#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour with Trixie & the gang for #BobWhiteBuddies along with tea & my favorite dried cinnamon Fuji apple slices.

My mood is sad that the weekend was so short & that it will be another crazy workweek—although hopefully not as bad as the last two weeks.

#Read2925

I think this is my final review of May, completed last week for #FictionalTraveler #SpanishSpeaking & the 6th of my #Roll100 picks for May (#4: Any BOTM). I‘ve put off reviewing it because I‘m still not sure how I feel about it. It‘s a quiet book about grief, depression & finding your life. Ruth leaves her job in NYC for a lake town in Guatemala, a place she felt most real in when she was there years before. It sort of meanders, ⬇️

#Read2025 #MonthlyNonFiction2025 #RealHistory

Finished last week for #SheSaid Elizabeth Packard was an amazing woman who I knew very little about until this book. She did so much to fight for her own rights but even more to fight for the rights of the voiceless—women & those with mental health issues, or really rather, those who were judged to be insane but were not & typically forced into asylums by husbands or male family members to silence ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished last week for #Roll100 (#40: Any ARC) & the second in the Miss Prentice's Protégées series, this one features Lottie who keeps losing governess jobs with her unladylike behavior as she borrows horses from her employers & fights advances from her latest employer‘s son. Miss Prentice thinks she‘d be better suited as a ladies companion & sets her up with a challenging dowager who can‘t/won‘t keep a companion. ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished earlier in the month. This is the first book in the Miss Prentice's Protégées series & since I received the second as an ARC, I had to read this one first & checked it out from the library. It‘s described as a “Regency romp” & it is—light & fun. In this one the MC is Georgie who has yet to get a governess job since graduating from Miss Prentice‘s school & takes on 3 unruly children left with their uncle who ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished yesterday for #Roll100 May (#3: Any ARC) I find I love the comfort of a cozy fantasy, even better if it‘s a foodie cozy fantasy as then one is. About Arletta, a human with no magic, just getting by on selling her amazing baked goods when Theo, an elf shows up with an invitation to the Langheim Baking Battle, an elf-run magical baking contest that no non-magical has ever won or been invited to but would change ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘m happy our daily haikus are continuing. They give me peace & joy. Today‘s is about the early-rising birds outside my bedroom window. I like hearing them while I slowly wake up.

Morning Sounds

Sunday, birds chatter
Early risers greet the light
I prefer to snooze

#Read100 #MonthlyNonFiction2025

Finished a few weeks ago. When I was in kindergarten we had to have a TB skin test where we lined up. The nurse(?) administering it told me “to watch the bubble” & I promptly passed out. I woke up on a cot, was forced to drink the carton of warm whole milk that was sitting outside class in a wagon all morning & eat a graham cracker & the entire experience left me with a decades long phobia of needles & seeing ⬇️

#Read2025

Finished last Sunday for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 & one of my #Roll100 May picks (#70: Any Children‘s Book). Written in 1906, is a sweet story about a unique group of dolls & their dollhouse. While I didn‘t love it, I liked it well enough for it to be a pick.

#Read2025 #AuthorAMonth2025

Finished today for #AuthorAMonth May. I loved James & wanted to read more Everett & ended up with this one because it was available from my library. I don‘t read a lot of Westerns it‘s just not a genre I gravitate to, but Everett drew me in with his sly wit & dark humor that had me laughing while also wincing at the racism & ignorance of the MC, Curt Marder & other characters in the book. I did not love the ending.

#Read2025

Finished a few weeks ago-another #Roll100 pick for May (#30 Any Audio) & it was enjoyable. I‘m a Molly Harper fan but I prefer her paranormal series to her other books without supernatural creatures. Still, this mystery was fun-involving a proposal planner at a “pre-bridal retreat” at a resort with an obnoxious client & winds up involved in 2 murders I liked the MC, Jess, & the quirky cast of side characters & there was good snark.

#Read2025

Finished earlier in the week, it was one of my 6 #Roll100 picks for May (#7: Any Memoir). I really enjoyed the audiobook read by Ina herself. When I first started food blogging in 2008, I joined a group called Barefoot Bloggers & we cooked 2 of her recipes a month. In 2017 another group I was with cooked a recipe each week for 6 months, so you can say I‘ve cooked with her A LOT! I‘ve also watched her shows & follow her on Instagram & ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished #13 in the Trixie Belden series for BobWhiteBuddies a couple of weeks ago but have been really bad about posting reviews. This was one of my favorites growing up. I was excited about the island setting & sailing & Trixie getting a powder blue swimsuit 🩵 & Jim noticing the color (Jim ruined me for high school boys!) 😉😂 I also liked it when he & Trixie dressed up & went to the “dive bar” to listen & spy. ⬇️

Better late than never for my #5JoysFriday post for a short week than nonetheless felt unending. Here are my joyful moments.

1. I love flying into the different islands—this is Kauai & seeing the beauty will never cease to be joyful.💙

2. In my neighbor is Da Painted Tree—a tall stump that the owners paint seasonally for holiday & such. It got knocked down somehow in January & I was afraid it was done for but this week it popped up again ⬇️

#HaikuADay

It‘s the last Haiku of the month! Congrats to the #HaikuHive for all of the lovely daily haikus & thanks to @dabbe for hosting. The view of fluffy white clouds from my window seat inspired today‘s haiku.

I love when the clouds
Look like whipped cream drifting past
Swirls of latte foam

My #Chatterday Saturday unfortunately consists of catching up on work & focus group notes but I‘m doing it at the coffeeshop so it doesn‘t feel so depressing. I also am managing a few chapters of this book I am trying to finish for May.

I also have a ton of book reviews that I need to finish as well as my #HaikuADay & #5JoysFriday post, so I apologize in advance for all the upcoming posts.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Stuck in traffic on the way home but I saw three rainbows that inspired today‘s haiku:

Spotted three rainbows
Traffic jam? No worries, sis!
Watch as nature smiles

Hi Friends, I‘m so sorry I didn‘t send a message out about #5JoysFriday! I was traveling & my plane got delayed flying back & I fell asleep when I got home last night.🥱😵😴 I‘m having a hard time believing it‘s Friday already!

Thanks to those of you who posted already! 🤗 If you want to join in, just post the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week, tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you‘d like to share the joy! 💛

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Headed out to Hilo for meetings & an employee focus group & feeling like I just did this same thing inspired today‘s haiku.

Wasn‘t I just here?
Coffee cooling in my hand—
Rinse and repeat life…

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘m late with today‘s haiku which is inspired by my introvert hangover. Too much peopling this week with employee focus groups, training classes, inter-island travel & an all hands dinner meeting. 😳😬😵‍💫😵🥱

The kind of tired
That you feel bone deep—way too
much extroverting

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Headed to Kauai for the day for meetings, a focus group & an All Hands dinner tonight. Sitting in the quiet bustle of the lounge waiting for my flight & writing today‘s haiku:

Neighbor Island Commuters

Dawn at HA lounge
Bustle, chatter, coffee scents
We nod, take to skies

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

I finished this one, #4 in the series a couple of Sundays ago for #EBBR & I have got to start reviewing them right when I finish or at least take notes because of course I‘ve already forgotten the 2 cases (I think) that I didn‘t get right. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ Even reading the list of cases, I don‘t remember at all. No matter, they still make for a great Sunday night #HyggeHour read.

#Read2025 #seriesLove2025

Finished the 8th book in the Potting She‘d Mystery series for #ThematicCozies May #Flowers/Plants It was fun to get caught up with American Master Gardener Pru Parke living in the English countryside. Pru becomes involved with a group creating a Medieval herb garden at a local hospital & when the chief donor dies, she‘s on the case. I can‘t believe I waited this long to read the latest book. I enjoy Pru & her friends

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

When I was driving along Hwy 19 in Kona yesterday there was a family of dark brown goats (males, females, kids) just casually walking down the side of the highway. Apparently they are feral& pretty common but their casual stroll captured my attention & inspired today‘s haiku:

Goat Gang 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐

Brown goat parade struts
Like they own the whole highway—
Cruisin‘ Kona style.

If you have to do some work on the Memorial Day holiday, you might as well go to the coffeeshop for a couple of hours & get coffee, breakfast & sneak a couple of chapters of a current read in.

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour reading the tagged book for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 on my phone from the Internet Archive. My reading snack is a decadent brownie purchased from the craft fair I stopped by this weekend along with some coconut tea..

My mood is relieved that while I do need to get some work done tomorrow, I don‘t have to go to or be at work & I can sleep in a bit.

#Read2025 #MonthlyNonFiction2925

Finished today for #SundayBuddyRead I enjoyed this memoir-set in the summer of 1945 when the author & her best friend spend the summer in NYC. These Iowa University students become the first females to be pages at Tiffany & Co. It‘s a mostly light read about their experiences in the city & it was a good escape. Thanks to @TheBookHippie for the always wonderful hosting, discussions & research done along the way.🩵

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Yesterday I was watching a red-crested cardinal scavenging outside the coffee shop & it reminded me of one that hung out in another coffee shop & would fly in daily & grab a sugar-in-the-raw pack, fly back outside & open it up & share with friends. (Excuse the bad photo!) He‘s the inspiration for today‘s haiku.

Red-Crested Cardinals

Bold red mohawks fly
Scavenging with bright-eyed flair
Cheeky sugar thieves

2 days late with my #5JoysFriday list. I confess that after running my errands yesterday, I mostly slept the day away recovering from a busy week which is why:

1. I‘m joyful it‘s a 3-day weekend because I need the extra day for rest & to gear up for next week which will be equally long & crazy with day trips to Kauai & Hilo.

2. I will never not get joy from seeing blue skies, clouds & other sights out the window when flying neighbor island.

⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Stopped at the craft fair this morning to pick up a bag for a friend & bought myself a freshly made strawberry limeade to which they added strawberry bursting boba. 😋

🍓🍋‍🟩
Strawberry limeade
Freshly squeezed, bright bobas burst
Tongue tingles in bliss

I‘m so behind but I‘ll be around to read your haikus soon!

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

At the Kona Airport. Left the house at 4:15 AM & won‘t get home until after 10 PM—a looong day.😵‍💫I did win the upgrade games this morning (photo from that flight) & again tonight. It‘s not a lot for a 40-minute flight but I appreciate it. Here‘s today‘s haiku:

Island hop today—
twice blessed by the upgrade gods.
Legs stretch. Full drink. Ahhh…

Hi Friends, it‘s a crazy workweek again for me & tomorrow I‘m headed to Hilo at the crack of dawn & not back until after 10 PM. I‘m getting the joy party started now. 💛💛💛

Time to post those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week & tag your post with #5JoysFriday. Tag me & anyone else you‘d like to spread the joy. 🤗

All are welcome & I‘m tagging a few regulars to get things rolling. Hope you join in the Joy! 🥳💛

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘ve gotten in the habit of falling asleep to Pride and Prejudice 2005 on Netflix & it leaves at the end of June so that‘s today‘s haiku.

Netflix, addlepates!
P&P 05 leaves soon
What shall soothe my sleep?

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

As I was changing a battery in my nebulizer this morning, I thought, “wouldn‘t it be nice if we could fix ourselves when our energy dies out so easily?” Thus, today‘s haiku.

My Battery Died

Changing batteries
Click, replace, and power up—
Wish it worked on me…

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Just got to Hilo for the day. Today‘s haiku is inspired by me balancing my latte & the one I grabbed for my coworker & setting one down too hard. Oatmilk foam flew out the hole & all over. 😂

Two coffees balanced
Geyser of oatmilk foam sprays,
Lucky I‘m in black

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Well, that was the Mondayest Monday that ever Mondayed. Back-to-back meetings with no time for breaks or lunch & it‘s 6 PM & I still have focus group notes to write up.😳I used my last brain cell on this haiku inspired by today.

Monday blues again
Zoom to Zoom with no escape
Not one brain cell left… 😵‍💫

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Reading some Trixie for #BobWhiteBuddies for my #HyggeHour tonight, along with tea & some dried mini bananas for a sweet treat.

Mood is tired, I‘m still batting the lingering cough of my cold. Not looking forward to another busy week at work.

#Read2024 #Bibliophile

Finished this one last week. A slightly darker cozy fantasy, about a kingdom where sorceresses take the hearts or parts of hearts of the citizens to do their magic. Foss is the awkward daughter of the butcher. Her heart is caught up in a spell by a male sorcerer & she follows him to the city to get it back. I liked Foss a lot & loved Cornelius, a talking cat who befriends her. Not perfect but a good diversion & #RedCover

#Bibliophile

I have some catch up to do. I always think of this book when thinking about a #LongTitle

The Feast Nearby: How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally.

A woman in my foodie book club refused to read this one because she found the title “too ridiculously long.” 😂

A woman in

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Lazy Sunday breakfast delivery. I was craving Loco Moco, a ubiquitous local dish & my inspiration for today‘s haiku.

“Broke da mouth” is a pidgin Hawaiian saying for when something is incredibly delicious.🤤😋

Sunday Loco Moco

Rice, patty, gravy,
egg—stacked in wild harmony
Hot mess, “broke da mouth”

Thanks to @AllDebooks & @TheSpineView for the #Chatterday tag! 🤗

I started Saturday at the library & then the coffee shop, but this is my first real time out of the house since last week & I can feel myself fading a bit. I may go home soon & try to take a nap. Also trying to finish this Libby e-book before it goes back tomorrow.

How‘s your weekend going? 🤗 Join in & share if you feel like it.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Spent a peaceful couple of hours at the library & library bookstore this morning. The New Books shelf always draws me in first. 📚📚📚

Library morning,
Unread stories call to me,
New Books shelf beckons

Well, it‘s still Friday here & I‘m getting my #5JoysFriday post up. It was a long week so I had to go more basic for my list because my stuffy head & cough have not been that joyful, so here goes!

1. When you can taste much & need to clear the sinuses, brothy noodle soups are the best. Heck they give me joy any time.🍜😋

2. I had a perfect poke bowl for lunch today & I left my house to pick it up & could taste it! 😋Joy!

3. A perfect🍪!

⬇️

#HaikuADay Day #16 #HaikuHive

Had a news alert about Kīlauea‘s (active volcano on The Big Island) continued erupting pop up this morning leading me to the live YouTube channel to watch https://www.youtube.com/live/oG5zz9Sjw3E?si=HIdNw6vshRzNM-va (where the photo is from) & that inspired today‘s haiku.

Note: The easiest way to pronounce Kīlauea is kee-lau-ay-uh, so 4 syllables.

Kīlauea rains,
Flaming showers of lava
Kīlauea reigns.

#HaikuADay Day #15 (Catch Up) #HaikuHive

I fell asleep before I could post this yesterday. There‘s a special something about a new box of colored pencils. ✏️

Bouquet

New colored pencils—
sharp tips, a rainbow waiting
to sketch quiet joy.

Hi Friends, I‘m so behind—it‘s been a snuffly 🤧 & busy work week. I‘m going to try to catch up with some posts tonight but thought I‘d get the #5JoysFriday ball rolling since it‘s almost here & because I think we all need some joy in our lives.💛💛💛

Make your post about the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week & tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me on your post.

Tagging some regulars to get things started & all are welcome. 🤗

#HaikuADay #Haiku

Yes, I worked for Starbucks from 1992 until I moved to Honolulu in 2001 to be a part of the partnership here & did that until 2009. Being in HR anywhere has its challenges but today‘s Haiku is about how glad I am I‘m not part of their new dress code & policy roll out. Like their new paper iced cups, not very well thought out & executed. 🫣😱🤐

Job regrets can stir,
Then I sip, sigh, grateful I‘m
not Starbucks HR…

#Bibliophile

I was obsessed with this book growing up & checked it out often from the library. The 1950 #NewberyWinner it‘s about Robin, young son of a nobleman, whose dream of knighthood is crushed when he loses the use of his legs through illness & must find another path. (I guess I could have used it for yesterday‘s prompt as well.🤷🏻‍♀️)

BTW: I first learned the phrase “by hook or by crook” in this book & it‘s always stayed with me. 😉

#HaikuADay

I awoke to this view of May‘s flower moon out my backyard screen door & it inspired today‘s haiku:

Before Sunrise:

The full flower moon
Bathes the world in twilight hues
Beckons through the screen

#HaikuHive

#Bibliophile

Honor from this Du Maurier I read a couple of years ago is a #ProtagWithDisability after she falls from a horse & is paralyzed from the waist down.