An interest in tiny living has offered me insight into thinking through "enough". I love imagining new ways to live abundantly with less. It's exciting to awaken to the knowledge that so much of what we see as normal + necessary might just not be. 

This weekend, we spent a couple nights in a tiny cabin in the woods not far from home, and it was beautiful in so many ways. It was good to get away. We spent time reading + talking + cooking + walking in the woods. We fell asleep looking at stars + got woken up by the brightness of the moon. 

I like to imagine living longer term in the small spaces we find ourselves in + this spot offered some intriguing tiny home insights. The layout felt much more considered than hotel rooms 3-4 times its size. There were unobtrusive, intuitive spots for coats + shoes, bathroom towels, food, trash, cleaning supplies + luggage. Nothing felt crowded or in the way. 

With a few little changes, I would love having a place like this to vacation + or even to live in as a single person. My dream version would involve switching the bed to a murphy bed that comes down over a couch + trading the table/chair/bench space for shelving. This would give it a little more spacious feeling + offer a bit more storage. A countertop oven + laundry would probably be on my list of desirables for longterm living.

A few simple supplies we brought + enjoyed having:

• homemade oatmeal kits for breakfast
• crackers, chicken salad + an orange for lunch
• pesto pasta for dinner 
• coffee + tea (though we could have just used what they supplied)
• beeswax candle
• bluetooth speaker

I'm looking forward to car camping again when the weather warms up, but this was a lovely, little, winter getaway! 

Love,
Jane

A few easy reads that I've binged lately (+ feel like books anyone could appreciate):

The Friends by Fredrik Backman :: this will surely become a movie or series that won't be better than the beautifully written book

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel :: my partner checked this one out from the library + when Jo saw it, she said it was her favorite book...so of course, I read it too

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer :: nature, Native wisdom + economics. beautiful.

The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard :: folklore for these present times

Microadventures by Alistair Humphreys :: check out the book or the blog...it'll get your mind moving in the direction of "yeaaaah, I can think of good adventures to sprinkle into the weeks ahead!"

It can be hard to find good books to read sometimes. I've just been in a good spot lately...which is nice, because winter is for reading! As always, I'd love to hear what you've been reading + loving lately too!  :)

Love,
Jane

A few thoughts as the holidays draw near...

:: Sweet gifts ::

• Learning about a budding interest...together. Julia + I went to a cooking class for her birthday. She didn't want any"thing"...and this wasn't really a thing. (It was fun to spend the time together + delicious too!)
• A stone or shell or an undisclosed something picked up during last year's vacation along with a note written with fond remembrance...and something like a book about or a snack made in the destination for next year's vacation. (I wish I would have thought of this earlier...and I can't wait to make this a tradition going forward.) What a sweet way to conjure memories of + anticipation for time spent together!
• I'm not disclosing anything I'm actually gifting: surprises, surprises!  ;)

:: Simple menu ::

• My girls are grown + will arrive later in the morning on Christmas Day. We'll have cinnamon rolls that our favorite gluten-free bakery sells frozen (they bake up a real treat!) along with coffee to start.
• Then we're keeping it simple with an all day grazing board situation that we'll all contribute to. Yum.

:: Gentle decorating ::

• My favorite decoration this year is a little sage + dried orange garland I made with fresh sage from the garden + dried oranges I had already on some red + white twine. 
• A few big bows sprinkled around are feeling playfully festive.
• Candlelight makes me so happy on dark evenings. I needed some new beeswax for candles (I'm still using all of these same jars + tools) + was able to find some right down the street collected from local bees! Amazing!

I'm approaching the holidays with the theme of joy + lightness. Obligation is not on my to-do list this year. (I have to keep reminding myself.) I'm trying to focus on what I am doing rather than what I'm not. It's love. It's light. It's good.

Happy Holidays, my friends!

With so much love,
Jane

The picture drew me in...beautiful, calm enoughness. My eyes lift to my own simple abundance: a cup of warm coffee + a stack of good words + blank pages beside my bed. Shelves in my closet stacked (not crammed) with clothing that feels good + keeps me warm. 

Winter solstice is in sight + we've lived through autumn. This bundle of days past now feels like a capsule in time that I can interrogate. I've dressed for all-day roadtrips, lamplit gatherings, brisk dog walks, leisurely coffee dates, leaf-crunching bike rides, festive workdays + cozy evenings. My wardrobe has served me well.

Current favorites:

• ivory, carpenter cords
• faded jeans
• natural sweatshirt + sweats
• navy bandana
• navy sweatshirt

Additions (July-now):

• brown sweatshirt
• cashmere neckerchief
• red long-sleeved tee
• quilted vest
• quilted jacket

​
Let go of:

• two holey cashmere sweaters 
• thrifted sweater that I found out I'm allergic to 
• black jeans
• navy button up

Noting:

• the cashmere I can afford gets holes within a year + holes continue to proliferate :: I think the fibers are too short + the yarn is too thin
• I am allergic to alpaca...and mohair :(
• at the moment, I'm not reaching for black
• recognizing that a purchase is not for me quickly allows me to get it into the hands of someone who will use it quickly
• the goal isn't to always be purging things - that would signal that the buying is still too high - but also, letting go + adding will always be part of the equation, because things wear out + "new" (borrowed, thrifted, made, traded, fair) things will probably be necessary eventually

Still thinking about: 

• the color + texture combinations of the sweater outfit on a friend the other day: rust sweater sweats with a drawstring + chocolate brown cardigan + long, cobalt blue scarf + silver loafers. SO GOOD!
• a color combination that popped out at me from my Noihsaf likes: a chocolate brown Shaina Mote sweater + hot pink Jenny Pennywood Everywhere Square. Yum.

As always, I put things here, not necessarily as specific inspiration, but more as general inspiration for thinking through the same sort of categories. A photo of a bedroom corner sparked an autumn closet evaluation. I love giving my mind space to roam + seeing where it leads. Wishing you some spacious mind wanders this weekend too! :)

Love,
Jane

Doing something for just five minutes a day
​compounds to 30 hours by the end of the year!

I've only just begun Worry Medicine by Nina Montenegro, but I'm already glad I have. 

It kinda feels nice to know I'm not alone. Honoring our own needs this holiday season.

Words are powerful. This one is such food for thought.

Outsourced supply chains. 

Collaborative, 400-miles-radius supply chain.

Build a bridge. That's where the courage is.

Not wanting something is as good as having it.
~Naval Ravikant

When we started strapping our bikes onto the back of our car, we started exploring all the trails + paths in + around our city. We have a map with all of the bike paths on it, and we highlighted each one after we rode it. We wanted to see them all.

At some point we started to say that we'd really just like to return to one trail. We felt like we should be more adventurous, but neither of us were ever disappointed when the other said they'd like to go there. We ride that trail under leafless trees as soon as it is warm enough not to freeze our faces. We ride it after flood waters recede + marvel at how far the river debris has been carried. We ride it laughing through the rain, because we can't be deterred. We ride it as the tall grass soars toward the sky + the milkweed swells to bursting. We stop to listen to the deafening applause of dried corn husks + to spot that bird that isn't usually there.

I love riding my bike. I love feeling the power of my legs, feeling the wind scream through my helmet, seeing the snakes sunning themselves on the warm pavement, hearing the birds + squirrels chatter, dodging walnuts + osage oranges, and crunching through dried leaves. We talk to the dragonflies that accompany us + thank the tiny white flowers that cheer us on as we climb that one big hill.

When we returned from visiting my dad in the hospital, I saw the 23rd Psalm that comforted him in this place. I saw the green pastures + still waters. The snake was the shadow of death we knew loomed close. And...there was a promise of rest.

This place, like many in this country, bears a name that recalls some sort of massacre or conquest. At some point, we decided to rename it what it is for us: the Way of Life or the Mode de Vie. It's alive with life + death + rebirth + healing + love + interconnectedness. We love this place. It restores my soul.

Love,
​Jane

I've always loved an advent calendar. It feels like a warm hug around the holiday season, when I fill it with intention. 

An advent calendar can also feel like just another thing to do + maintain. Instagram + Pinterest give us the impression that everyone is having so many magical experiences which easily translates into pressure to do more + more.

I'm advocating for something different. ​

​i made this little booklet for an advent calendar workshop i gave this week (+ for you)  :)

When it comes to putting an advent calendar (or a holiday gathering) together, the trick is to combine these two priorities. It's impossible for me to know how those questions have been answered, but my hope is that this one thought is a relevant offering in that direction: simple pleasures.

With finishing stitches put in as the maple tree in our yard turns blazing red + snowflakes dot the forecast, this (finished!) quilt feels right on time. This weekend, I'm:

• thinking about how I can truly, deeply feel the abundance of what's already present.
• turning my eye toward indoor spaces + creating places for creativity, calm + connection as the temperatures dip. 
• creating acceptance in myself for non-intimidating + nourishing gathering options. 
• embracing my desire to throw kindness around like confetti.

Sounds like an outline of posts I could write.  :)

A few more goodies:
Once in a lifetime moment.
​A tool for living.
Tradition toward sustainability.

Wishing you a weekend filled with what nourishes your soul.
Love,
​Jane