Gardening, Feathers & Money Love
No, I haven't read this entire stack through. My reading list is forever long so I've given up on it & go with books at the moment. For instance, I've had The Loon Feather by Iola Fuller for a couple of years because it has wonderful illustrations of Mackinac Island on the front & back inside covers. It was an act of desperation to begin the first pages with my glass of wine each night. Like most things you look past, there was a hidden beauty in it. Much like the rest of the books in my current stash. I unwind with them slowly as these summer days turn into crisp autumn nights:
1 | The Truth About Organic Gardening by Jeff Gillman
I'm about 10 pages in & already know I'll learn more than ever predicted about the negative & positive impact of pesticides on my garden. So far, Jeff has touched on the history of the term "organic" & it's nothing like the product marketing in large grocery stores wants us to believe. Hallelujah. I read this on days the greenhouse is slow.
2 | Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
Brené's words are a large reason I left my last job to pursue what kept bubbling up in my heart. She's taught me about inner gremlins & how acknowledging them gently quiets mental chatter. Her perspective on vulnerability is backed by tons of research & her life has changed because of it. A true artist by my definition.
3 | Treasures of the Creative Spirit by Robert Piepenburg
A gift from Mom, I keep this on my nightstand & randomly flip to a page when I'm feeling spent. Robert speaks deeply on treasures like truthfulness, courage & faith. A thread through the entire book is that creativity is sacred to each individual, each community & the entire world. Agreed!
4 | Money, A Love Story by Kate Northrup
Joel & I are reading this together because we've found our views on money vary. It feels cleansing to communicate openly about our money differences, especially when I'm inclined to avoid the subject. Kate shares how her hate relationship with money turned into a love story.
5 | Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
I adore this book. I couldn't put it down yet I was trying to hold off so it wouldn't end. Once I read the opening dedication, "For the girls with messy hair and thirsty hearts", I knew I was entering a world I already felt a part of. The untold story of "Peter Pan" as we know him & dare I say, it's better!
6 | The Loon Feather by Iola Fuller
A story of Oneta, the daughter of Shawnee Native American Chief Tecumseh, & her life as an Indian on Mackinac Island in the late 1800s. Iola's writing is simple & raw. I loved reading about the places I travel to in Michigan today. I'm a sucker for history & the Native American's way of life.
We have a long trip out of state this weekend—Joel's running his first-ever Tough Mudder!—so I can't wait to begin Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins in the backseat while the boys determine a plan of action for enduring the crazy challenges they'll be faced with. One of the obstacles is running through electrical wires. Yeah, I'm going to stick with books.
Happy weekend, friends! May we all have a moment to feel as brave as Joel. xo, Em
