hey, it‘s still time to share those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week.

Tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you want to join in the joy. EVERYONE is welcome! 💛🤗💛

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour on the couch with Trixie & the gang for #BobWhiteBuddies

Snacking on stuffing popcorn tonight, along with this apple chai cider sparkling water.

My mood is sad that weekends are too short & it‘s another busy week cumulating in a 2-day retreat meeting that I‘m not looking forward to at all, but maybe that will make the week go by more quickly. 😬

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by taking time from errands & crowds (Ack, people!! 😱) to sip on a holiday latte & read a little at the Barnes & Noble Cafe. The tagged book is the $5 December special. I think it will be fun to read next month. (Yes, may have purchased a couple of magazines & a blanket too…)🤷🏻‍♀️

Stop, Drop & Read

An errand nearby
Led to a bookstore sojourn
Respite for reading

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Still catching up daily haikus. This one was inspired by my 4th Silent Book Club experience. We read at outside tables & Thursday night was blustery (although not cold because well, … Hawaii. We scooched in at tables under the eaves & some people went into the mall, but the reading & bookish talk went on.

Rainy Evening Reads

Wind and rain outside
Silent Book Club carries on
Readers gotta read!

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished this one last weekend for #NancyDrewBR & while not my favorite Nancy Drew, it was entertaining. This one is less about a ghost in Blackwood Hall than it is about a gang of scheming crooks fleecing people out of money & jewels through the lens of the spirit world. Slight Spoilers Ahead*** Nancy faces lots of danger in this one including quicksand (childhood fears unlocked!), being locked in an elevator in ⬇️

Hey, it‘s still Friday & I‘m posting my #5JoysFriday list! That‘s a win!🏆

1. Went to my 4th Silent Book Club last night & even if we got rained out of our usual outdoor seating, it was joyful to read with other book lovers.📚💛

2. Organic Pickle Dip & Dressing from Whole Foods gives my mouth joy! 😋🥒

3. This toasted marshmallow Greek yogurt is sweet & joyful & great with slightly tart fruit!🫐🍓

4. I really needed my quarterly Conscious ⬇️

It‘s FRIDAY!!! 🥳 I can‘t tell you how happy I am for the weekend to be almost here. That means it‘s time to post your list of the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week (if you haven‘t already!) 😉

Tag your post with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone you‘d like to spread the joy to. ALL are welcome. 💛🤗💛. You can use the background if & how you choose.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Skipped yesterday‘s haiku but I‘ll go ahead & post today‘s which is inspired by this picture & it being Wednesday & Hump Day 🐪 & me thinking how even if I‘m excited for the upcoming weekend, the 2 long days to get there will be exhausting. 😵‍💫

Hump Day Dunes

Getting over the
Midweek hump, descending fast
Like climbing sand dunes

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

‘Twas a Monday & busy enough that the only look at the sky I got was at 5:30 PM through my skylight. I am intrigued by the orangey cloud. 🧡☁️🧡

Sky Peeps

Some days slip away
Just a peep at the outside
Skylight cloud glimpses

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Tonight‘s #HyggeHour will be spent finishing the last third of Nancy Drew from last week for #NancyDrewBR & then with Encyclopedia Brown for #EBBR

I‘m settled in on the couch & my snack/dessert is a few leftover Reese‘s Halloween shapes & I‘m drinking cold apple cider. Mood is fine, a bit tired &never really excited for Monday but resigned to my fate. 😵‍💫😉😆

I never got to my October recap nor have I finished all my October reviews but I wanted to get this posted finally. Finished 16 books & a short story, started one more & got further in Women Who Run With the Wolves (I‘m still way behind).

I finished books for #SundayBuddyRead #ChildrensClasdicRead2025 #NancyDrewBR #BobWhiteBuddies #EBBR
#SheSaid #MonthlyNonFiction #ThematicCozies #FictionalTraveler #Roll100 (3) #AuthorAMonth & SeriesLove2025 ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I broke my Sunday “pjs only” rule today to meet friends for Mexican at a not-that-new-but-new-to-me place in my neighborhood. The enchiladeas suizas were worth being dressed & in public & inspired today‘s haiku.

Worth Getting Dressed For

Broke my Sunday rule
Left pajamas far behind
Enchiladas called

Late but I had to join in this #TakeThreeThursday because I play Statele everyday & have gotten really good about knowing the shapes of the states (except for Colorado & Wyoming which when you see them one at a time look exactly the same to me.🤷🏻‍♀️)

Anyway, I blew my first attempt & missed 3 because of my fat fingers & the tiny Eastern states so I zoomed way in on my second try & got 100%! 🎉

A day late for my #5JoysFriday post due to a very busy end to an already busy week, but there was joy:

1. I‘m irrationally obsessed with both the trout print & pigeon sticker from (my favorite) Blue House Mail Club. Joyful mail!💙💌💙

2. The bun is a bit smashed but this was a delicious burger & fries enjoyed with a balcony sunset view (see my “gloaming” haiku a few posts back for the view.💛😋

3. Hearty breakfast with a view before starting ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the view I had from my plane window on my way back from Hilo last night. In the dark sky we could clearly see latest episode of Kīlauea‘s episodic erupting. Truly special to see from my window seat. This is not my photo—too much glare to take one but this one, found on line, is pretty close. 🌋🛩️🖤

Fire In the Night

Glimpse of Pele‘s fire
Lava glows—a red beacon
In the dark night sky

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

A busy couple of days in Hilo & back home late last night. I wrote yesterday‘s haiku over breakfast at the hotel after watching this glorious sunrise from my balcony. 🌅 🩷🧡💙

Dawn breaks in Hilo
Sky a pastel perfection…
Let the day begin

We made it! Friday is once more upon us & it‘s time to make lists of those 5 things big or small that brought us joy in another 🔥world gone mad”🔥week.

To join the joy party, make your post & tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you to want to share some joy with. You can use the background if & how you want. 💛

EVERYONE is welcome to find & spread some joy! 💛🤗💛

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘m in Hilo overnight from meetings today to Leadership graduation tomorrow & an office pre-holiday pau hana tomorrow afternoon/evening. Got a delicious mushroom smash burger & fries from the hotel bar & ate it on my balcony listening to the mynahs before going back in to finish some work. It inspired this haiku:

In the gloaming time
Clouds gather, mynahs chatter
Hilo Bay, twilight

Hey #SundayBuddyRead pals, I was excited to see this NetGalley email today with the new Stacey Lee book that‘s on our 2026 list available as “Read Now For 5 Days.” Passing it along in case anyone else wants an ARC! 🤗.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Behind for yesterday‘s haiku but I‘ll post today‘s. I‘m about to kill ChatGPT as I wait for them to create 2 documents. It‘s keeps telling me it will be “coming soon” & “just a moment longer” & “it will be in the next message…” I feel like Alan Rickman waiting for Roan Atkinson to wrap the gift for my mistress in Love Actually. 😵‍💫 It inspires this haiku.

Love Actually?
I wait for ChatGPT
“Just a moment more…”😵‍💫😬😩

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

For tonight‘s #HyggeHour I‘m hanging out with Nancy Drew & crew for #NancyDrewBR This one sounds a little familiar with its New Orleans setting.

Drinking cold cider (‘tis the season 🍎 but it‘s still warm & humid so on ice) & a chocolate chunk Crumbl mini cookie for snack/dessert.🍪

Mood is the usual weekend end melancholy + mentally preparing for work including a Hilo overnight at the end of the week.😵‍💫

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku inspiration: it‘s been mostly gray skies with the occasional burst of soft rain showers. It would be a perfect November Sunday for reading & napping if it wasn‘t a humid 80 degrees.😓😥😅

Gray-Sky Sunday

Overcast, soft rain
Ten degrees shy of perfect
Still a lazy day

#Read2025 #MonthlyNonFiction

Finished for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 I‘m sure I read this back in middle school but revisiting it in October was perfect for the season. I meant to reread The Crucible as a companion, but ran out of time. Amazing what havoc a group of young girls started, perpetuated by the patriarchy & resulting in the unnecessary imprisonment, ruin & death of so many. Jackson breaks in down in a way that is accessible to all.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished for October‘s #FictionalTraveler #Trees prompt, I quite liked this first book of the Crown Colony series set in 1930‘s Singapore. Su Lin, a young Chinese-Singaporean woman whose childhood bout with polio has made her walk with a limp & be considered “unlucky.”. Her uncle is trying to marry her off while her dreams are bigger. I like Sun Lin & her perspective on race & class & colonialism in Singapore. The ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Still catching up on October reviews, finished this one last week for #ThematicCozies October #Paranormal I meant to read this one (Book 6) + Book 7 in the Sonoma Witches series but just had time for this one, set a garden show in a witchy town where Alma goes to solve the murder if a colleague. Even though it‘s been a couple of series since I left off in this series I was able to pick back up & overall I enjoyed it.

#Read2025 #MonthlyNonFiction

Finished last weekend for #SheSaid & my third #Roll100 October pick #38 Any nonfiction. A sobering (because I‘m well into the hag camp age-wise) read about the demonization of 40+ aged women. The author hits some points well but lost me in others especially when her points were more chaotic. It was interesting & provocative which is why it gets a pick, but I‘m not sure I learned that much new from reading it.🤷🏻‍♀️

#Read2025

Behind on my reviews, I finished this one last week for #SundayBuddyReads Stacey Lee is one of my favorites & I love how she writes YA Historical Fiction & creates wonderful strong young female characters. Was it her best? No, it was a little all over the place but it was a fun chaotic ride & I liked the glimpse of 1930s Hollywood, L.A. & Chinatown. Also I only had it partially figured out at the end-always a bonus to be kept guessing.

Just a day late with my #5JoysFriday post, so that‘s an improvement, right?!

1. This gorgeous green bouquet my friend put together as a belated birthday gift.💐💚

2. The view from my skylight just after a morning thunderstorm always brings me joy.🌩️☔️💜

3. Stopped for my favorite chicken salad salad for lunch. The lime cilantro dressing is joy in my mouth!😋

4. Loco Moco for breakfast is always joyful, even if it looks like a hot mess!😋 ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘m going to try to get back on track with my daily haikus since October went a bit off the rails. Today‘s is inspired by breakfast with an old & dear friend where we caught up at a neighborhood spot we hadn‘t been to in ages.

There‘s comfort in things staying the same, the same abruptly friendly service, same coffee & biscuit with honey butter…

Nostalgia served warm,
Comfort friend and comfort food,
Heartfelt Saturday

So happy to see everyone posting for #5JoysFriday even if I didn‘t get a post up last night! I was in town for meetings in the afternoon & I went to a work reunion & then fell into bed when I got home at 11PM.😴🤣💛

Anyways, you probably know the drill unless you are new. To join in just make a post of the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. Tag it with #5JoysFriday tag me & anyone else you want to join in.

All are welcome! 🤗

#Read2025

Catching up on reviews. I had planned to read a couple of #OctaviaButler books for #AuthorAMonth October but ran out of time. I did relisten to Kindred which I first listened to back in 2017. The lapse in time between readings did not lessen the power of Butler‘s story & its weight on my soul. Not an easy listen, it is very intense & haunting with more than its share of triggers; slavery, violence, sexual assault, etc. but excellent.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I remain behind with life & haikus as usual. Today‘s is inspired by the 4:00 PM meeting I had with our Finance Team to discuss the budget forecast. Yes, it‘s that fun time of year! I hate late afternoon meetings enough already… 😵‍💫🤑🤕

Late-day money talk
Budget doom at 4 p.m
Zero stars! Hard pass!

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Tonight‘s #HyggeHour is being spent with this one from #ChildrensClassicRead2025 I‘m trying to capture a fall vibe with apple cider (cold) & this cinnamony pear cheesecake I got at a craft market this weekend. Listening to an instrumental mix called Witchy & Woodsy on Spotify: https://spotify.link/HzoCirVDNXb 🍂🧡🍁

Mood is not ready for Monday & a busy work week but what‘s new?! 🤷🏻‍♀️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished during the week for #Roll100 October #72 Any Retelling. This is a fun (hopefully start to a new series) featuring Caroline Bingley who jumps in to help Georgiana Darcy when she leaves Pemberley after her maid disappears to London. There‘s a murder & Caroline is determined to solve it. A good cozy mystery & while Caroline is still Caroline, she grows as she investigates & becomes quite likable (while Georgiana ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished this one last Sunday for #EBBR & as usual, pretty much forgot all the cases already & which ones I solved. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I really do need to review them right after I read them or take notes. I do remember that (***Spoiler***) I didn‘t realize that ALL of the animal facts in the one story weren‘t true so I guess I solved it with the🦘but not completely as I thought I was done.🤔Anyway, they remain fun quick reads.

#HaikuADay

Very behind on my haikus so taking a cue from @dabbe & some of my other #HaikuHive friends & using my annual rewatch of Rosemary‘s Baby today for inspiration. (It‘s one of my all-time favorite horror books & movies.)

Husband From Hell 🔥👿

Of all the witches,
Satanists and evil ones,
Guy is still the worst

#Rosemarydeservedbetter

Honestly, it was kind of a crap week & I‘ve just been in avoidance of much this weekend so I‘m a couple days late on my #5JoysFriday post & most life stuff. There was some joy this week though so here goes:

1. Bag of rambutan I‘ve been enjoying this week.😋
2. Went out to dinner with an old work colleague & a new one she wanted to connect me with. The paella🥘& dip spread were delicious & joyful.
3. Lilikoi breakfast bowl was fresh & joyful.💛
⬇️

I looked up from my work desk & Friday was almost here again! Time to make your lists of the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. 💛

Make your post & tag it with #5JoysFriday then tag me & anyone else you want to share joy with. Everyone is welcome to join in! 🤗

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Reading the Oct Encyclopedia Brown for #EBBR during #HyggeHour tonight & with my extra time, more of Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Investigator (which is quite charming & fun so far).

Listening to this soundtrack: pov: you‘re Meg Ryan: (for the fall & pretending you are in a 90‘s romcom) that I‘ll link ⬇️

Snacks are this iced tisane (it‘s still hot & humid here) & fall popcorn. Mood: not ready for Monday!

#Read2025

I enjoyed Bunny 4 years ago even though I wasn‘t sure what I read & thought that “the book might be mocking me for not being as smart as it.” (I don‘t know, that‘s what I wrote.🤷🏻‍♀️) Anyway, I thought I‘d like this prequel/sequel, but I really didn‘t. I felt like what seemed effortlessly quirky in Bunny seemed like trying too hard to be quirky here. Also why did it need to be so long?! Anyway, I finished & it was a pan for me.🐰🪓⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished last week for #BobWhiteBuddies it is good timing as the book is set in Fall so it made for a good #HyggeHour last week. I didn‘t remember this one all that well so I guess I didn‘t reread it much during childhood.🤷🏻‍♀️ It takes place in Sleepyside & involves the disappearance of “Hoppy” the grasshopper weathervane on top of City Hall & the side mystery of missing coins & a new teacher‘s aide at school who ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Another haiku to catch up on my dailies. This one is inspired by my sushi breakfast. I picked it up for dinner last night but snacked on popcorn instead & wasn‘t hungry so I ate it this morning. I can happily eat sushi or poke any time of day. 🍣💙🍱😋

You like your pancakes
For dinner and I like my
Sushi for breakfast 🍣

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘m pretty behind on my daily haikus so I will try to post some to catch up today. This one is inspired by the bag of rambutan I picked up from the grocery store yesterday. I love their soft hairy spikes & the sweet/floral tart flavors of this juicy tropical fruit.

Wild-haired rambutan
Sweet surprise beneath the spikes
Island candy joy

A day late on my #5JoysFriday post but the work week was crazy & I had 3 days of peopling ending in a large 1.5 days HR conference. Last night I just crashed & slept, so here we go.

1-2. Fall themed snacks not involving pumpkin spice bring me joy. Both the Brown Butter Sage & Stuffing Popcorn from Target are joyfully addicting & apple cider & Starbucks apple crisp oatmilk latte make me happy.

2. I used Barnes & Noble GC & rewards points to ⬇️