Wordsmith Wednesday {A Small-Things Essay}

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I recently read about a simple writing prompt called the Five Things Essay in which you slow down, sit down, observe life in your own sphere and then write. Just any small snippets that come to mind, listed in a five-paragraph format mostly uncurated and unedited. Hence, why I’ve renamed mine the Small Things Essay. You can read more about this creative pursuit here and here. I’ve tried this twice now and decided to post one of my entries on my blog. ✨

A Kingdom that cannot be Shaken

I. Hearing the simple guitar chords brought me back to the early 2000s. It was a song that I played so often and never envisioned it being a source of nostalgia for my future self. But it was more than memory – it was an internal ache. And all I could do was clench my eyes shut and sing to myself, transport my mind to that place and time. Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away…

II. I stare out the window and see a contented cat being spoiled by a doting 11-year-old. Fluffy white fur aimed to the sky, under-the-chin scratches that make her smile. How did I get here so soon? It’s a serenity I can’t quite capture. This home and our yard and my chores and his job. A Christmas tree in the kitchen corner bejeweled with time’s mementos. Hearts and thoughts…

III. And speaking of thoughts, I thought I told myself last winter that I’d start Christmas shopping much sooner. But with only 15 days left, I’m nearly beginning my frantic ordering and clicking and spending and shipping. The post office was a quick trip with the kids – the 10-minute wait is hardly unheard of in these December days. I breathe too deeply and calm my heart. My list of things will get done. Each to-do to fade away…

IV. To fade…that word reminds me of what I just read earlier today. Of all the Old Covenant’s obsolete aspects.* From mountainous blazing fires and dark gloom to tempests and trumpets inciting fearsome doom. That which was unendurable has now faded. Been replaced with all that is heavenly, welcoming, firm and sure. These festal gatherings and angelic assemblies with the Living God at the center of all glory. Human beings enrolled in a spiritual dwelling presented by the only worthy mediator and savior, Jesus Christ. All of it to never fade away…

V. To this unshakable city I have come with all of its things that will remain. I wonder…at that point will any sort of memory of mine or thought or reminiscence even matter? Will my heart and eyes and mind be so taken up by Christ that there will be no need for the things that previously consumed me and filled me and made me me? Will I even notice the removal of things that once were, as I will at that point Have been removed from that obsolete land? I think I can see with eyes of faith that it will be quite alright for hearts and thoughts to fade away as long as He and I remain. There in the unshakable, unmovable eternal city…

*all biblical references from Hebrews 12

Ordinary October Days 🍂

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“There is no shortage of good days.” ~ Annie Dillard ✨

My Month in a Lengthy List ::

  • All Things Homeschool – all the books and lessons and readings and drawings and notetaking and mathing we can muster in between the tasks of life. The oldest is usually on the computer for his college classes while the girls work on their assignments or sit with Azuki in the cool autumn air. These are the pleasant days of Texas. We finished listening to our Shakespeare selection for the semester and really enjoyed the maniacal antics of Richard III. Is it possible that we can even see aspects of his motivations for control and power within ourselves? 😬

  • All Things Bookish – My reading has been slower for this fall season mainly because I have a few bigger books I’m trekking through as well as reading some non-fiction, home management and theology. I did finish a slim volume on writing that was more of a memoir: The Writing Life by Annie Dillard. Many nuggets of wisdom and thought-provoking quotes to collect. My biggest takeaway? The writing life isn’t always a productive one but definitely worthwhile. The girls and I are also loving our reread of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire but as an audiobook by Jim Dale. A Perfect way to spend our lunchtime. 😊
  • All Things Journaling – Speaking of collecting quotes, I’ve been filling up my commonplace journal with many tidbits of the day and favorite excerpts from books and the coziest nature- and home-themed stickers. My writing has been mostly this plus a few poems here and there. These journal pages often find me bewildered by life and wrestling with thoughts and emotions, misunderstandings and misgivings. Prayers make their way here too, pleadings with the Lord for peace among bereaved families, financial stability for others, a job for my son, protection for the husband, gentleness for me.
  • All Things Food – Tis the season for fall baking! We’ve already had some chai-spiced cookies, pumpkin cinnamon snickerdoodles and apple coffee cake in addition to our weekly regulars of cinnamon swirl bread and buttermilk biscuits. I’m in a slight dinner rut so always on the hunt for new and frugal meals. We’ve also been feasting on seasonal fruit like super sweet green grapes and juicy apples. Another recipe that’s become a household staple is this super simple granola. I make a batch every week to eat with my greek yogurt bowls. So good!

  • All Things Inspiring – Lately my eyes and ears have beheld all the seasonal shifts from slanting sun streaks through leaf-shedding trees to crisp clear twilights preparing for winter constellations; the slow transition from greens and emeralds to golden, hazel, rust and bronze. Plus pumpkin patches and library shelves, and light-filled kitchens and stories about elves, and colorful art and quieting myself. The shadows have also caused me to slow down and ponder…shadows of shapes and silhouettes cloaked in darkness that make me cower in confusion but also shimmering shadows of hope and light that kindle my path. Spiritual shadows recorded in the book of Hebrews that set in motion the illuminating glory of Christ Jesus revealed to those willing to see! Our Savior Christ, the most superior and only necessary priest and intercessor!

”How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.” ~ Annie Dillard 💚

A Left-Behind Kind of Light {or the Life Glimpses of Mairim Maya}

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”…the corruptible body will be clothed with the incorruptible…” ~ 1 Corinthians 15 ✨

It was Sunday morning after church when a friend of mine texted me:

”Mairim Maya passed 💔”

My heart sank reading the brief message and I couldn’t breathe. What? Is this true? Is this right? What happened? Mairim was a good friend of mine who I knew through homeschooling and served closely together at a local co-op. The friend who texted me goes to the same church as Mairim and heard from her pastor that morning that Mairim died of depression. She had taken her life in some way, the details were not disclosed, and the church service that morning focused on despair and depression.

All I could wonder was how? How could one of the most exuberant people I know, a mother to four sweet kids, a servant of the church, a believer in Christ now be gone at 40 years old? Because this seemed so unlike Mairim or the Mairim I had known and grown to love. The Mairim that so so many of us knew and she knew an incredible amount of people from all walks of life. She was the brightest light, a dazzling dreamer and doer. She was irreplaceable. She was the hands and feet and heart of Christ to so many.


I don’t remember the exact moment or time we met but we got to know each other through our local homeschooling group. She shared how she was from Venezuela and her unique name was actually her mom’s name spelled backwards – Miriam. 😁 I loved how that was one of the first things she shared. Mairim and I also spent three years together serving side by side in a homeschool co-op with another good friend of mine, Tara, who courageously presided as president of the co-op for a year. Boy, that was a job! Some days the co-op was work but having friends with you helped lighten the load.

I was Mairim’s teacher’s assistant for a kindergarten class that my younger daughter was part of and all of us loved Mairim’s endless energy. We worked as peers but also shared tears and prayers as friends, experienced the trials in the trenches of young motherhood when every day nearly squeezes out every last ounce you can give. But she was always there for it, a rock sturdy enough to encourage and support her family, her friends, her church. Now I wonder, though, about herself. I can’t entertain that any of her living was a facade yet what was lately dwelling in her heart and mind that led her to believe or accept that her only option was death? I have no choice now but to wrestle and rest with the unknowable. The lingering unanswered questions, the how comes and what ifs.


Yet, this one moment won’t define Mairim especially when there’s so much more! She was an amazing gift giver and loved to surprise you with your favorite things – I remember sitting with her after our co-op semester had ended and she thanked me for being her teacher’s assistant with apple pie and ice cream. She knew I loved that dessert and made it happen on an ordinary Tuesday morning. Spanish was her first language and she knew my last name Pina was translated into English as Pineapple so you better believe she gifted me with as many pineapple things she could find. I still have them too.



How was it possible to feel both at ease and sometimes intimidated in her presence – I can’t say. It seems to be an anomaly. Intimidated only because her vibrant personality filled up every corner of the room when you were with her. I was often the quieter one, easily withdrawn into myself and my head. Mairim was the life of the party adorned in cheer and joy, her bursting heart gladly worn on her sleeve. She made eye contact when she talked, breezily smiled and laughed, loved each day to the fullest. Everywhere she went, she left sparkles in her wake, a path littered with glitter illuminating not just dark places but lonely and isolated spaces.


Mairim loved bright colors in all shades and hues, which perfectly matched her personality. During one of our Marco Polo video chats, when we “met” to catch up face to face, I was in my closet to sneak away for a bit and she commented on my colorful wardrobe and how she always wanted to wear more than just neutrals and black. I wonder if that was a sign of some sort? Now looking back, was there something I missed in that? Her prayer requests were often for endurance, patience, stamina…the things moms of littles always need. Did she need even more? I don’t know…the last few years of her life were filled with work and ministry and church and mom life and all the things that make us busy. She and I kept up on social media once she went back to work after we both ended our time at the co-op due to the pandemic.

At her memorial service this past week, the pastor shared what we all needed to hear: that Mairim was now with Christ. That the circumstances surrounding her death are tragic yet her death is not a tragedy because as a believer she is with Jesus. I can know that’s true in my head but my heart can still rebel and wish she was still here with her husband, her children, her family and friends. It’s heartbreaking, this loss, and the tears just uncontrollably flowed when I saw Mairim’s father stand up during a song in the service to raise his hands in worship. While he lost his little girl, he knows she is now in her true and final home. Resting yet praising.

In my moments of shock and confusion, when I was too distracted to do much else, I wrote this poem about Mairim because apparently I don’t have enough words to withhold. But they were the first words to come to my mind when I heard about her death. And I needed to process through writing until the time comes when I can see her again and feel again one of her very tight hugs. 💗



Donations for the family can me made here.


September’s Scenery {and this season’s transitions}

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”I am not made for perilous quests.” ~ Frodo in The Fellowship of the Ring ✨

It’s been a mostly very typical September here in the Texas part of the country, with cooler mornings, less humidity and afternoons still peaking in the lower 90s. The weekdays are busy with homeschooling and park visits with friends followed by weekends of chores and church. It all sounds very stable, and it is, nothing at all perilous; but nonetheless, there are transitions to traipse through. Some of our friendships, for both myself and my kids, have diminished due to life changes on their side, and it can be hard to accept that things just won’t be the same. We’re visiting other churches in our area after being part of our congregation for 20 years, mostly due to doctrinal differences and a growing apart. Plus extended family trials and turmoil have unnecessarily strained relationships and made circumstances tense. Smooth waters were never a guarantee.

Yet, as much as possible, I aim to make our home a place of peace and refuge, not allowing the adversity we face to consume or overwhelm us. We return to those well-loved autumn activities that bring us joy and create a taste of Hobbit life within our own small sphere: good books, good food and good music. Plus much time outside. 💚

So here’s to one Ber month down, three more to relish and savor. Here’s to afternoons of audiobooks and art, pages of math and spelling, nature studies and read alouds, Japanese lessons and crochet sessions, autumn baking and piano playing, and of course all the writing and journaling. Can’t possibly forget computers and screens, emails and memes. Living in the 21st century is balancing the analog with the digital, realizing you function so much better with less of the fruitless flickering smartphones provide.

Fading, sinking, a blur of inky blue blackness

This horizon outgrowing the blinding brightness 

Stretched canopy, tapered soliloquy of unhurried ceremony

Eyes straining, heart anticipating solitude of the dwindling ordinary 

Recycle the cycle, An exhale of overfilled hours finally evaporating,

fading…

Fading like memories worn beyond their wear and friendships laden with disrepair and life apathy from constant care

All so distant from mind, absent from sight

So it goes…

Swallowing up visibility and the ability to peer into the seen, of what we can perceive 

Who can understand these things?

Closing, going, gone, always? 

Not yet…wait

For an inevitable return, as certain and as sure as the golden rays of praise 

~ kmp 

Wordsmith Wednesday {A Bit of K-drama FanFic}

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After watching the cute K-drama, Cinderella and the Four Knights, I found myself wanting more fun rom-com moments with the lead couple and decided to write my own fanfic featuring a connected continuation scene! It’s syrupy sweet and very cliche but it’s a joyfully happy scene for happy lovebirds. It’s called Brand New! 💞

Brand New ::

Words barely escaped my mouth before his lips were touching mine, gently, tenderly, teasingly. Sneaking another kiss, knowing I’d never say no to this. And it was this knowing of each other that brought peace to my heart. A serenity so surprising, unexpected and undeserved, that this new life felt like a fairy tale. This prince of mine never once stopped pursuing me and protecting me. Even when I could be a tad aggravating to him, in only the coziest of ways of course. Who knew Ji-woon could be such a worrywart?

But it was also true that his grumpy antics could easily irk me – his feisty responses to the littlest things. Yet, we were linked by something greater and more lasting than our moody moments. So much of our past before each other had been hard and lonely. And even our earliest days together were speckled with trying times as we overcame our own misunderstandings. But this with him now…this was always simple, sweet and swoony. Stable and secure because he was.

I was awakened from my wandering revelry with a soft squeeze to my back as he pulled me in even closer, my hands grasping his arms. Ji-woon slowly released me but only to keep my hand within his as he asked for the lock in my bag. We finally made it to Namsan Tower, a dream of mine that seemed nearly unreachable during those hospital days while I nursed him back to life. It was one of the dates I wanted with this third-generation rich boy – to secure a love lock at the famous tower. First, of course, was dinner, our favorite instant noodles (always with cheese), then a cutesy cable car ride to the tower. It might be more of a touristy spot but I didn’t care. I had been here only once in my life as a small child and now it was with my love. 

“The lock is still with you? You didn’t leave it somewhere else or maybe hide it away…like your ring when you took it off that one time??” Ji-woon joked. “It was only that one time, right?”

My snappy slap to his arm showed him I was over being reminded of the day I {briefly} took off my ring to help Mrs. Beolgyo in the kitchen. Who knew this guy never forgot? But deep down I understood…the ring was our connection to not just the past but also our present and hopefully future.

Handing him the shiny scarlet lock, a deep crimson color that perfectly matched my Cinderella shoes, I smilingly taunted him, “Watch out with your jokes or I’ll forget to write your name on it!”

Placing the lock safely in his jacket pocket, he pouted and quickly retorted, “Huh…really? You want to forget me? I know you can’t.” His sneaky smirk and pull of my waist toward him revealed he knew me all too well. I pecked his check and hand in hand, we began ascending the infamous Proposal Staircase.

It was nearly twilight and we’d soon be hundreds of feet in the air overlooking the city from the popular platform. Visitors could either leave their lock on the railings by the staircase or along the Bridge of Love. Ji-woon let me choose where we’d place it and I knew I wanted this memory to be near the heart-shaped art.

Thankfully, we decided to come here on a Thursday after my college classes were done so the crowd was lighter. And this mid-May evening was breezy with a touch of spring’s warmth. Ji-woon pulled me along as we climbed the steps.

“C’Mon!” Ji-woon called as he moved ahead of me with my hand barely hanging on to his as I tried to keep up. “Did the noodles weigh you down?”

But the beauty of Seoul surrounding me took my breath away. I had to stop. “Wow!! This is amazing! Oh wow!” The city lights twinkled like stars nestled among the mountains as the trees nearby made me feel like I was entering a woodland realm. The hazy gray sky, the bustling streets, the awe-filled view. And looking at me from the top of the well-lit steps beckoning me on was Ji-woon’s gleaming eyes. I still couldn’t believe we were really here. And that I was really his. 

Under his care and constant support, I felt like a tender vine flourishing and strengthening with his words of love and touches of affections and yes even his joking jests. Fate had set us apart as friends and lovers…a timeless destiny. And Ji-woon loved me like each day I was brand new to him.

I hurried to his side and squeezing his hand, I whispered into his ear, “Saranghae!” He gave me the widest grin before another kiss met my lips. I had promised myself months ago during his hospital stay that I wouldn’t hold back telling him how I felt. Never to take any of this for granted. 

A few other couples made their way past us as we stopped along the side of the staircase to take some selfies with my phone. Ji-woon had brought his dad’s camera and snapped some more shots of the landscape. I snuck a photo of him, greatly admiring his side profile. His well-defined jawline, wind-blown hair, smooth skin, perfectly kissable mouth…

Quickly turning toward me, Ji-woon caught me staring and my cheeks grew warm. All I could do was grab his arm and climb the steps ahead of him to the viewing deck. Locks of all colors lined the railings as the brightly-lit heart-shaped art welcomed us to our final destination. I raced to the very edge of the platform, leaned against the side and soaked in the scene of beauty. Ji-woon came up behind me, holding me tightly against himself. 

“Watch out,” he casually warned. “You know I’m not Peter Pan and can’t catch you if you fall.”

But the breathtaking view wouldn’t leave my eyes and “wow!” was all I could manage to repeat. How has all this existed without me even being able to notice it? “Oh it’s amazing!” I told Ji-woon as a slight breeze cooled my smiling face. We stepped back to look at all the locks, bright symbols of love and longing. Ours would soon be among them but first we had to write.

The lock I picked out had little space for sharing a story and I didn’t really want anything more than our names and the date written on it. Looking around at all the messages of love inked onto the fastened locks, I was enthralled by the fact that so many couples before us celebrated their romance at this very spot. Sweet messages of passion and adoration, cutesy nicknames and tiny doodles…some with nothing noted at all. 

“Do you have the Sharpie that I gave you?” I asked Ji-woon, as I bent down to examine more of the love locks. “I think I want it to be simple…just Ji-woon + Ha-won. What do you think?”

“Hmmm,” was all I heard before he was gently grabbing my hand to pull me up next to him. But instead of giving me the marker and the lock I had chosen, Ji-woon held up a very different heart-shaped lock, placed directly in front of me so close to my face. This one already had writing on it – his writing.

“Can you read it?” he quietly asked, with a look that melted every part of me. 

I slowly nodded as my mouth grew into the widest grin and my eyes dampened with joy. Ji-woon had planned something entirely unexpected and placed our future upon a lock of his own. I couldn’t stop staring at the simple question he’d written until I nearly knocked him off his feet with a hug so full of force and love and delight that all of my unspeakable and uncontainable yeses poured out simply as uncontrollable kisses. ❣️

All photos from public domain

Savoring Summer 🌱☀️🍓

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”Pilgrim plodding :: Jot and tittle :: Little by little :: Eking my way :: Back to you”


August in Texas is endless heat and steamy evenings, clear twilight skies and flashes of lightning, clouds hanging heavy and tree branches drooping, salmon-streaked dawns and purple-hued dusks, the languishing of time with seasonal change on the horizon. The days feel hazy and rusted, idly waiting and longing. But resting, too. Simply, slowly savoring the last drops of dew.

Our latest of life in the form of books and bites and crafts and sights! 😊 The end of July had us celebrating Harry Potter’s birthday with a fun cake and stickers. I’m collecting my own Harry Potter editions as a non-matching set and love the look of these misfits. We also visited a newly-opened bookstore in our area – Mockingbird Books – and a Japanese value store. Cute notebooks, pens and washi tape for decent prices.

Speaking of books, I finished several of my summer reads and really enjoyed them all. And August 9th was National Book Lovers Day! 📚 We visited our indie bookshop to celebrate. This month is made for all the seasonal fruits, simple snacks and lighter foods that make for quick mealtime prep. Peaches so sweet have been calling my name. Finally, a fun addition to our summer has been our introduction into the world of clean Korean dramas. Our favorite one is an older one – Cinderella and the Four Knights. Cute, campy, silly and swoony…it’s been the perfect way to cool off inside in the nonstop AC during 90-degree days. 🥰

The last of the crape myrtles…

A pretty shelf of classics 💕

This new store has mostly all new books with a slim shelf of used books for $5 and under. So I only found a used HP book I needed for my collection and the girls got chocolate. 😊

A new July tradition!

Last few pool days…

Finished my 4th reading of Emma 💓

Also finally finished Augustine’s Confessions

and a cute Moomin summer story 😌

A favorite summer salad : black beans, zucchini, roasted corn, red onion, cilantro and feta all mixed together with a lime vinaigrette 😋

Peaches and Cream Oatmeal…so satisfying!

Mini peppers stuffed with cottage cheese and everything bagel seasoning

We also tried making Korean Japchae with sweet potato glass noodles I found at our grocery store…so light and good!

Also this summer, the 11yo taught herself how to crochet! She’s made so many cute creatures 😌

An axolotl!

An array of octopi she’s sold to friends and family 😉

Until summer meets us again…

The Colors of Summer {some mid-year musings}

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”At Your command, O God, the minutes fly away. From them, bestow upon us a time for meditation on the hidden things of Your law…” ~ Augustine’s Confessions ✨

It’s officially my fall-planning season for our upcoming homeschool semester so I sense summer slowly slipping away, though not taking any of these sweltering temps with it. This will be my 14th year of homeschooling and I feel slightly frazzled as I survey our potential plans. Can’t exactly place it but perhaps it’s just the knowledge of how fast time seems to go and the need to fit so much into my limited hours. However, there are still plenty of lazy no-school days ahead for us in August, since we don’t begin our new year until September, and we’re going to wring out every drop of summery goodness.

Since the end of May, our weeks have been filled with books and libraries, boba tea and pastries, pool days and game nights, celebrations and sickness. I thought maybe we could escape any kind of summer cold but it was not meant to be. It’s been a quiet summer so far with a few fun new things like trying out a Nutella crepe recipe, reading new books, mastering handicrafts and watching trendy K-pop animated movies. But the weeks have included plenty of waiting…waiting for jobs, for healing, for answers, for understanding. Realizing that perhaps the path to peace is in releasing all that I cannot control.

So maybe these slower moments at home aren’t necessary fruitless, even if there’s not much excitement to show and no exotic places to go. There’s been focused time to devote ourselves to creative endeavors and passionate pursuits without the hindrance of scheduled events or full calendars. It’s exploration of a different sort, rest and renewal for the mind, body and soul. The type of nourishment truly needed to flourish and grow. 🌻

The Life and Death of Jane Austen {Jane Austen July}

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Regency novelist and witty wordsmith, Jane Austen, was born December 16, 1775 and passed away at the age of 41 on July 18, 1817. The literary world and readers across the globe take time in July to remember this favorite author, read and reread her works, and celebrate Jane’s influence in all aspects of life. This year also marks the 250th anniversary of Jane’s birth. 💞

My Favorite Jane Things for this year, so far:

Reading: Jane Austen at Home, a biography on Jane’s life with a focus on the places where Jane lived. Enjoying it so far but the author does have a bit of a bias against men, or at least how men have portrayed Jane in other biographies. Yet, the facts of Jane’s life minus the feminist commentary are intriguing!

Rereading: Earlier this year, I felt like revisiting Sense and Sensibility and for my summer read I’ve returned to a tried-and-true favorite, Emma. This will be fourth time immersing myself in the life of Emma Woodhouse of Hartfield and I’m finding a slower read is bringing out such minuscule but mighty details.

Listening: I found this fun podcast hosted by Jane Austen’s House and am loving the seasonal details connected with Jane’s life. A Jane Austen Year has been a journey through Jane’s novels as well as the places she inhabited. There’s also a beautiful hardcover book complementing the podcast that has already been added to my wishlist!

That’s it for now! I’m sure I’ll watch a few adaptations this year also and maybe dip into some of my Jane non-fiction books. So much to enjoy! 🥰

A Jane Magnolia in honor of Jane!

Wordsmith Wednesday

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Mornings with Azuki


It’s a waiting-by-the-door kind of morning, a curious creature patiently expecting her breakfast to arrive in her favorite bowl. Higher-pitched meows and softly-tapped nudges are how we communicate. She eats, I sit. Gentle scratches near her ears cause some slow blinks and head tilts toward me. She’s soon to be done and jumps down to lead the way…it’s her after-meal walk in the back. Gingerly treading through a dewy lawn and lanky grasses, Azuki leads the way to her spot. A clearing under our crape myrtle where she’s ready to watch and observe and guard. Cackling at the taunting jays, staring at the daunting squirrels. But also to play.


Part of her tawny coat blends in with the dirt below her as she crouches and waits for us to “play grass” – I swiftly streak a strand across the ground as she wildly dashes back and forth to grab it. She’s a fast little blink of a red bean racing for her reward. But in less than a second, her work is done and she’s ready for the hour of plopping. Letting gravity do its job, a fluff of fur falls to a bed of grass where she plans to rest. It was enough. For her, at least. I begin my awakening-hour walk. 


Until her little meow calls to me from across the yard and she prances to where I am, obviously ready for another bite to eat. We return to the patio, Azuki racing ahead of me and hopping onto the table where she now knows to expect daily sustenance. She eats, I sit, calmly stroking her tiny snowshoe head. More slow blinks, a lick of the lips followed by the longest part of her day: a dead-to-the-world, flat-on-her-back hours-long cat nap. 

Summer Siesta ☀️

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”Yet, even amidst the hatred and carnage, life is still worth living. It is possible for wonderful encounters and beautiful things to exist.” ~ Hayao Miyazaki ✨

Summer things have been happening here and they are very relaxed sorts of things: reading, resting, eating, crafting and organizing. I’m definitely grateful for the slower schedule! We do have a lighter homeschool term for the summer, since excessive heat usually keeps us inside during peak hours, and that includes keeping up with math, reading and some fun personal projects.

For the time being, I decided to take a social media break while blogging when I felt like it, which admittedly hasn’t been very frequent. 😬 I haven’t even written much outside of just journaling but it is what it is. Maybe July will offer some creative inspiration and variation! Oftentimes, I don’t take into consideration my energy levels when making my more-than-I-can-chew plans so this summer is less about the structured activities and more about going at our own pace. 💓

What’s your summer like where you are? What do you usually focus on? Any fun summer reading plans?! Here are some recent recordings in picture mode of a few of our favorite things…

Pool Days!

Cozy, cutesy tea shops

Poolside summer reads ✨

Summer snack plates

Friendly feline visits ☺️

Summer blooms and beauty

Baking Challenge : Homemade Bagels!

Summer Glory!

Lovely library trips 💖

Summer Salads

My new 16 year old 🥰

Summer Study 🤓

Morning feedings with our kitty

Finding Hidden homes 
Made for fairies, nymphs and gnomes 
This world of wonder 
~ kmp 

Have a terrific summer!! ☀️💖