Dear Reader,
How is March behind us already? I literally feel I just posted my February Muse Letter and here we are for another monthly recap. A part of me feels sad on how rapid the month flew by. While I consciously strive to live and embrace life in the moment it hardly ever seems enough. Regardless, I hope March treated you kindly.
March was eventful on our end, but mostly in a relaxing and chilled family time fashion. Which honestly, can it get any better than that?
Please enjoy the tid bits and sources of inspiration that fueled my muse over the past month.
“Nature’s my muse and it’s been my passion.”
Frans Lanting
THE OUTDOORS - With the seasonal shift towards spring weather it has been amazing to be able to embrace the outdoors again! While I already know being outside brings me joy, I’m always surprised to discover how much it is a necessity for my well being once we reunite. And give me a big wide open field of grass or wispy meadow to run through and I’m suddenly Laura Ingalls from ‘Little House of the Prairie’ running through the fields with her sisters and dog Jack to meet their Pa.
Thankfully between bringing back my daily walks outside and exploring nature’s beauty at the Houston's Azalea Trail, March has been a lovely start to the spring season. Now to start my spring garden plans.
“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.”
Malorie Blackman
THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah - This was my 4th Kristin Hannah novel and so far we have a great author/reader relationship. Her novel “The Four Winds” still holds at 1st place for me, but this one is not too far behind. I read ‘The Women’ with my personal book club and coincidently happened to be during National Women’s History Month so it was naturally the perfect read for the occasion.
The story centers around three women and their experience as nurses in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War as well as the affects from their service post war. In Kristin Hannah style this historical fiction captured well researched content, heart, and natural human emotions that come with relationships, hardships, and lack of support. I always walk away learning something and changed in some way after reading her books. Highly recommend!
5/5 stars.
COME FLY THE WORLD: THE JET-AGE STORY OF THE WOMEN OF PAN AM by Julie Cooke - I have had this book set aside to read specifically during National Women’s History Month. And ugh...I really wanted to love it, but unfortunately it fell quite flat for me. As the title suggest it follows the journey of a handful of Pan Am Stewardess during the 1960s. I just really struggled to connect with anyone in the book and it lost my interest often. Perhaps I was expecting a little more than the obvious.
However what these ladies endured “or rather just did because it was the normal expectancy as a women” was nuts! I can’t even imagine dedicating my being to such requirements in a workforce or anywhere for that matter. Fellow women, we have come along way and we must keep going.
3/5 stars.
P.S. I’m still reading Barbra Streisand’s memoir MY NAME IS BARBRA via audiobook (remember the 48 hour long one...4 hrs to go!). It too has been the perfect book companion alongside my reading theme this month in support of Women History and Empowerment. Hopefully my final book review on this one will take place in April...spoiler alert, I’m loving it!
“Music is the soundtrack of your life.”
Dick Clark
My listenings lately have been on the low-key and mellow side; which looking back on my month correlates nicely. Song #5 made it on the playlist due to playing during a nice car ride conversation with my daughter after a lovely girl time dinner out. The song stood out while we were chatting so I wanted to document that memory via my playlist. Song #6 gets a lot of airplay. This isn’t the first monthly playlist of mine it has lived in.
In addition, these two albums have also been music to my ears this month:
VISIONS album by Nora Jones. I’m really enjoying the sound she explores in this album. Playful, quirky, hip, stable...these are ways I personally would describe this project. It has hints of newness, yet still very much Nora Jones. Which in a sense is exactly how an artist should evolve, right? My favorites are the title track “Visions” and “Staring at the Wall”.
LIVING ROOM SONGS album by Olafur Arnalds.
“Nostalgia is a powerful feeling; it can drown out anything.”
Terrence Malick
I’m not a huge tv watcher, but for whatever reason I’ve been in a nostalgic place through some well loved older tv series from my younger days.
CHEERS RERUNS - I think James and I have made it through season 2 so far with plenty more to go. Some great household names came out of this show. Such a classic! And the theme song is perfection. It has been a nice option to watch together when it’s been a long day and we just want something lighthearted, comical, and taps into those “back in the day” feels.
“Making your way in the world today
Takes everything you've got
Taking a break from all your worries
Sure would help a lot
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You want to be where everybody knows your name...”
Cheers by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart
FELICITY - My mom, sister, and I decided to change things up and watch a show simultaneously verses reading a book together. So we chose Felicity. Which happens to be my all time favorite drama series, ever!! I’ve watched the entire series many times...but watching each episode again still gets me every time! It’s just one of those coming of age storylines with wit, depth, relatability, and realistic characters. Brilliantly written show!! Plus it’s my mom’s first time seeing it so it’s been special sharing one our favorite shows with her.
And I clearly have a thing for introductions and theme songs, but Felicity’s intro and theme song is also perfect! Sigh...nostalgia! I’m partial to intro version 1, but version 2 with the “New Version of You” works too.
GOOD WILL HUNTING - James and I watched this oldie but oh so goodie on St. Patty’s Day. And yep, we cried yet again. And wow, Matt and Ben are soooo young in it...it feels like yesterday when it first came out!
PRETTY IN PINK - One of my all time favorite movies from my younger days! Doesn’t everyone need a Duckie in their life? And Molly Ringwald’s fashion and eye for thrifted transformations was pivotal for me growing up. I begged my daughter to watch it with me since she had never seen it. She recognized that some of the same music was also in Stranger Things. Particularly this one! I’m eternally grateful to Stranger Things for resurrecting 80s music to our younger generation. ;)
“Athena” the GREAT HORNED OWL - Austin Kleon recently informed his readers about a mama owl to be, Ms. Athena currently streaming live at the Wildflower Center Cornell Lab in Austin, Tx. I have been tuned in almost daily ever since!
I have to say Ms. Athena has been quite attentive to keeping her eggs warm. Of course I’m nowhere near nocturnal so I’m sure most of her activity happens while I’m snoozing away. According to google, great horned owl incubation is approximately 30-37 days so I’m thinking we aren’t too much far off from her baby owls gracing the live stream. Anyway - exciting stuff! Tune in too, here!
I’ve tuned into this Osprey Nest live streaming from Naples, FL as well that has some current mama/baby bird activity and some interesting captioned info.
Wow - looks like it was a big tv screen month for me!
READING IN COFFEE SHOPS - I’ve recently taken my reading time outside the home a bit more for a change in atmosphere. Generally I don’t do well reading in public because I’m extremely sensitive to sound and movement. But I’m learning I need to get out more in the world so this is my baby step in that direction. I especially enjoy these little coffee shop outings during those rainy days when outdoor reading is out of the question. I am still trying to evolve when it comes to adapting to the whole “you never know what your going to get” when placing oneself to read in a public place. On one hand I can get irritated when forced to hear every outside conversation surrounding me. But on the other hand I think it’s good for me to embrace civilization even if I have to read the same sentence in my book 25 times. I may eventually purchase a pair of ear plugs to drown out the noise, but for now I’m trying to be open to a little living amongst this big big world.
SPRING BREAK - Due to our kids getting older and their social life expanding to mostly friend time and a lot less time with the ol’ parents we have opted for a staycation for our spring break. In other words we plan little outings here and there with all of us as a family as well as little one on one moments with each one in varies ways. It has worked out nicely within this phase of our life and honestly makes for special moments in a less stressful way that traveling can bring to the equation. And with our oldest with special needs this type of vacationing accommodates his idea of a break really well too.
Bowling is an activity we always seem to enjoy together as a family so it was nice for us as parents to squeeze in a little family bowling with our kiddos before they moved on to their own individual social activities.
BIRTHDAYS - We celebrated both my mom’s 70th birthday and my daughter Tatum’s 15th birthday this month. I’m so blessed to have these beautiful, strong, and independent Aries souls in my life.
Thank you so much for reading! May this month of April shower you with joy and happiness.
Love,