Knowing I love all things maple, a co-worker gifted me a maple donut. That‘s love. 🍩☕️🩵

#WDNCW
We do not care that I pulled into my parking spot at work, then promptly locked my car from the driver‘s inside door-BIG OOPS -with my backpack,phone, & keys inside! Fortunately,a staff member was free to drive me home in hopes of convincing my husband that he could TRUST me with his car car key, even though I dropped his in the driveway a month ago & then ran right over it! 2 hours & $250 later I replaced it.He did give me his key. 🚗🔑

Some places that healing, inspiration, miracles & more happen for me: my porch, my hummingbird friends, sunrises,our magnolia,the “Robert tree”,my garden,the river in my neighborhood that I walk by, the ocean. After all I am an Aquarian- Water, water, everywhere.🌊

I don‘t think I would call this “dead and dismembered aspect”of myself back because she lives in me.The summer after I turned 30,I was in a car accident that took me 5+ years to recover from-I still go to PT now. At that time I was single & living in Boston,so I needed to go back to my parents in CT for surgery.I gave up my job,my apartment, my social life.Surgery was successful in rescuing a damaged nerve,but was I left in severe chronic pain.⬇️

Sunrise this morning. Just so awe inspiring. Uplifting start to my day. Full of gratitude as I open myself up to today. Blessed be. #positivevives

That first sip…bliss. #coffeeabdbooks

My Mabon altar inspired by @TheBookHippie A Mix of stones, crystals, incense, salt, herbs, worry dolls, the Greek goddess Artemis, pine cones, laughing Buddha, goddess coin,earthen pitcher with golden yellow flowers. #Mabon

Cuban Black Beans & Rice:While assembling ingredients,chopping vegetables, adding ingredients sequentially, stirring the pot,letting the pot bubble & stew- Meanwhile rice comes to a boil, then turning the pot down to steam, I practiced meditative cooking, focusing mindfully on each step.#75Soft

Apologies! I received my #FFFS box last week & mailed mine out then as well.

Early morning coffee and a book. #wildwomen #doll #intuition

#wildwomen

I found this challenging- so much literature, poetry, speaks to me deeply. I chose Amanda Gorman for her live performances- 💕💕; Jane Kenyon because when I was introduced to her ages ago I fell in love; #RobertTree - our relationship to this tree is a family story that we add on to & celebrate every year when the magnolia tree blooms. This spring it will be 30 1/2 years old!

Too many traditions so picturing a few:Thanksgiving & watching Macy‘s parade;Christmas table setting & Christmas Eve book stack-my aunt gave each of us 2 books Christmas Eve & continued with the next generation #Jólabókaflóðið;we take pictures every Year when my son‘s magnolia tree blooms(planted when he was 6 mths);annual Cape Cod weekend with my 3 sisters; hiking with my son since he was little;coffee & a book on our porch.#wildwomen

#FallCardSwap cards are arriving daily- so exciting to get snail mail expressing lovely sentiments! Thanks to: @TheBookHippie @Cuilin @dabbe @BookwormAHN & Kim Prytherch, Christie Walker, Stacy Kline.

I am trying to pick up (when I was sick)where I left off with #75Soft challenge.An element of this challenge (mindfulness)can be linked to “close reading” a concept we are currently working with in 10th grade English. #readmindfully

#weeklyforecast
Reading a little of this, a little of that this week.

In my bed with Poe & Em, reading tagged book, & eating this heavenly Black Cherry Chip ice cream.🛌🐈🐈🍨 #75soft

This nightmare occurred again & again.I would usually seek my 5 1/2 yr old brother & his bed for solace & security.
I do remember some neighborhood boys would follow me-I would climb up a tree & they would chant “I declare I declare I see Kathy‘s underwear!”If my brother was nearby he would chase them away.Also around the same time a man in a car offered candy to kids in our neighborhood-told my mom who called the police & we were interviewed.

#sundaybuddyread

I put this book as aSo-So for various reasons: somewhat dated; plot very convoluted; too many “bad “people especially men, after the protagonist for various reasons.Annie,the protagonist is very likable, and there were definitely witty moments, but all in all it was just OK. #AnArtLoversMystery #TBR #StoryGraph #2025OffMyShelfReadingChallenge #bookpublishedover10yearsago

Coffee and discussion with morning with #sundaybuddyread participants. Stimulating & terrifyingly relevant, given all we are losing & experiencing with this present administration. I love this community! 💗💗
I pulled out this vintage 1930s era tea cup & saucer. 😀

#weekendreads

#bookreport #September7to13
I finished listening to An Ace and A Pair, but other than that audiobook I started some books, ignored others, & plan to continue with those included in this collage. #GeorgetteHeyer #biography #ACountryHouseMystery #sundaybuddyread #cozy #artloversmystery #Audiobook #adeadcoldmystery #HarryMcCoyThriller #readyourkindle #wildwomen

My book, Women who run with Wolves just arrived. Already a connection on p. 4. We are reading the short story “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid in 10th grade English Among other things, we are using Barbie‘s monologue in the movie to further illustrate society‘s contradictory expectations for women as a springboard for discussion & written reflection. https://youtu.be/CBqlDWHkdHk

Late morning coffee, an apple croissant, journal writing & a book. Beautiful, 74 degrees, blue skies with a smattering of cloud, bird song. Contentment. ☕️🥐📘📚🌞☁️🐦

#5JoysFriday
1) my husband captured Poe & I asleep. 💤
2) ginger ale this week‘s drink of choice 🧋
3) journaling- thanks to @TheBookHippie & her prompts-such a delightful way to start my day. ✍🏻
4) my new series addiction- Law & Order UK. 📺
5) my husband is lactose intolerant. He was excited to find more cheeses he could eat. 🧀

#booksandcoffee Reading this book is like being inside a sensory kaleidoscope. 😀 Happy Friday!

My score was 22/45 which is good for me- tough to choose my best- so many good films! Thanks @dabbe This was such fun! I went sentimental with ET & CoCo.

In 10th grade English class we utilized this poem today to reflect on 9/11 as well as analyze the poem‘s structure, meaning & the poet‘s possible thinking. Attaching is an article from the Poetry Foundation titled “Can Poetry Console a Grieving Public?” Something to reflect on.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/articles/68678/can-poetry-console-a-grieving-pu...

Early morning tea & a book.Today‘s date,9/11 is seared into our national collective consciousness.I was at work when my husband called me with this news.No access to a TV at work,no social media then.It was a doctor‘s office so we stayed open.My husband was home so he went to get our 8 year old son from school.Total shock,numbness.A friend of mine‘ father lost his whole NYC office.Another friend‘s brother died.The grief & #ragemusic came later.

WE DO NOT CARE that your mischievous brain has all the excuses to not make a doctor‘s appointment:
- the students need me
- it‘s too soon in the school year to take more time off- I was already out 3 days last week
- it‘s just a little tiny….
- I just don‘t feel like it
- la la la I am in denial
- I‘m scared

I put my big girl pants on and made an appointment for tomorrow morning.
#WDNCW

This morning I picked up my journal for the first time since I was sick. The prompt was “Walk About.” Because I was in bed 5 days, my response was so different than it would have been if I had been healthy: walking as reemerging, walking as recovery, walking as rebirth, walking as connection(with my students). #SeptemberJournalingPrompts #walkabout #day9

My #MondayMood #MoodMonday

A happy mood- back to work after 4 days home with food poisoning- and this is only our first 5 day week -strange to be out so early in year. missed staff, students, lots of love there! Came armed with water & my home-made chicken rice soup(I freeze it in batches for times like this). Now home reading. 💗🍲💦 📘

#hyggehour #readathon
Relaxing with a book, some water, & Em-cat before sleep.

#weeklyforecast
#sundaybuddyread #readyourkindle #biography #GeorgetteHeyer #CountryHouseMystery

#bookreport
Started Fearless today; almost at the end of the Blue Train. finished the other books this past week. Murder at the Gulls Nest is a standout.Between the indomitable Nora Breen‘s character & the audiobook‘s narrator, Siobhan McSweeney‘s voice, I was both enthralled & enchanted. #sundaybuddyread #AgathaChristieClubR3 #ChristieCapers #NoraBreenInvestigates #readyourkindle #ThematicCozies #Books #September #historicalfiction

#FridayHappyReadingHour
Sipping on ginger-ale & snacking on mini saltines tonight. I am just emerging from 3 days of a rather violent food poisoning episode, so this hits the spot.

1984.When David returns to the town he grew up in, he is in the last stages of AIDS.Advocate,a small town in Nova Scotia,encapsulates the responses of a town to this unknown disease,largely one born of fear.The town for the most part turns on David,& his family.Jacob,his nephew,is twelve when this happens & the trauma has molded him into who he becomes as an adult.2008.Jacob returns to for his grandmother‘s funeral & faces a crucial decision.

Yup! Epigraph. #ThematicCozies #books #September

Jill, thank you so much for running this readathon. There is something special about knowing others are reading along with you that I find motivating. I finished 3 books: The Stolen Queen, Bryant and May: Oranges & Lemons, & Misfortune. Murder at Gull‘s Nest is an audiobook- I did make progress on that. I read 2 chapters in Mona‘s Eyes.❤️❤️❤️👏🏻 #SummerEnd #Readathon

I was deliciously thrilled to see today‘s journal prompt because I could showcase these Staedtler Texsurferdry pencils. I adore them, use them all the time for Litsy notes, etc. Where did I hear about them? Here, of course! Apologies- I cannot remember who posted about them years ago.

Mid-afternoon reading. #porchlife

2 timelines:Egypt 1936; NYC 1978
At 19,Charlotte,along with an archeologist team, discovers ancient artifacts.An unknown(to us)disaster occurs which she avoids confronting. Now 60, she is a curator at the MET.After a series of events,she becomes friends with Annie,who works in costumes.Charlotte decides to go to Egypt to rescue a recently stolen statue. Annie accompanies her.Here she comes to terms with her haunted past.Female bonds explored.

My journal I bought at an Indie bookstore to start in September. I am bundled up in fleece & fuzzy slippers to brave the chill while writing. #porchlife #coffeeandbooks #75SOFT #journalprompts #BERmonths #day1

#weeklyfavorites

Friday in 10th grade English we discussed euphemisms. I cane across this perfect example while listening to the tagged book. #audiobook #NoraBreenInvestigates

#ThematicCozies #travel
When the luxury cruise ship,the Nachtmusik,arrives at Amsterdam‘s port, London Rose,activities director,joins the ship‘s tour of the national art museum,the Rijksnuseum.What ensues is a caper involving suspicions of art forgeries & murder.Some hilarious scenes with new friends from the Red Light District & new romance with Chef Bryne add a lighthearted tone.Along with her intrepid dog,Sir Reggie,she solves the crimes.

#Auguststats
22 books
Fiction: 4
Non-Fiction: 3
Mystery: 15
A mix of paper books, kindle, & audiobooks.
Summer has ended for me & I am back at work so my reading will inevitably slow down.

#14books14weeks #TBR
@Liz_M Thank you so much for organizing this prompt. It encouraged me & provided a framework for moving 14 books off my TBR. Donating many ( but not all) to local library sale. 💚

Hilarious, exasperating, intriguing – a sometimes meandering, but always wild ride through the churches of London chasing a killer who seems one step ahead of the Peculiar Crimes Unit. Previously disbanded,now the Unit is to be reconvened to investigate the politician‘s state of mind & to solve the crime when a politician is crushed by a fruit making a delivery.#PeculiarCrimeUnitMystery #TBR #14books14weeks

#bookreport
The only book i finished this week was Whale Fall. All of the other books, with the exception of The Art Spy ( had to return to library) I am currently reading. #Egyptologists #archeologist #MET #PeculiarCrimesUnitMystery #ThematicCozy #travel #readyourkindle #audiomystery #literarycrew #librarybook