Tell Me Something Lovely.

My three month old making the best cooing and gurgling sounds, a new skill she developed about two weeks ago. She is a little IVF miracle after 18 months of unexplained infertility and a world of deep heartache (IYKYK), and she also was born six weeks early due to restricted growth and an issue with my placenta/umbilical cord, so spent the first month of her life in NICU. All that to say, after everything we’ve been through, I marvel at this perfect baby every day and find tears of gratitude wetting my cheeks most days. For all those in the trenches of trying to conceive/infertility/IVF – I see you and I send you so much love and strength and baby dust, may the universe shine in your favour. You deserve to get your wish. I will always feel close to other Moms who have gone through infertility battles, and especially also Moms of premmies/NICU graduates.

Due to my work schedule, I can only pick up my three-year-old son from daycare once a week. Now that it’s warmer weather, his class is outside at pick up time. Last week, I crouched down to his height to hear how his day went and was swarmed by his friends. One hopped on my knee, my son on my other knee, and they were all excitedly telling me about bugs. Then they pretended their fingers were bugs and all went “bzzz bzzz” all over my face and hair. They nearly knocked me over and it was so pure and so funny I couldn’t stop laughing which only encouraged them.

A close friend came over last night and we chatted and ate salt and vinegar chips in the kitchen and laughed at my silly cats while I made salt brine pickles for the first time ever. We’ve been friends since we were teens, and we know each other so well and yet never run out of things to talk about. He’s such a rock in my life, and I’m so lucky to have him, and the cats, and potato chips, and all of it.

I want you to know that after reading voraciously and writing as a hobby I’ve finally sat down to write a complete book and every day is a complete wonder. After spending my life pursuing other creative endeavors I have to think I have always been meant to give birth to a story with characters that live and breathe because I finally feel real joy lately. That creative spark is everywhere and I’m so grateful to have tuned into it.

I love seeing poetry as a lovely, lovely thing. A favourite, by Medrie Purdham: Are You Still Happy With Your Home for our realtor, who regularly asks She taught us once what soffits were; she keeps in touch. Sends us each a card on the other’s birthday, gives us things to plant: supermoon pumpkin, midnight snack tomato. Ices her own photorealistic likeness onto sugar cookies, probes our existential state. Annually, we consume her in effigy, with mulled wine and hesitation. …. more: https://www.montrealpoetryprize.com/poems/are-you-still-happy-with-your-home

Just wanted to say that I love seeing the messy pictures of Alison’s house! Home tours are amazing and some of my favorite things, but seeing pictures when a home is truly lived in and not stages for photos is perhaps even better.

I think about death every day, because I help families navigate the dementia journey, and part of my job is to teach them what the end of the journey will look like, so they can prepare for that time and confidently recognize it when it arrives. Some days, I dream about the type of death I would like…I’m certain I would prefer my body to fail while I preserve my mind, but I’m equally certain the choice won’t be up to me. I have gone so far as to reach out to the cemetery where I know I want to be buried–but I haven’t yet purchased a spot!

Once a month I attend a poetry reading called “Inner Moonlight.” (Check out the podcast!) Logen Cure, the organizer, always asks the visiting poet “Tell me something good,” and then she shares her own good thing. Recently I started taking a workshop with Logen and she started with this same question for all the participants. It’s such a nice way to express gratitude and center ourselves in goodness.

The loveliest moments for me lately have revolved around our class read aloud novel. I am grade 5/6 teacher, and this year my students became very interested in ASL. I try to follow their interests, so I found a wonderful novel called Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino. My students are INVESTED in the story. It’s a little bit of a romance, and today I read the chapter where the main character kisses her crush. I could not hide my smile when three of the more subdued boys in my class literally whooped for joy. The book has opened up so many doors to important conversations for us. We have been able to talk about ableism, audism, consent, the feeling of having an unreciprocated crush, and just general teen / pre-teen angst. Every time I read them a chapter I’m reminded THIS is why I love teaching.

I read “The Dead” at my dad’s funeral. It was perfect. It’s such a moving poem. It was so nice to see it here.

I spent 2 plus hours visiting with a dear friend this morning. We’ve had a tradition of early morning visits for nearly 30 years. Our visits are sometimes later – 9:00 rather than 7:30 – and longer than they were long ago. We share all our news. Sometimes it’s light and sometimes heavy. It’s such a gift to have a friend who’s known you for so long – a friendship that’s been a constant. That’s my something lovely for today – that and YAY for spring!!

I turned 50 this month and honestly things are not perfect, perimenopause, work is very challenging, aches and pains, but what I am noticing is that I am braver than I’ve ever been. I will try new things, do something terribly and laugh about it and confront people who try to make me feel small. I have lived a life of fear and recently something has changed for me. I feel like I’m finally turning into the person I was meant to be.

I’m not sure it’s available in the US yet, but look out for The Other Bennet Sister series. It’s based on a book by the same name by British author Janice Hadlow, published in 2020. It’s about Mary Bennet of Pride and Prejudice fame. I really enjoyed the book, but the show is so damn delightful, I can’t stop thinking about it. The acting is brilliant, it’s full of good, old-fashioned yearning, and celebrates forearms and wet shirts!

I was just wondering to myself – “is Joanna going to hide Freddie like an Easter egg in one of the posts and then we’re supposed to find him and drum up anticipation?” So wondering if that’s Freddie, literally hiding in hide and seek!

Could we please have a “Tell Me Something Lovely” post to start every week? Everything feels hard right now. Big things. Small things. Every thing. I’m grateful to everyone who shared their happiness so I could have a bit by extension. :)

The last poem took my breath away and then brought a lot of ugly tears. It brought me back to when my son was in the NICU recovering from a major surgery. I spent the days by his side, but did head home at night for sleep. A couple times per night I would wake up and sit in his room in his rocking chair, pumping milk. I always pulled up the “angel eye” camera to watch him, and if he was awake, I’d sit there (against all reason!) until his eyes closed again. I couldn’t go back to sleep until he had. The thought that my long-gone loved ones might do the same for me is really lovely.

My 8yo daughter and I were stuck in traffic after a long day. I was feeling crabby and hungry, thinking she was feeling the same way. But then she said, “Mommy, when we die, can we find each other so we can play? I want to play with you forever.”

If you look up “Big Bear Bald Eagle Nest” you will get to watch a video of Jackie & Shadow and their two little babies, who right this very minute are eating a very stinky-looking dead fish. 💕

I read Fresh Water for Flowers on CoJ commenter recommendation and devoured it like I haven’t devoured a book in years! What should I read next??

For the past two years my family and I have been living in our travel trailer and traveling the west coast full time and we love everything about it except that I desperately miss the wonderful community of friends that I have up in Washington. For my birthday this last weekend I flew to Seattle to spend the weekend celebrating with friends. We went out to a fancy dinner and had a grown up girl slumber party with a group of ten of us (not easy to coordinate for a group of mostly moms!) We stayed up way too late and laughed until we cried. We talked about marriage and motherhood, aging parents and grief, embarrassing moments and middle school crushes. We watched whales and took the ferry to Whidbey Island and enjoyed burritos and margaritas on the beach. I snuggled their kids and met a friend’s new baby who was born since I had left. I stayed with my best friends who truly are family and cried when I had to say goodbye. I came home running on empty but with my heart incredibly full.

All the birds this season! I have a phoebe who nests on my porch light. Her 4 chicks poop alllll over my doorstep, but I love to see their goofy fuzzy heads peeking out of the nest. They all fledged yesterday and I’m wishing them safety! Now it’s time to watch mama finch on her little blue eggs in my fern…

I just want to say THANK YOU ALL for these comments, I am reading through them crying happy tears. So beautiful <3

My younger son turned 16 yesterday, and I put together a ‘highlights reel’ of funny videos from his toddler videos that we all watched together after cake last night. Putting it together was fun, but watching my kids’ cracking up at their pint-sized antics was pure joy.

We just got back from a family trip to Iceland celebrated my retirement and my husbands soon. We took both boys and wives we had a list of things to see and on our last Night the most beautiful display of Northern Lights decided to say thanking you for visiting and come again. Such colors green,purple and white. It truly took our breath away at 11 at night.

On February 9, 1986 I woke up in the middle of the night to see Halley’s comet. We had spent the night at my parent’s friends house and the five of us got to see it. I was almost 5 years old. My parent’s friends just sent me a 45th birthday card with Haley’s comet on it. Inside they said that they hope that I can see it in mid 2061 for a second time and know that they will be waving. I am so lucky to have them in my life.

Heated Rivalry has been such a breath of fresh air. What a happy, funny, thoughtful, comforting, and sexy show. I’m so glad I live in a time where shows like this can be made and watched by so many people. Also the sound track is amazing and has introduced me to so much new music.

At twilight last week, I noticed some squirrels playing in the trees beyond my yard. While I was absentmindedly watching I realized they were baby squirrels. The squirrels I have are enormous, so these little guys were definitely squirrel youths. I SAW BABY SQUIRRELS.

The hiding spots (so cute!) reminded me: I was at Old Navy recently with my two-year-old son, and he hid inside one of the round clothing racks. At first I was kind of annoyed because I was in a rush and wished he would stop running around, but then I was like, it’s his first time hiding in a clothing rack at a store!!! a future core memory (if he’s anything like me)! I remember so clearly hiding in a clothing rack at a Nordstrom Rack with my older brother when I was probably four and how cool and fun it seemed. And now it’s so cool and fun to re-live life through my children.

Every morning, my two year old wakes up at 6:30 on the dot. He sings songs and jumps in his crib until he’s bored. He then shouts “Good morning! Out! Good Morning! Out!” to which I succumb immediately, pulling him out and bringing him back to my bed for some bonus lounging time (I’m just not ready to be vertical yet). Lately, when I’ve been picking him up from the crib and he does his morning cuddle/hug/head on my shoulder, he’s been singing with fierce expression, “IIIII looooooove youuuu” from “Skidamarink”. His affection gives me so much extra bounce in the mornings.

Yes, please, a post for another day – At 42, I find myself thinking of it the second I lay down & close my eyes every night. Thank you for the pick me ups! I want to hold a baby lamb!

After two years of being on it and one previous (unsuccessful) attempt to get off, I’m two days off Zoloft. Weaning off has been a long, difficult process, but I know this feels right for me, and I’m excited to see what I’m like as a mother without it. (BTW, not at all anti-medication. I do feel like it likely helped me during a difficult postpartum period. This is just my personal process!) Also, after a two-month break from trying to conceive our second, we’re about to start up again. I saw a doctor and feel like I have better information, and I’m actually hopeful about it this time around. In less (unless?) life-changing ways: I bought the dark chocolate-covered pistachios from Trader Joe’s that Joanna recommended and haven’t stopped eating them.

My son played on the Unifed basketball team (for kids with various disabilities) and the tournament was the absolute greatest thing I have experienced. So much kindness and generosity in the gym with 5 highschool teams participating. The school marching band played, the cheerleaders where there, they had a play-by-play announcer, and every kid made a basket, some rolling the ball off their lap from a wheelchair into a low basket, some taking as many shots as they needed to get it in. Some kids played with an aide holding their hand as they walked down the court. The seats were packed and everyone cheered and shouted and teared up. It was such a joyful celebration, and I got to see my beautiful boy be so so kind, which is all I ever wanted for him in this life. He rebounded and carefully placed the ball in his teammates hands. He ran alongside his friends down the court encouraging them the whole way. He put his hands on his friend’s shoulders and said “just stay next to me. We will do this together and I’ll make sure you are ok”. He won an award for his sportsmanship! It can be a hard road but there is no community I’d rather be a part of as a parent.

My niece, who I don’t get to see often enough, at lunch on Sunday, leaning over and saying, “can I show you a picture of my prom dress?” Yes. Please. Always.

This is a joke but also not entirely ;) as a mother to a 15 month old I, and I must add, my baby are both rather alarmed by how many people want to touch his skin and give him kisses (on the cheeks, nothing sinister). Seriously, tho, toughest within my extended family – where I am trying to keep my grandparent from being exposed to baby/toddler germs and keep my baby from being exposed to kisses being given without being asked… and feeling utterly guilty about the whole thing and still sticking to my guns because being a parent definitely not able being popular.. If anyone has any kind thoughts and gentle advice I’d appreciate them!!

We bought a summer cabin last summer, the family sorrowfully chose to let it go after the mother passed away. She was truly a Messy Gardener in the most glorious sense, one could tell this garden was a labor of love and pure joy. Her touch could be enjoyed in all corners all summer and autumn- the south facing crazy herb and berry patches, the copse of birch and aspen trees in the backyard, the tumble of ivies on the front gate, wild flower and perennial beds everywhere- anemones, orpines, euphorbias, geums, astrantia major, more- even neighbours reminisced to us about the help she joyfully rendered to them in their own gardens. And last week I returned for the first time since winter, greeted by blue carpets of spring stars, crocuses and forget me nots. The sight genuinely moved me, a gift from a stranger I was never meant to meet.

A few years ago we had to cut down the beloved birch tree in our backyard, because it was dying and falling apart. I had the arborists leave seven feet of the trunk standing, as a snag. Two weeks ago, a pair of northern flickers started taking turns pecking a hole into the snag. We read about flickers and how they nest in dead trees by pecking holes down into them that are a foot or more deep. Every now and then a flicker head will pop out of the hole and throw out a mouthful of barkdust as they clear out their nesting cavity. When my foster dog and I stroll through the yard, one of the flickers is usually sticking their head out of the hole watching us. They should be laying their eggs soon, and then we’ll get to watch all the fledglings learn to exist. It’s been such a joy to have this kind of experience with nature in our own backyard.

My 5yo niece recently insisted she needed to needed to call me. Why? She urgently needed to ask me if she could hold my baby when I have a baby. Thing is… she doesn’t know we’ve been trying to conceive, unsuccessfully, since before she was conceived, including several rounds of IVF. Her confidence that there WILL be a baby for her to hold has brought me so much joy in recent days.

I divorced my husband of 15 years, 3 years ago. I had been living in a small apartment with my 10 year old and our family dog. I craved a space for us to start rebuilding our life. I scrapped and saved up enough money to purchase my own home this past January! Now that Spring has sprung, our outdoor space is MAGICAL and so good for the soul. All the hardy plants popping up through the soil after a long a cold Wisconsin winter. Crocus! Daffodils! Snow drops! The dog running joyfully through the yard for an endless game of catch! My son, exploring the woods in our backyard! Eating dinner outside! Spring in Wisconsin, after a long cold dark winter, is reminiscent of living through the darkness that follows a marriage that falls apart. But alas, we have emerged to the other side!

All of this: uplift and humanity, thank you. Yes, I do think about death, a wondering about the presence beyond (woo-woo is my realm), and in the last week I’ve dreamed of my dearly missed, three-legged, massively traumatized rescue dog (who appeared to show me she can run fast fast fast now on all 4 legs), and my soulmate grandmother (who appeared to show me a photo album of the adventures she’s had, I think in the afterlife, including a wild romance and a trip to India). Death holds wise truths for those who remain, if you’re open to it. Also–for a few commenters mentioning asking for signs– summer as a massive and still-too-fresh family drama took its first breath, I began finding feathers, which on its face it not sooooo unusual, but I’m talking dozens and dozens, all species, sometimes just resting atop someone’s beautifully groomed front shrubbery like a post-it note, waiting for me to happen along. My dad was a bird guy, has been gone almost 20 years, and his brother died just before this ‘summer of feathers’ began. I felt looked-after, protected, held safe by them. The drama isn’t done, but I survived the worst of it, and know I can ask for a feather now and again if needed. I kept them all.

I ran the Boston Marathon yesterday at 5.5 months postpartum with my miracle post-cancer baby. I happy cried and smiled the whole way, which had me sailing to a personal best time. It was delightful. There is a video of my seeing my baby, my sister, and best friend along the course where I exclaimed “I’M HAVING SO MUCH FUN!!” It was a wonderful day after quite the journey the past few years. My heart is so happy.

The video of my son and DIL telling their 4yo twins that they are going to be big brothers. They are over the moon- a baby! At Halloween! And there’s cookie cake! Now I have to watch it again, lol

We’re going to start trying for a baby in three months, about to go to our pre-baby checkup with the OB. I’m beyond happy, a little bit terrified even though it would be my second (his first), and I can’t get enough of my husband’s gleeful smile when he daydreams of our (hopefully) little girl. Wish us luck!

Haven’t read every comment but I’m making my way through and more than a few brought tears to my eyes! I could use a bit of encouragement, CoJ-style: I have to have a breast biopsy on Thursday due to microcalcifications found during my mammogram. I feel confused and mostly surprised – I’m 44 with no family history, and basically breeze into mammograms each year with the same la-di-da attitude as getting a dental cleaning, like “Let’s check this off the list for another year!” I know that even if not benign, this is the best time to catch it, and the cure rate is very high, but it has been hard to make the mental transition from “surely nothing’s wrong” to “something could be wrong.” I could use words of wisdom from anyone who’s been through this! I took the day off of work but don’t really know what to expect from the procedure. I also anticipate that waiting for results will be the hardest part – any advice for making it through?

I’m so looking forward to reading through the comments here over my lunch break today, but in the meantime, here are the things that made my heart swell recently: Realizing how well loved and supported I am by my partner as he reminded me that I don’t need to be anything or anyone other than who I am during a conversation where I was fretting about having to hide my tattoos during an event. He reminded me that if I have to pretzel into something or someone else to be accepted, that space isn’t worthy of me. The beaming smile a passing toddler gave me in a restaurant yesterday. My son calling me to excitedly share his post-uni career plans and musings. The blossoms busting out on the neighbourhood trees Biting into a perfect, juicy orange Watching my pile of brightly colored granny squares grow as I work them up… there is something so pleasing about the tangible results of an activity that brings me so much peace.

Pittsburghers–I believe there is a “hold a baby lamb” fundraising event in Regent Square during yard sale day next month.

Our baby golden retriever puppy arrives next week and seeing pictures of her cute face is making me joyous right now! I can’t wait to have puppy energy in my home!

We just got a puppy! The world feels heavy and sad so much of the time these days and while a puppy isn’t EASY, it is joyful and pure in a way that grounds us all. Plus, who doesn’t want to snuggle a puppy?! A great excuse to tell EVERYONE to just stop by.

Something really lovely for me, I have been in a zoom book club for 5 years. We’ve never met in person until this past weekend we all met in LA for the LA Times Festival of Books! I feel like I laughed non-stop for three days straight and just absolutely fell in love with them. We are all excited for our next trip!

NEW VOWS (Sierra DeMulder) When my best friend got married, he walked down the aisle to a song about death. Isn’t that what marriage is all about? he laughed. A promise to be together until one of you dies? I regret my wedding vows, too focused on the benign—our boundless laughter, how I cherish just waking up together. I should have said, I take thee and all the treachery that aliveness guarantees. I should have said, I will help bury your elders. I take your hand and your heart murmur; the cancerous growth above your father’s ear. I take your family history of alcoholism and give you back a possible covenant of dementia, miscarriage, high blood pressure. In sickness and in car accidents. In sickness and in the mundane. Shared calendars and anniversaries spent arguing about our budget. You told me once Great Danes have a short life expectancy, only 6-10 years if you’re lucky, and I cried: who would sign up to love something so impermanent? O, beloved, we have been so happy lately, it’s making us nervous. And isn’t that what marriage is all about: a love so darling, so hallowed and exposed, we both volunteer to be its keeper—when the joy runs dry, when the body fails— not because but in glorious spite of the unpalatable, impossible fact that someday one of us will wake up first only to find ourselves alone.

Toasted sourdough with big gobs of salted butter on top. There is nothing lovelier…

Last night was my 7 year old daughter’s first softball game. The pigtails under visors, the pink batting helmets, the gaggle of girls chasing after a ball that snuck into the outfield, the proud parents cheering them on while sitting on camp chairs, a public park filled with community during golden hour… all so lovely.

“I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is. ‘” Kurt Vonnegut

I organized a village-wide spelling bee fundraiser for adults and it was a huge success! We raised nearly $3k for our library and everyone had such a good time that people are insisting we do it again next year. We had appetizers and drinks from our local inn, trophies made by the pottery studio, a raffle, and the bee took place in our village’s movie theater. The whole community came together and the vibes were everything I had imagined they could be. I’m so proud of the hard work I did to make it come together, and so happy I live in this amazing community.

Keeping this anon… but after 25 months of infertility and a lot of IVF… I’m pregnant. It’s early, I’m almost 6 weeks, but I cannot contain my joy.

Could „Tell Me Something Lovely.“ be a constant feature? I feel, every newspaper should split their front page diagonally and put this question and answers on one part of the page. And on the other part there would be the other news. So that every time you open a newspaper, news websites etc, on the left hand side (or however your language reading system is organised) there would be good news that help, motivate, lift, mobilise, and show us what happens at the same time the bad ones happen and what good is achieved because people came together to achieve sth good. And I think it’s a good idea to start here and on every Monday.

We moved into a new (old) house at the end of autumn, when all the plants were dead and covered in leaves. This spring it has been very exciting to discover all the new things popping up in the garden! Snowdrops, crocuses, tiny daffodils and primroses…I’m waiting on some tulips now, and trying to figure out what all the different perennials are. It’s a little garden treasure hunt every day. And speaking of gardens, my new niece arrived a couple days ago. She’s named after a flower, and my daughter, who also has a flower name, is so excited to be “part of a garden of cousins!”

My four and half year old daughter lives with significant disability. Yesterday, she went from sitting on the floor to standing, all by herself, for the first time ever! As she got on her feet, she immediately started clapping for herself. Her perseverance and joy is the loveliest thing I’ve witnessed :).

Calling Lauren O – Cambodia recently unveiled a statue honoring mine-detecting rats. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0rx7xzd10xo

My neighborhood is the home to my country’s most renowned poet. Every April, for poetry month, the foundation that preserves his home and legacy prints a series of flags with his most memorable lines and gives away a thousand of them at the annual poetry fair. Year after year, more balconies fill with poetry. You can wander through the streets reading old favorites alongside new discoveries, like a quiet, open-air anthology. I picked up mine this year and felt unexpectedly proud hanging it outside my living room. It makes you feel part of something larger than yourself but also part of a small moment for anyone passing by.

Biked through my neighborhood last night! It was a little cold and a little scary (after not riding a bike for 10+ years) but it felt so nice and joyous. Looking forward to more rides on a local trail once it warms up for real in Upstate NY :)

For the Anniversary of My Death M.S. Merwin Every year without knowing it I have passed the day When the last fires will wave to me And the silence will set out Tireless traveler Like the beam of a lightless star Then I will no longer Find myself in life as in a strange garment Surprised at the earth And the love of one woman And the shamelessness of men As today writing after three days of rain Hearing the wren sing and the falling cease And bowing not knowing to what

P.S. The photos of the hiding places CRACKED ME UP! Thank you for this post, Jo.

I do think about death a lot. I’ve lost a lot of people, and come close enough myself. I view it as more of a “momento mori” thing. Remember your death so that you enjoy your life. For decades I struggled with big questions like the point of it all. Now that I am a mother, I know the point of it all. You get one chance (as far as we know) to experience life as a human. Try to enjoy it as much as you can, and don’t worry too much. I feel so lucky to be happily married, with two lovely kids, a dog and a cat. I feel like I hit the lottery. I know we’re all coming from different backgrounds. I faced horrendous neglect and abuse as a child. My father abandoned me. I have been assaulted more times than I can admit. BUT I honestly wouldn’t change anything if that would change where I ended up, here with them.

A good friend recently gave me an orchid plant as a thank-you gift (unnecessary). I had an orchid once before, years ago, and killed the poor thing with dispatch. This one, though, is flourishing. I read the instructions: three tablespoons of warm water once a week. That’s it! I noticed FIVE buds on it a week ago and, yesterday, one of them said hello and opened into a glorious purple and white flower. Happy Spring, all!

I’m the photographer for our children’s hospital, a full-time gift of a gig for a kid loving person who thrives doing creative work that helps others and needed benefits after years of freelancing and doing without. Our NICU and inpatient units relies on volunteer cuddlers to come and rock babies who’s adult cannot be present. The wait-list to become a cuddler? Years long.

The cadence and certainty with which British children speak. (I am in London for the first time ever and I am delighted with it.)

Someone else mentioned her cat, and I have to agree, cats are the loveliest. We have two, and they’re the biggest darlings. Our boy will come to the bathroom with me first thing in the morning and stand ready to be picked up for a morning hug. If I’m working from home, they’ll often sleep in my office, keeping me company. Our girl loves when I take a speakerphone call and gets on my lap (interestingly, she doesn’t do it as much for Teams calls). They’re around two years old, and they’ve added so much love to our house since we adopted them a couple summers ago.

Some weeks ago, an independent bookstore in my town had a pajama party, where they put inflatable mattresses and blankets on the floor of the store and the participants brought drinks and snacks! We were encouraged to take any book on the shelf to read. I went with my best friend and we had a lovely time, lying around on mattresses, chatting, reading, snacking, chatting some more… In the chaos that is life lately, it was such a calming moment.

I’m finding joy in April as National Poetry Month and the “April Is” newsletter that brings you a beautiful poem every morning in April and then disappears again for a year. What a gift the curator has and shares! Here is one from last year that I think fits this post: https://april-is.tumblr.com/post/782313454550843392/april-30-2025-dead-stars-ada-lim%C3%B3n

A lil brown rabbit was sitting at the end of my driveway when I got back from my evening walk!