Do you ever consciously think about the things that make you happy? Ever since I was small, I’ve paid attention to those little (and big things) that spark joy in my everyday life. Here are some of those things that…
How to find vintage books for sale
How do you find vintage books to buy? This is a question I get asked frequently. I started collecting old books many years ago before the internet came along. To find books, I had to poke around old shops and…
Summer Bucket List
There have been many online posts made about making a summer bucket list. I was inspired to make my own a couple of years ago. Apparently I was feeling quite unadventurous, because there were only three things on it, and…
Literary Mice
When I was in fifth grade in the little town of Post Falls, Idaho, a teacher had us read the following poem: I think mice Are rather nice; Their tails are long, Their faces small; They haven’t any Chins at…
Tips on self-care: Having compassion on yourself
I confess that when I started hearing the concept of self-care more and more lately, I mentally put it in the categories of “selfishness” and “self-indulgence.” It wasn’t really an active, conscious thought, more of an immediate dismissal. But as…
When you’re a grown-up and are still staying up way too late reading
I was so engrossed in a book last night that I stayed up until 3:45 reading. (No, I didn’t finish it, I’m still only only 40% in according to my trusty Kindle.) While I do read before bed every night,…
Ohio in the fall
Fall in Ohio is beautiful. I miss the Hudson Valley (we lived for nearly 10 years in New York), and the mountains there make some of the views more spectacular, but I feel like Ohio’s autumns linger just a little…
Autumn is delicious
Spring is my favorite season, but fall comes in for a close second. I find myself during this time of year gasping and looking and generally reveling in the gorgeous foliage. When the sun hits it at just the right…
I’ll miss this
I remember when my children were small, a phrase I heard a lot was, “Cherish these moments. They don’t last long,” or something similar. Now, I have heard lots of moms say they resent hearing this. “I’m tired,” they say….