It looks like we made it through February: I woke up with Emily Dickinson on my mind: Dear March—Come in, yes please. Do you know it?
Dear March—Come in—
How glad I am—
I hoped for you before—
Put down your Hat—
You must have walked—
How out of Breath you are—
Dear March, how are you, and the Rest—
Did you leave Nature well—
Oh March, Come right upstairs with me—
I have so much to tell—
Elsewhere Dickinson calls March the Month of Expectation, and there are indeed things I’m looking forward to this weekend: my college daughter arriving home today for spring break. Family dinner. Coffee with an old friend. Choosing a new audiobook.
I hope you have something to look forward to this weekend, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
Don’t Overthink It turns four this weekend! Now is an excellent time to revisit—or read for the first time— one of the pieces I wrote in its honor:
- Try the Bakewell tart, and other rules I’m learning to live by
- Behind the scenes of the Don’t Overthink It writing process
- Arguably the original inspiration: The little things I do that feel like abundant living
Kelly Bishop to Give ‘Gilmore Girls’ Fans an Intimate Look at Her Life in Upcoming Memoir ‘The Third Gilmore Girl’. (The Hollywood Reporter) I can’t wait!
Here’s a look at featured artists for 2024 Word of South. (Tallahassee Democrat) I’ll be on this stage in April, including the keynote conversation with Lauren Groff.
This 500 piece Ciao from Cinque Terre puzzle was a welcome change of pace after finishing this extraordinarily challenging 2000-piecer last week!
This bookshop in Fort Collins is paying people to sit down and read quietly. (Colorado Sun) On the reader-in-residence: “They don’t have to do anything, except show up to the bookstore a couple of times per week and read.” Can you say “dream job?” (Thanks to reader Kyla for sending the link!)
Why do we leap day? We remind you (so you can forget for another 4 years). (NPR) What did you do with your extra day? (Visual learners: this animated explainer from Vox is for you.)
The Best Food Books to Read This Spring. (Eater) Several of these are on my TBR.
I’m sorry to report the Overthinkers Anonymous mug isn’t available online, but this Let Me Overthink This mug is adorable, or perhaps this Hold On I’ve Gotta Overthink About It campfire mug is more your style?
The science behind the “unexpected red theory”. (Aesthetics of Joy) “This phenomenon was coined by a TikTokker, and it basically says that adding any amount of red to a room where it doesn’t belong automatically makes the room look more pulled together.”
17 recommended reads for those traveling to Florida. (MMD) For anyone planning a trip to Florida or looking for some armchair travel.
KitchenAid Did It Right 87 Years Ago. (Atlantic gift link) “How a device dies is almost as important as how it operates.” Case in point: my 1999 KitchenAid mixer is still going strong!
The Firstleaf wine deal is back: Get 6 bottles for $29.95 + free shipping.
Sexily ever after: how romance bookstores took over America. (The Guardian) Including A Novel Romance, here in Louisville.
Does Drinking Out of a Specific Type of Mug Impact Your Coffee’s Flavor? In Short, Yes. (Well + Good) I feel validated.
Don’t miss these posts:
16 classical literature retellings, remixes, and reimaginings. The best retellings add something new and unexpected to the stories we know well.
37 fun, useful, and generally worthwhile gifts for your kids’ Easter baskets.
A whole stack of middle grade books you can read in one weekend. Perfect for Middle Grade March!
Have a good weekend!
19 comments
Emily Dickinson is my favorite poet yet I didn’t know this one! I love her famous poem about hope and many others. She had such a unique sense of humor and a way with words. Her poems are easy to read yet she had a darker side too.
I decided at the first of the year that I was not spending my extra day at work! I took PTO, and headed east about an hour to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum near Superior AZ. (60 miles east of Phoenix). I found a shady spot near a fountain, busted out my watercolors and painted for 2 hours. It was a beautiful day. When I was done, I headed 3 miles up the highway into the town of Superior, took some pictures of some things I thought I might want to paint and when I was walking back to my car past this old barbershop, the owner stepped outside to shake off a cape and I asked him where I could get some lunch. He directed me and then said, “You know, the mining festival is happening here in two weeks, you should come!” And I said, “I can’t, because in two weeks I will be at the Tucson Festival of Books!” His eyes got really big–he’d never heard of it. He said, “Please come in.” So I did, and he has this interesting collection of old books. I told him how to get into and go to the festival, thanked him for his time and went on about my day. It was WAY better than working.
You go to the book festival and I’ll go to the mining festival, that sounds interesting too! I live in the east side of PHX so i appreciate the info
This is wonderful! I’m so happy that you thought ahead of how to spend Leap Day this year. 🙂
I’m in the middle of the Market in Bloom puzzle and it IS “extraordinarily challenging”! I love it, though it may take me several weeks to complete.
The first thing I thought when I saw the mug was: where to find it! You must’ve read some minds as you addressed that in the post!
I’m in Tallahassee and so excited for Word of South this year!
I can’t read the whole article about KitchenAid without an Atlantic subscription, but as someone who has had the same KitchenAid mixer since 1994, I can guess the gist of it. Mine was an engagement gift from my parents. The mixer–and the marriage–are still going strong. My mother-in-law’s ancient KitchenAid also is still functional. I wonder, however, about the quality of modern day KitchenAid mixers, though. Things are so disposable these days that I can’t imagine a 2024 model holding up as well as my mid-’90s friend.
That’s strange, it should be a gift link that allows anyone to read it. Regardless, I’m happy to join you in the 90s KitchenAid club!
I’m in Fort Collins and Wolverine Farms is a very cool place! I heard about this reader-in-residence position last year and considered applying–maybe someday I will. Glad to see it featured here!
We are in the middle of our own kitchenaid drama. Our 10 year old model was bought with wedding gift cash and i was so excited to have it. 10 years later the motor is slowly burning out. They have such a good reputation but it does seem as if so many things are not built to last any more. If they are trying to make more money with repeat buys, it’s not working. We are considering other models. Too bad as grandma’s endorsement builds brand loyalty.
I absolutely subscribe to the “unexpected red theory”, it’s so true! As well, you can improve just about any photo (especially outdoors) by finding something red to add to the picture, even if it’s very small. (cardinal, red bucket, child’s wagon, flag…)
And on Leap Day, my mother and I and two friends went down to Southwest Harbor Public Library in Maine for a Tea with Live Music! Met so many nice people, got a look at the library, picked up a book on their sale shelf, and drank tea in real china, along with sweets…
I’m about a half an hour from Ft. Collins and am very excited to check out this bookstore. Thanks!!
I always look forward to this post, it heralds the beginning of the weekend. I have copied out the Emily Dickinson poem to send to a friend, I am sending her a card every month this year and this poem seemed perfect for writing in the March card.
I went on and read the Abundant Living post and the Bakewell Tart post again, they are just full of lovely thoughts and ideas. Talking of pens (I think it was the abundant living post), my favourite book so far this year is The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page and it’s prompted me to start using a fountain pen again. It’s a wonderful book about friendship, unexpected love, books, and a stationery shop.
I wasn’t able to read the Atlantic article, there is a paywall – their gift link seems to have broken. In any case, I love my Kitchenaid, which I think I bought in the mid-90s. Another kitchen appliance that is still going strong is my 1985 Cuisinart food processor. I’ve replaced the bowl once, and probably will again one day. But the base, with the 10 ton motor in it, will still be going long after I’m gone.
Hi Anne! I love puzzles too, but I never know what to do with them when I’m done. What do you (or other readers, like me) do with completed puzzles? Do you break them down and put them away to do again one day? Give them away? Glue them to hang as art somewhere in your home?
Any suggestions of what I can do with puzzles once I’ve put them together?
Thanks!
Kim in NC
Hi Kim – If I really enjoyed the puzzle, then I break it down and save it to do again. Mostly, I bring them to work as we have a “puzzle table” for employees to do on their breaks. 🙂 Sometimes I bring to the thrift store – that’s also where I get most of my puzzles!
Shannon
There are certain ones that I just particularly loved doing and I will take them apart and keep them to do again. Others I gift to friends or senior centers or schools.
Yes to Kitchen Aid mixers! I’ve had mine since the mid-80’s and have never had any problems.