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Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age | Katherine May
"I love Katherine May's new book, Enchantment....It's a beautiful offering of light, truth and charm in these strange, dark times." - New York Times bestselling author Anne Lamott "Katherine May gave so many of us language and vision for the long communal 'wintering' of the last years. Welcome this beautiful meditation for the time we've now entered. I cannot imagine a more gracious companion. This book is a gift." - New York Times bestselling author Krista Tippett "Gentle inspiration for those who feel exhausted or helpless... May shows how paying deliberate attention to what's around us can surprise us with insights and reveal new connections that deepen our appreciation for the world." - Washington PostFrom the New York Times-bestselling author of Wintering, an invitation to rediscover the feelings of awe and wonder available to us all Many of us feel trapped in a grind of constant change: rolling news cycles, the chatter of social media, our families split along partisan lines. We feel fearful and tired, on edge in our bodies, not quite knowing what has us perpetually depleted. For Katherine May, this low hum of fatigue and anxiety made her wonder what she was missing. Could there be a different way to relate to the world, one that would allow her to feel more rested and at ease, even as seismic changes unfold on the planet? Might there be a way for all of us to move through life with curiosity and tenderness, sensitized to the subtle magic all around? In Enchantment, May invites the reader to come with her on a journey to reawaken our innate sense of wonder and awe. With humor, candor, and warmth, she shares stories of her own struggles with work, family, and the aftereffects of pandemic, particularly feelings of overwhelm as the world rushes to reopen. Craving a different way to live, May begins to explore the restorative properties of the natural world, moving through the elements of earth, water, fire, and air and identifying the quiet traces of magic that can be found only when we look for them. Through deliberate attention and ritual, she unearths the potency and nourishment that come from quiet reconnection with our immediate environment. Blending lyricism and storytelling, sensitivity and empathy, Enchantment invites each of us to open the door to human experience in all its sensual complexity, and to find the beauty waiting for us there.
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review
Sparklemn
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Mehso-so

Wintering was life changing. I‘ve listened to it multiple times. Enchantment? Not so much. But her writing is beautiful. Maybe I wasn‘t in the right frame of mind. May give it another listen as background entertainment when doing chores around the house.

📸 of the stones she mentions in one of her essays

JamieArc I felt the exact same way. 1mo
28 likes1 comment
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WildAlaskaBibliophile
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I love author Katherine May and everything she writes. This book is a great read for any time of year, but I think it's especially appropriate for spring, with its messages of renewal and restoration and its focus on the elements of earth, fire, and air, and identifying the quiet traces of magic that can be found only when we look for them. #nature #memoir #nonfiction #selfhelp #FridayNightShare #Naturalitsy #Litsolace #SpringEquinox

Suet624 Thanks for reminding me of this book. I purchased it when I was visiting Ireland and forgot all about it. 7mo
TheBookHippie I like that you can reread these books and get something new each time. 7mo
36 likes3 comments
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Chrissyreadit
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Pickpick

My sweet Saoirse on my lap, Enchantment is completed. I loved this book. I may have realized at moments i was hurrying and not as engaged and reminded myself the reading is also the experience. In slowing down at those times I found words and thoughts of value to me- that i would have otherwise missed. Glad this was the January buddy read for #midwintersolace

AllDebooks So glad you got so much from it x 9mo
79 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Larkken
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Pickpick

I liked the meditative aspects of this book and found I was enjoying it “in the background.” It set a mood, rather than told a story. Some of the memoir-y parts came off a little bitter, maybe, which didn‘t seem like it worked with the vibe? But also seemed pretty true to May, so I dunno. Based on everyone‘s feedback from the #NaturaLitsy and #Midwintersolace buddyread, I may enjoy May‘s first book more than this one :) Thanks, Midwinter team!

34 likes6 comments
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DebinHawaii
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Pickpick

#JumpStart2024 #ReadAway2024

Finished last night at #HyggeHour for #Naturalitsy #MidwinterSolace My 1st book from this author & it gets a softish pick for the beauty of her writing. Some of the essays didn‘t quite hit for me, but I still found a lot to savor such as “Our sense of enchantment is not triggered only by grand things, the sublime is not hiding in distant landscapes. The awe-inspiring, the numinous, is all around us, all the time.” ⬇️

DebinHawaii …May points out that Enchantment isn‘t something you wait passively for, you have to seek it out & give it value for the magic to happen. I think that‘s an important message I want to focus on more. (Also, I really liked how when she struggled with reading after COVID, she reset her TBR to zero & gave herself permission to choose new books for the age she is in now. I find that pretty tempting!) 😉 9mo
Itchyfeetreader Love this idea - I also struggled with reading during lockdowns and eventually came back to books via some@of my favourite children‘s books 9mo
Chrissyreadit I am also enjoying her book, but am only half way through. 9mo
DieAReader 🥳Great 9mo
59 likes4 comments
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AllDebooks
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#Midwintersolace
Sunday #Hyggehour readathon, I forgot to post last night. I snuggled up in my newly decorated bedroom and fell asleep 😴 😅
I hope you all had a relaxing, cosy hour.

@Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie

BookmarkTavern Lovely! 🥰 9mo
TheBookHippie The walls are so lovely!!!! 9mo
IndoorDame Love the new bedroom!!! 9mo
See All 8 Comments
Chrissyreadit 😍🤍😍🤍 9mo
Bookwormjillk Love it! Looks so cozy. 9mo
AnnCrystal Those walls 👏! 💕😻💝. 9mo
DebinHawaii So cozy! Love it! 😍 9mo
36 likes8 comments
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DebinHawaii
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#Naturalitsy #MidwinterSolace

Like many of the group taking part in Sunday night #HyggeHour I plan to continue the tradition of winding down from 8-9 PM into February.

I‘m in my usual blanketed spot on the couch listening to my “mood is chill” playlist & tonight I‘m going to try to finish up the tagged book & then maybe spend some time planning my February #TBR since it‘s almost here.

TheBookHippie ♥️♥️♥️♥️ 9mo
63 likes1 comment
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Chrissyreadit
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I just feel this. I want to understand why life feels so brutally exhausting. We are not living in the worst of times. But perhaps the most disconnected? I don‘t know the answer but there is something that feels out of reach in “fixing” this. #naturalitsy #midwintersolacebuddyread

Bookwomble There's a clear process of social atomisation in Western societies, a tendency to promote "self reliance" which is actually a tendency towards alienation. When people seek like-minded people it's criticised as "identity politics" unless the group meets strictly policed cultural criteria, but humans have a deep need for connection & acceptance, & will come together. Without being too precious about it, I think Litsy is a place where that happens ? 9mo
Bookwomble Also, 🤗💖 9mo
RaeLovesToRead You're certainly not alone 🫂 9mo
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Bookwormjillk 🤗 9mo
Chrissyreadit @Bookwomble yes. Litsy is a place that helps significantly 9mo
TheBookHippie This. 9mo
56 likes6 comments
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quietlycuriouskate
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Pickpick

She was preaching to the choir with me on this and yet, of the three books of hers I've read, this is the one I've felt the least engaged with. I enjoyed the Water section best. Sometimes her writing really sang and at others it, and the structural device, just felt clunky and laboured. She's convinced me (not that I needed convincing) of the importance of everyday wonder, but... And? What next? (I'll still happily read everything she writes.)

37 likes1 comment
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AllDebooks
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#Midwintersolace January #buddyread

Any final thoughts on our last read together? (For now 😏)

@Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie @jenniferw88

See All 10 Comments
TheBookHippie I could not get past the first bit, but I‘m sure it‘s me. Plan to pick it up in a couple weeks and try again. 9mo
mcctrish @TheBookHippie I really enjoyed this on audio and zipped through it - I continue to work on Wintering in print which I think I like better but it‘s easy to not pick up 9mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm This one really fizzled out for me and I ended up being rather annoyed with it. I think the author needed to refine the last two chapters more to get her point across. I might pick up her other book because when she was on topic and coherent, I enjoyed myself. I think it was just that the format she went for in this one didn‘t work in her favor. 9mo
Librarybelle I loved Wintering, this one not so much. There were a few quotes I liked, but I could not connect with her in this one. 9mo
TheBookHippie @mcctrish I loved Wintering!!! 9mo
TheBookHippie @Librarybelle phew. Not just me. 9mo
ElizaMarie @TheBookHippie I recently got the #LibbyLoan of it, and it just... didn't “speak“ to me either. Not sure if it is something I should pick up later. I was curious to see everyone's discussion to help make that decision. 9mo
36 likes10 comments
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Librarybelle
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Mehso-so

I loved Wintering and was so looking forward to this one by May. Sadly, it did not meet my inflated expectations. I had a hard time connecting with May and her thoughts in a few of her essays. While there are a few great quotes in here, I was left feeling so-so over the whole book.

Thanks for offering this #BuddyRead ! #Naturalitsy #MidWinterSolace

Hooked_on_books It‘s always disappointing to love one book by an author and have another disappoint! Hopefully her next outing works better for you. 9mo
Librarybelle I hope so too, @Hooked_on_books ! 9mo
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BarbaraBB That‘s a pity. Beautiful edition though! 9mo
Librarybelle @BarbaraBB I do love this edition‘s cover! 9mo
youneverarrived I felt the same about the two books. 9mo
Librarybelle @youneverarrived Wintering was so good! 9mo
TheAromaofBooks I have actually seen several reviews of this that said something similar. Apparently I need to read Wintering but give this one a miss!! 9mo
Jess_Read_This So disappointing to hear it didn‘t resonate like Wintering did. I really enjoyed Wintering too and had been meaning to read this one. 9mo
Librarybelle I know there were some in the #buddyread who really liked it, @Jess_Read_This and @TheAromaofBooks so definitely still try it. There was something about Wintering that was so magical and inspiring…maybe it‘s a hard act to follow! 9mo
Jess_Read_This @Librarybelle I agree about there being something just magical about Wintering. I will definitely still read this one because I want to support May and am always interested in reading her essays. It‘s good to be able to set my expectations on this one 😊 9mo
89 likes12 comments
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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm
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Panpan

2 ⭐️s
I really thought I would enjoy this book but the further I got, the more it fell apart for me. By the time I got to Air, everything felt so disjointed that I was struggling to even figure out what the purpose of this book even is. I don‘t deal with an overwhelming existential crisis the way the author seemed to. Lockdown and quarantine were actually small blessings for me, personally. It gave me the space to breathe and the time to stop ⬇️

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm and think about what I really wanted to do in my life.

Also, despite being an atheist, I‘ve always felt a strong “spiritual” connection with the world around me and haven‘t needed to seek out a replacement for “god”. The universe is so vast and wondrous and I don‘t think we could ever understand or quantify all of it, so I don‘t fear the sterilization of belief that seems to be prevalent in the book.

Towards the end she mentions ⬇️
9mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Braiding Sweetgrass, which I cannot recommend enough. It seems like maybe the author was wanting to process the same intense connection with our world that Braiding Sweetgrass does, but for me it failed. Honestly you can skip this one and just read that other much better book if you‘re yearning for a feeling of enchantment. This book isn‘t it.
#Naturalitsy
9mo
SamAnne Unstacked! I‘m confident that I would loathe this book. Loved Braiding Sweetgrass. 9mo
See All 6 Comments
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @SamAnne I am in the minority it seems. The other reviews I saw on here seemed to hold it in much higher esteem. 😅 I adore Braiding Sweetgrass and it‘s one of the few books I try to get EVERYONE to read. ❤️ 9mo
AllDebooks Fantastic review. I agree with your points. I much preferred 9mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @AllDebooks I might have to give that one a try someday. 9mo
28 likes6 comments
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DebinHawaii
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#Naturalitdy #MidwinterSolace

Resting on the couch for my #HyggeHour tonight, trying to get more of the tagged book read & maybe finish Heartstopper Vol.5. Then off to bed as I have a busy work day tomorrow & I‘m trying to feel better. 🤧🥱😴

AllDebooks Perfect x 9mo
Reggie Hope you feel better! 9mo
Chrissyreadit How you feel better!!! 9mo
See All 6 Comments
BookwormAHN I hope you feel better. I mailed your #travelingstars package Saturday. I forgot to post a pick but I hope you enjoy it 🍀 9mo
DebinHawaii @BookwormAHN Hey there, I got your package & wanted to say THANK YOU! 😍You spoiled me & I‘m excited about the book! I haven‘t laid it all out to take a picture & post yet as I was a little under the weather this past weekish, but I will tomorrow. Thanks again! 9mo
BookwormAHN Your welcome 😺 9mo
55 likes6 comments
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Librarybelle
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“To have nothing to lose, you have to first lose everything.” So profound! #Naturalitsy #Midwintersolace #buddyread

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AllDebooks
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#Naturalitsy #Midwintersolace January #buddyread

Are you enjoying this? Any thoughts on this week's chapters? 🤔

@TheBookHippie @chrissyreadit @jenniferw88

TheBookHippie Just started it due to life happenings but I am really enjoying first bit. I‘ll catch up! 😂♥️ 10mo
Librarybelle I‘m reading through it right now! I like that I found her mention of “enchantment” in this section - a good connection to the title! 10mo
See All 9 Comments
mcctrish I listened to this, finished it a week or so ago, one part that made me gasp out loud was when KM was talking to her son on a outdoor walk about thoughts being like branches and he said every time she spoke to him it was like a branch breaking - I‘m not sure I‘d have been able to come back from that as his mom 10mo
AllDebooks @mcctrish that ia a rough one 😔 10mo
IndoorDame @mcctrish That was heartbreaking! But also a great moment of connection for them. He really did get the point of the nature walk, and she heard that he was growing up and she had to step back and start to reach him on his own terms. 10mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I had mixed feelings about this section. It felt like the bits and bobs didn‘t quite flow the same way through this chapter, so each part felt a bit jarring. However, this was the chapter that I felt I could relate to the most. Her setting aside her love of writing, because of the expectations of others that she couldn‘t possibly make a living doing it, definitely hit home. I think it‘s important for humans of all ages to play and not be ashamed. 9mo
39 likes1 stack add9 comments
review
5feet.of.fury
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Pickpick

I tried to be mindful when I was listening to this & not just binging it in my stream of near constant distractions (the antithesis of the objective of the book). After a couple essays left me arguing instead of introspecting, I started to think about DNFing, but I decided to polish it off over MarioKart & morning paperwork today. It was presented well, & the narration was great. Some musings (writing/play)I will likely continue to reflect on.

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DebinHawaii
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#NaturalLitsy #MidwinterSolace #Hygge

Spending my #HyggeHour curled up on the couch & deciding between catching up with the tagged book or starting The Rescuers for #ChildrensClassicsRead2024 depending on what I feel like. A cup of herbal tea & shortbread cookie (not pictured) will be enjoyed. It‘s just a bit warm so far tonight for the super soft slippers my friend gave me for Christmas but I love them. 🤍

MittenGirlPeach What a lovely evening. Those slippers look amazing! 10mo
63 likes1 stack add1 comment
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AllDebooks
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#Midwintersolace

Week 2 discussion thread - Water

🌊 What are your thoughts on this section?
🌊 Are you a wild swimmer?
🌊 Have you ever tried it or wanted to?

@TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @jenniferw88

Librarybelle Not a wild swimmer, and I‘ve really had no desire to be. But, I love the sounds to water. One of my favorite places to be is along the New England coast listening to the waves pound the rocky coast. There‘s something therapeutic about it. 10mo
See All 8 Comments
IndoorDame When I was younger I had the opportunity to spend lots of time in the Caribbean where the water was warm enough to stay in all day, and back then I was totally fearless, so even though I wasn‘t that strong a swimmer I found pushing myself and swimming out really far a great form of escapism. These days, in New England, it‘s way too cold for me to be tempted to do and wild swimming, but being near the ocean is still one of my favorite things! 10mo
mcctrish For some reason I equate wild swimming with swimming out of season aka not summer 🤷🏻‍♀️ I would choose to swim in open water over a pool any day but I‘d probably wear one of those swimmer life preservers if I was going too far out in the deep - I‘m getting old 🤣 ( I tend to swim along the shore instead of straight out ) I have a swim tub in my backyard that is heated so I can swim all year long so that‘s my version of wild swimming 10mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I swim like a rock. 😅 I‘ve never quite managed to learn how to tread water, but I can swim okay underwater. I do love to splash around in creeks and shallow parts of lakes and rivers. My first visit to the ocean was this past year and again I stuck to the shore. I love wild water, I just can‘t go out in it like described in the book. 😅 10mo
quietlycuriouskate I enjoyed the Water section very much! I'm a mile-before-breakfast pool swimmer, and a cold showerer. I love swimming in the sea (as long as it's calm) but that only happens on holiday in Pembrokeshire. 10mo
40 likes8 comments
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mcctrish
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Pickpick

KM was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as an adult so this is a bit about that journey, the pandemic, her love of swimming ❤️ and her journey as a bee keeper ( so coincidental since I just finished Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and now I‘m reading Mad Honey by Katie Welch - I‘m all about the bees right now ) don‘t mind me as I get caught up on all the cleaning that got neglected this fall when my 2 week teaching job went on for 4 months

Kerrbearlib Will have to check this out! 10mo
44 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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mcctrish
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#buddyread #naturalitsy #midwintersolace I am de:Christmas-ing. I love to listen to audio books when I do chores, I especially love non-fiction on audio. I like to think they awaken wonder in me for understanding. Anxiety has been something I have been grappling with for awhile. I‘m not sure if it‘s age, the pandemic that really ramped it up but here we are

HettyG This author‘s book Wintering is one of my favorites, looking forward to this one as well! 10mo
AllDebooks I think it is a multitude of things that cause anxiety. The pandemic and subsequent isolations certainly added to that list. I hope the book brings you some comfort. Like HettyG, I found Wintering an absolute treasure x 10mo
mcctrish @HettyG I have Wintering and it‘s an ongoing read ( I really do love it and kind of like it always existing as almost read - this might be the year I finish it ) 10mo
mcctrish @AllDebooks I‘m 30% in already and I love my connection to KM and swimming ( still finding books about the pandemic raw ) 10mo
AllDebooks @mcctrish hugs x🤗 10mo
42 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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AllDebooks
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#Naturalitsy #Midwintersolace

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on our January #buddyread 😊

Discussion thread - Week 1

✨️ Do you like the author's writing style?
✨️ Are you enchanted or disenchanted?
✨️ Do you think you may find this book helpful or enlightening?

@TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @jenniferw88

Librarybelle I hope to start this today! 10mo
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Bookwormjillk Still waiting for this one at the library. Hopefully I can catch up soon! 10mo
IndoorDame I like the way she thinks about what she calls deep play. I think it would help to think more broadly about fun and play and hobbies than we tend to be encouraged to, and that could be a good way back into a more passionate, engaged life. 10mo
TheBookHippie Starting it this week! 10mo
Deblovestoread Hope to start tomorrow. 10mo
quietlycuriouskate I'm a couple of chapters in. I enjoyed her previous books and am curious as to where this one will go. I realise that a part of me would secretly like a recipe: mix a and b together, follow the next ten logical steps, put in a slow oven for six weeks, then share your enchantment while hot. Erm, no, Kate, that's not how this thing works! 😆 10mo
quietlycuriouskate I think you are right @IndoorDame . Despite myself I get hijacked by the productivity mindset. There's a lot of shame around adults just playing. Actually even the word "play" makes me a bit anxious (I'm all for fun and hobbies, though!) because it feels so unstructured and I just start mentally flailing. 10mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Still waiting on my holds for both buddy reads. I‘m second in line for this one but fourth in line for the other one… 🙁 You can go ahead and remove me from the list and if I get the holds in time I‘ll let you know. 10mo
Sparklemn @alldebooks I'd love to be added. I probably won't be able to start it until later in the month, however. 10mo
AllDebooks @Sparklemn Welcome x😊 10mo
AllDebooks @IndoorDame yes 🙌 It's not something I give much time to 10mo
AllDebooks @quietlycuriouskate haha 😅 how helpful would that be? 10mo
AllDebooks @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I hope they come in soon 🤞 10mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Catching up since my library copy came in. The book‘s okay so far. I‘m not sure the pandemic correlations will work as well with future generations, but I do appreciate them. The part where her son talked about her cutting off the branches in his mind hurt my heart. I think as parents we stress too much about making sure our kids are deep thinkers that we sometimes don‘t give them the time and space to develop that process for themselves. 10mo
36 likes21 comments
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Chrissyreadit
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How are all of you? We are expecting a storm… and as long as i can stay home i will be content to read. I‘m really enjoying all the posts being shared for #midwintersolace. I love that Winter encourages us to take care, rest and prepare (even though modern work/life culture challenges this ) Sending out cozy vibes to all of you 🩵

Cuilin Agoraphobia has been relentless this week. Weirdly I‘m excited for storm not sure if it‘s because I won‘t feel guilty for not leaving the house, or that I actually may leave the house to experience the snow, who knows. 🤷‍♀️ 10mo
TheBookHippie Hopefully you get to stay in! I appear to have come down with a cold yesterday.. even though I‘ve not been out since December 26😱🤧🤦🏻‍♀️😵‍💫😝 so rest and tea and toast. 10mo
Gissy Hope you can stay safe at home.....and reading📚❤️ 10mo
47 likes1 stack add3 comments
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AllDebooks
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#Midwintersolace

The first week in January is almost over. I hope it's been a good one. I've started our #buddyread as tagged. ⬆️ I look forward to your thoughts on tomorrow's discussion thread.
I'm trying to relax today after a crazy week, catching up on journal, diary and Litsy posts.
Wishing you all a fab weekend 😘

@TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @jenniferw88

TheBookHippie I have a cold 🤧😵‍💫🤦🏻‍♀️😝 zero fun. 10mo
AllDebooks @TheBookHippie oh no, wishing you a speddy recovery x 10mo
TheBookHippie @AllDebooks rest tea toast… 🙃 10mo
28 likes3 comments
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IndoorDame
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Pickpick

#midwintersolace #naturalitsy I think I fall in the #unpopularopinion camp with Katherine May. I couldn‘t quite connect with Wintering, & this one I loved & felt completely unmoved by in turns. She‘d have these lines that I‘d think YES! EXACTLY! THATS EVERYTHING! And then she‘d go off on tangents and I‘d struggle to focus for the rest of the chapter. Still, the book was so worth it for those moments of connection & it gave me a lot to think about.

Chrissyreadit 🩵❄️🩵❄️ 10mo
TheKidUpstairs I totally agree. Some moments of full hearted connection, also moments of disconnection and tangents. 10mo
AllDebooks 🩵 I haven't read it yet,but I did feel similarly about 10mo
Read4life Such a well written way of describing exactly how I felt about this one. 10mo
60 likes1 stack add4 comments
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IndoorDame
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The hold on our February #midwintersolace buddy read came into Libby early so I‘m doing some audiobaking inspired by everyone‘s delicious posts from the past few days. I usually bake jam thumbprints this time of year, but I don‘t have the ingredients on hand today. Still, one perk of not being Christian is there‘s no strict deadlines set on my winter cookie adventures. #holidayfriends

Gissy 🍪 😋 10mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 10mo
IndoorDame @dabbe ♥️💜♥️ 10mo
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IndoorDame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks tried a new recipe. They actually came out really good! 😊 10mo
TheBookHippie Yummmm 10mo
Andrew65 Look good. 10mo
IndoorDame @Andrew65 ❤️ 10mo
57 likes9 comments
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Chrissyreadit
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Mitch I opened your package today as part of my Yule Celebration 🕯️🤍🕯️🤍🕯️
Thank you my friend!!! It‘s such a perfect package- because I‘ve been playing around with my word for 2024 (i loved my 2023 word but it did not quite work…) So the word I‘m going with is Engagement- especially reminding myself there are many ways to be meaningfully engaged. And your package was a sign that this is the word for me in 2024 😘😘😘😘

AmyG Love the book! 🤣 11mo
ElizaMarie Engagement!!! I love that! 11mo
Mitch Here‘s to a positive year of engagement xxx 11mo
60 likes3 comments
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LitsyEvents
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repost for @AllDebooks

#Naturalitsy #Midwintersolace

This is a reminder of our next #BuddyRead, starting on the 1st of January. I will post a discussion thread every Saturday.

All welcome to join in. Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist.

original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2676999

AllDebooks Thank you for the share x 11mo
30 likes1 comment
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AllDebooks
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#Naturalitsy #Midwintersolace

This is a reminder of our next buddy read, starting on the 1st of January. I will post a discussion thread every Saturday.
All welcome to join in. Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist.

@TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @jenniferw88 @LitsyEvents

Librarybelle Looking forward to this! 11mo
quietlycuriouskate I have this in my Kindle library and would love to join in! 11mo
AllDebooks @quietlycuriouskate of course, welcome x 11mo
39 likes4 comments
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TheEllieMo
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I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

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Andrea313
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Mehso-so

Like so many, I was eager to read this after devouring the author's gorgeous "Wintering" but it just didn't hit me the same way. It felt really meandering, and though there are a few lovely passages, the whole never quite managed to coalesce. Still, the good moments really did stick with me, and it added to my enjoyment of an indulgent, solo getaway weekend. If May were to write another in this same vein, I'm sure I'd give it a try!

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BekaReid
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"The last decade has filled so many of us with a growing sense of unreality. We seem trapped in a grind of constant change without ever getting the chance to integrate it. Those rolling news cycles, the chatter on social media, the way that our families have split along partisan lines: it feels as though we‘ve undergone a halving, then a quartering, and now we are some kind of social rubble."

dabbe Hello there, hilariously sweet kitty! 🖤🐾🖤 13mo
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youneverarrived
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Mehso-so

The writing and the concept are lovely but I didn‘t really get much from it - it didn‘t make me want to go and find enchantment nor did I live it vicariously through the author. There‘s four sections Earth, Air, Water & Fire and sometimes it felt like she was writing just for the sake of fitting into one of those prompts. I loved Wintering & the sort of meandering of that but it didn‘t quite work for me here. #nonfiction2023 (purple rain)

kaysworld1 I found this one hard to get into when I put it down I have no urge to pick it up again like other book's. 1y
JamieArc I kind of agree with you 😕. It didn‘t fill me with the enchantment I was wanting nor inspire me to find it. 1y
youneverarrived @kaysworld1 I know exactly what you mean. 1y
youneverarrived @JamieArc it was pretty disappointing in that way - it‘s an ok book but I don‘t feel like it lived up to its premise 1y
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ncsufoxes
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Pickpick

I love Katherine May‘s books/ her writing style. As few have mentioned & agree that Wintering is still my favorite by her. There is something so peaceful & calming about her writing. It was what I definitely needed at this moment. If your a fan of her writing then it might be for you. If you‘ve never read her work before start with Wintering first. Can‘t wait for her next book. #bookspin book #14books14weeks (book 6/14)

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1y
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Graciouswarriorprincess
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Book 92 of the year.

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ReadingRachael
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Pickpick

So glad I decided to pick this up! It is that type of book that can make you feel less alone. One thing that resonated with me was when she spoke of how she had “administered” many changes, challenges, and life events over the past few years, but had not been able to integrate any of it. I can relate! She goes on to discuss how grounding, finding connection, and reviving our sense of awe and wonder in the world is is vital to our wellbeing.

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Suet624
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Went to Ireland and came back with five books. I was proud of myself for limiting my purchases! These books I found in a cute gift shop at Brigit‘s Garden (gorgeous) where we stopped for lunch. I proceeded to read aloud various blessings from O‘Donohue in the car to the three other women I traveled with as we made our way throughout Ireland. O‘Donohue knows how to touch your heart with very few words.

BarbaraBB That sounds wonderful 🤍 1y
ReadingRachael I just finished Enchantment and thought it was lovely 1y
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Suet624 @ReadingRachael oh good. I‘ve liked her other writing so I was hopeful. 1y
Reggie Hope you had the best time! 1y
sarahbarnes I love that so much. Sounds like an amazing trip! 1y
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GatheringBooks
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#VolumesAndVocals Day 2: #EveryBreathYouTakePolice has to be filled with enchantment and wonder. Excited to dig into this. Has anyone read it yet? Is it too sappy or trite? Or just right?

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love the cover 💙🤍 1y
Eggs Sounds wonderful 👏🏻🤗🩷 1y
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kaysworld1
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Started reading this gentle book on my day off.

#readingmyownbooks
#reading
#exhaustedage

TheKidUpstairs This one is on here, too! It's just buried under lots of others with similar titles 😁 1y
kaysworld1 @TheKidUpstairs Thank you 😊 I didn't think it was thr right one but updated it now xx 1y
rmaclean4 What a beautiful cover! I love her books. Gentle is the right word to describe them. 1y
youneverarrived I‘m waiting on this at the library! Beautiful cover. (edited) 1y
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Booksbymybed
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Pickpick

I was eagerly anticipating this book, and finally had enough space in my head to properly absorb it. As with Wintering, I found myself instantly connecting to author‘s experience. So many things I was relieved to read were not only my experience. Little connections in my head and heart that got tangled, and severed in the past several years. Now to ponder, digest, recollect and reconstruct.

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squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

It was a rainy morning so I had the time to finish this book.

I‘m not sure whether it was me or the book, but I couldn‘t quite connect to it. Odd, as I absolutely loved Wintering which I read only recently.

This one felt less cohesive as a whole; more a selection of essays. It also felt quite negative, certainly more than Wintering, even though it‘s about finding the enchantment in everyday things.

Still a pick though, but a soft one.

TiredLibrarian What a handsome puppy! 🐶 1y
Amiable That face! 😍 1y
dabbe Da sweetest pup! What a face! 💙🐾💚 1y
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BarbaraBB Oooh Henry! Too cute 🥰🥰 1y
youneverarrived He‘s the cutest 😍😍 I‘ll lower my expectations going into this! 1y
Megabooks Happy Henry! 🤩🤩 1y
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Jen2
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Pickpick

Lovely audiobook

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rmaclean4
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Pickpick
Librarybelle I‘m looking forward to reading this one! 2y
squirrelbrain I just bought this - I‘m saving it to read on holiday in a few weeks. 2y
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monalyisha
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“Neck deep in saltwater, I become part of a place.”
-Katherine May (newsletter, April 2023)

This was the last time my bare skin touched my home saltwater. It was November. It‘s almost time to submerge once again!

paper.reveries Where are you from that you can wear clamdiggers in NOVEMBER!! 😍😍 2y
monalyisha @daisyheadmaesie Those are just VERY tight jeans, hiked up VERY effortfully. 😅 It was an unseasonably warm day in Rhode Island. 2y
paper.reveries @monalyisha Man oh man, lucky you!! 2y
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Gabbymags123 I‘m chepachet where r you ?! 2y
monalyisha @Gabbymags123 We‘re in Warren! We‘ve been here since the summer of 2020. Five years in Providence before that. My husband is from Portsmouth. I‘m originally from Worcester (MA). 2y
dabbe What a cool pic! 💙🤗💙 2y
Gabbymags123 Sorry just seeing this section… grew up in Boston moved to R I from high school with friend looong ago!! Happy reading 4mo
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kspenmoll
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RaeLovesToRead Wow. I can't decide which cover I love more the UK or the US 🥰 2y
Eggs More great pillows! 2y
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CaitZ
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Pickpick

This is the first Katherine May book I've read. I found it interesting and some of her ideas spoke to me. #MarchMadness #Booked2023 #NewIn2023 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @alisiakae @Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 2y
Andrew65 Brilliant 👏👏👏 2y
Cinfhen I heard her other book is also outstanding 2y
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monalyisha
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Pickpick

How do I begin reviewing my most anticipated book of the year? Perhaps by saying that I wasn‘t disappointed. Since reading Wintering in 2020, I‘ve fully joined the cult of Katherine May. I‘ve read all of her other works, have listened to her podcast. I‘ve picked up books she‘s recommended; I follow her on Instagram, I subscribe to her newsletter. Thus, I went into this with high expectations but with a sense of reverence already in place. 👇🏻

monalyisha 1/11: If you‘re new to May‘s work, I would start with Wintering (which, admittedly, is still my favorite). Enchantment felt, for me, like continuing a conversation that we‘d already started. I don‘t know if that‘s particular to my situation or if others would feel a bit unmoored. I do know that a library patron told me she felt it was “dense.” I wouldn‘t use that word…but I can see where it might help to have some context before diving in. (edited) 2y
monalyisha 2/11: The subtitle is important: “Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age.” The key to doing this vital and necessary thing, according to May, is to reconnect with your childhood capacity for play and to pay close attention — not in the least to the natural world. She separates her book into 4 elemental sections: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. And then she goes out into the world (in small ways, in the midst of a pandemic) and *pays attention.* (edited) 2y
monalyisha 3/11: May notes that she‘s scientific, that she‘s not a believer in organized religion, that she grew up without ritual — but I think it‘s honest to note that she‘s not just asking “How do we find wonder?” but also, “How do we worship?” and “How do we pray?” Her answer is secular but it IS sacred. It‘s spiritual. Fortunately for her and for me, this dovetails perfectly with my interests. (edited) 2y
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monalyisha 4/11: I‘m a lapsed Catholic. In undergrad, I majored in English Literature and Religious Studies (not out of any sense of devotion but out of curiosity and, yes (!), enchantment). I‘ve thought about (and discarded the notion of) being a high school Religion teacher, striving to make my students‘ experience of the topic more inclusive and more diverse than my own. I‘ve officiated several weddings. I‘ve thought about starting an officiant business. (edited) 2y
monalyisha 5/11: I‘m thinking about joining a Unitarian Church (and then becoming a Unitarian minister). What I did become is a Children‘s Librarian. My closest childhood friends became leaders within the SCA (Student Conservationist Association); hikers of the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail; and nature photographers. Mary Oliver is my favorite poet. I live as near to the ocean as a poor Librarian can manage. (edited) 2y
monalyisha 6/11: I am HERE for a conversation about recovering childlike play and wonder, and seeking an experience of the divine through nature. Holy shit am I here — with rocks in my pockets and salt licking my skin! (edited) 2y
monalyisha 7/11: I found myself jotting all of my favorite and most treasured sentences and ideas from my undergraduate studies in the margins of this book, next to relevant passages: things like, “the truth is in the tension”, “always already”, and “the world is god‘s body.” I know that books can be windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors; Enchanted is definitely the last two for me. (edited) 2y
monalyisha 8/11: I see myself reflected back at me AND I am transported. If May‘s point was that we are all interconnected, I certainly need no convincing. My thoughts and feelings and desires are intimately intertwined with the author‘s. (edited) 2y
monalyisha 9/11: At one point, May encounters another person while visiting a new stone circle near her house. She writes, “She is trying not to watch me, but I can see that she is waiting her turn. Perhaps she is embarrassed as I am to be in need of a little time amid these new stones…I buckle on my sandals and nod to her as I pass, pretending that we are both walkers rather than pilgrims, pretending that we both don‘t crave.” (edited) 2y
monalyisha 10/11: Katherine May, I‘m not pretending. Call me. …Or, don‘t. Phone calls make me anxious. 😅

I‘ll end with a final quote. She notes, “I was open to magic, and I found some, although not the magic I was looking for. That‘s what you find over and over again when you go looking: something else. An insight that surprises you. A connection you never would have made. A new perspective.”
2y
monalyisha 11/11: While I whole-heartedly agree, and while this works as a guiding principal to use as we walk through life, much of May‘s work is *not* a new perspective for me. But it *IS* a connection. And I am grateful. 2y
JamieArc I‘m noting to myself to come back to your post because I have so much to say. I‘m carrying this book with me, waiting to start it. Perhaps today should be the day! 2y
monalyisha @JamieArc enjoy! I get having “so much to say.” I finished this days ago (maybe a whole week ago?), and reviewed it on Goodreads. I put off posting here because I knew I‘d have to break it down into chunks because of the character limit. 😅 I refused to gracefully condense. 2y
SamAnne @monalyisha thank for you taking the time to write such a detailed and very personal review. I'm in a space to appreciate a book like Wintering. Stacked. 2y
monalyisha @SamAnne “Thorough” and “personal” are definitely in my wheelhouse 😅! I hope you love Wintering. It‘s my most passionately recommended book of the last 5 years. 2y
monalyisha Tagging Wintering for anyone who needs it! @SamAnne 2y
TheAromaofBooks Such a lovely review!! It's amazing when a book not just touches a chord, but plays it as loud as a pipe organ!! 2y
Augustdana Just finished this book last night and it felt like a warm hug. Necessary. I also agree, wintering is still my fav. 2y
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monalyisha
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“I miss the sense of worship that comes when I get into the sea. I miss the feeling that I am entering a vast cathedral, and, rather than sitting in its dry pews, that I am merging with it. I miss how when I feel the pull of the tides, I am also feeling the pull of the whole world, of the moon and the sun; that I am part of a chain of interconnection that crosses galaxies.”

monalyisha Ever since reading Katherine May‘s last book (Wintering), I‘ve found myself entertaining the notion of cold water swimming as a way to tamp down my seasonal depression. I live in the Ocean State and I adore the water…but whenever someone finds out about my tenuous goal, they‘re shocked. I hate being cold. And they know it. “WHY?!”, they ask, totally perplexed. This is why. Thank you, as always, for putting my thoughts to language, KM. 2y
Suet624 What a wonderful post. 2y
JamieArc I HAVE FELT THE SAME WAY! I have been so intrigued and wanting to try cold water swimming, since reading both Wintering and Tsui‘s Why We Swim. Unfortunately I don‘t live near a good place to do this. We are leaving for vacation in two days and Enchantment is going with me. 2y
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monalyisha @JamieArc I love that we read the same books and had the same response. Truly kindred! I gave Wintering to my stepmom, too, and she actually went! There‘s a group near her in NH that swims daily. The leader has been asking her to go again, and she‘s been telling them she‘s waiting for me. 🙈 I told her maybe April…which is coming up so soon! 2y
JamieArc @monalyisha Please let me know if you go!!! Do you follow @Magpiegem ? She has posted recently on Litsy about her cold sea swims. I think you should give your mom an early Mother‘s Day gift and go! 😁🥶😆 2y
monalyisha @JamieArc I do but I hadn‘t seen her post(s). Thanks for pointing them out. And hi, @Magpiegem 👋🏻🌊! 2y
Magpiegem @monalyisha Hi! Yes you should definitely go! I swim throughout the year and it‘s fantastic! You feel like you can face anything after a midwinter swim! Although I must admit my favourite swims are late night full moon swims in summer when the sea is still and clear. I‘m looking forward to seeing a post from you about your first swim now 😁 (edited) 2y
Magpiegem @JamieArc thank you for tagging me! Can I tempt you into the sea too 🏊‍♀️ 🥶💙 2y
JamieArc @Magpiegem I am sorely tempted, but do not live near a body of water to do so. It‘s a bucket list item. I will get there one day! 2y
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Kristin_Reads
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Pickpick

📖 3-8-23 || Another delightful collection of connected essays from Katherine May! I think Wintering may still be my favorite of her three, but this is a close second. Highly relatable.

ncsufoxes I just ordered this earlier today. I didn‘t even realize she had a new book out. I love her writing 2y
Kristin_Reads @ncsufoxes Enjoy! She‘s a great writer. 2y
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Augustdana
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FEELING THE PRESSURE BECAUSE 14 people are waiting for this one! Very excited to start. I‘m on March break and hopefully I‘ll read a few books 🤞

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Twocougs
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Pickpick

Been anxiously waiting for this to come out. It certainly did not disappoint ❤️☀️🌈

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