What are you looking for when you go to a book sale?

Books, of course! you might say. But today I discovered that in the lives of us humans, there’s much more to it than that.

It’s tempting to think that “book people” are all the same, but after two and a half hours at the St. Philip’s annual book sale today, I encountered enough quirky characters to fill a Jan Karon novel.

This book sale was one that I’d been looking forward to ALL YEAR LONG. And as the much-anticipated date on the calendar finally got closer and closer, the health of a loved one began to decline. So as I drove to this book sale, I knew I wasn’t just looking for books. I was looking for something to brighten my spirits through the simple act of quiet browsing, good deals, and some human connection.

Human connection.

Well, there were humans there, all right! I wasn’t quite prepared for what I encountered there upon my arrival.

I encountered a cast of quirky characters that rivaled any found between the pages of a small town slice-of-life novel on the shelves.

First, there was the guy near me in the fantasy section, mindlessly picking up books and stuffing them into his shopping bag as fast as possible. Did he even know what he was putting in his bag? He was acting like he hadn’t eaten in a week and had just found a table full of pie. Excuse me, sir, are you going to eat all that? What exactly is going on here? were questions I would have liked to ask him if circumstances had been different.

And then there was the guy in the science section informing his companion as they browsed, “See, I’ve read this one. And I’ve read that one. I’ve read all of these. I’ve read that one, I’ve read that one, I’ve read that one….” (You get the idea.)

Next, there was the guy carting around multiple crates of books on a cart behind him as he went through the rows of books. It looked like he worked there, but he was actually shopping. I noticed him after hearing an older lady saying loudly to her husband, “I want to just LOOK at the book. I’m just going to LOOK at it. I’m not going to buy it; I’m not going to TAKE it. I just want to LOOK at it.” I turned to see the cart-hauling man look genuinely confused as the lady then picked up a book off his cart and browsed his chosen merchandise.

A little while later, I began to hear an overly sweet-sounding voice of a mother entering the sale with her children. I noticed her because her “whisper” to the kids was so loud, it was actually more disruptive to the scene than whispers are usually intended to be. I ended up saying some silent prayers for her as she turned out to be the mother of children who would soon begin screaming angrily at the top of their lungs on a regular basis.

Mixed in with this cast of characters were the men (yes, more than one) who decided that they were going to browse near me—slowly browsing closer and closer—likely thinking I’d either look up at them or move out of their way and give up my spot in the browsing line-up. (I decided to do neither, and felt victorious in my small, silent stands for myself.)

I’d waited a year for this sale.

Was I finding what I was looking for?

That wasn’t just a question I was asking myself. A friendly, well-meaning book sale volunteer caught my attention and asked if she could help me find anything. This was, no doubt, because she had seen me there for over an hour, and could see that I was still only holding two books in my hands after all that time. I smiled and told her, “No, I’m good, thanks,” and then quickly became self-conscious.

I could have told her it’s been hard to see ALL the books, what with the large crowds and close-browsing characters, but instead I ramped up my book-hunting skills and decided to finally take a look inside a group of large bags filled with donated books on the floor that seemed to be waiting to be shelved. I had seen them a couple of hours ago when I first got there, but had avoided looking through them, feeling sheepish about whether it was “allowed” or not.

As I finally decided to dive in and search through the potential untouched treasure trove, I suddenly heard a woman saying, “Excuse me. Those are my books.”

For some reason, the first thing out of my mouth was, “Oh. Really? They’ve been there for quite a while!” and that was the end of that exchange.

Then I walked away and browsed a nearby shelf I’d browsed many times before, as I marveled at the fact that “oh really they’ve been there for quite a while” was the first thing out of my mouth when confronted about the books. Why did I say that? Where did that even come from? Where was my filter—I didn’t even THINK about those words before they came out. That was so weird, and she should really label those books as SOLD!

Was I finding what I was looking for?

I continued to browse, and thankfully, the crowds began to disperse—making way for me to eventually find three more books that I wanted.

It was during this last browse-through that an older woman looking at books right next to me (but not too close) suddenly asked, “I’m not really sure of the pricing here. Do you know what they’re charging?”

Ah. Sweet relief. Someone with a good vibe who felt comfortable enough with me to ask a vulnerable question. I instantly liked her and wanted to be helpful. I told her what I thought was likely the pricing system, based on things I had seen online. She smiled cheerfully, thanked me, and we parted ways.

I decided it was finally time to check out and pay for my books. As I approached the checkout area, I saw that I had been slightly wrong on the pricing I had told the older lady. I went back to the book area to find her, and when I did, I let her know what the actual pricing system was.

“That’s so nice of you to come back and tell me! Thank you!” she responded as she gave me a warm smile.

And just like that, I realized that I really did find what I was looking for today.






Got a hankering for some used books yourself? Take a look at Abebooks through my affiliate link here. It’s a great way to support independent  sellers!





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Despite this being a beautiful 70 degree day (21 Celsius) in March with signs of spring just around the corner, all I wanted to do today was drink hot tea, wear sweaters (more than one), and be cozy while doing work from the couch.

And sometimes it’s just like that.

Whether it’s from emotions, hormones, or something else, sometimes you just wanna be cozy, right?

And you know what?

There’s nothing wrong with that!

Consider this your permission slip to embrace your inner hibernating bear whenever you need to.

(Of course, if there are other people depending on you, take care of them too!)

But don’t feel ashamed if you also have a deep need for coziness.

I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember, and only in recent years have I been able to own it without any false guilt.

Now, don’t get me wrong—there are some amazing, beautiful, nourishing things that come with spring and warmer weather in general that I LOVE: calming walks, birds singing their magical songs outside, and eventually…fireflies!

So, I love warmer weather too, but today I just needed my hot tea and layers of sweaters.

And if you need that too, don’t shame yourself for it—get your cozy on!

Okay, side note:

If you’re in that cozy zone and feel like doing a little shopping from your couch, you can use my affiliate link for Stitch Fix to shop and you’ll get $25 USD off your first purchase! You can use a personal shopper who picks your outfits for you, or you can just shop the site yourself and pick whichever items you like. Tap here to start shopping!

​(I’ll get a little commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support in this way!)

One of my favorite books is The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. I love it because it's a beautiful, poetic metaphor for forgiveness and for the hope of impossibly good things coming true.

As in life, there are impossible things in this story that cause the characters pain and ones that cause hopes and dreams to be fulfilled.

One of the characters is a boy named Peter who was told that his little sister had died when he was little. But there's a hint at the beginning of the story that he might have been lied to and that his sister is out there in the world somewhere.

In the same town is a woman who has been injured in a magic trick gone wrong, and she has the magician responsible for her pain thrown into prison. Throughout the story, all she can do is talk about the pain he's caused her. Whenever someone tries to have a conversation with her about something else, it's all she can talk about.

She's like a broken record, stuck in the pain of her life.

And that's another reason why this book is so good. Even though it’s a fictional story, it speaks to the real pain we can experience in our own lives: physical pain, bitterness, and unfulfilled hopes and dreams.

Personally, I don't like stories that are sad and have terrible endings. Some people might argue that in the real world things don't always go as planned, and that sad stories with sad endings are needed to reflect that reality.

But what about the other reality—the one where, however long from now, someday all the wrongs in the world will be made right? It may be far into the future, but it’s one of the reasons I like stories with happy endings. They reflect the reality that we were created for restoration and a beautiful future.

And perhaps we're feeling like the people in The Magician's Elephant, wondering...

When will this be made right?

Why is this happening?

Will the good things I'm hoping for ever happen?

The Magician’s Elephant is a beautiful story with multiple characters who experience pain, and there are beautiful endings for each one.

It's winter as I write this, and in The Magician's Elephant snow represents hope and change - something good on the way. The winter season seems like a fitting time to settle in with a nice hot beverage, get cozy, put your feet up, and read this book...

...if you could use a story with a happy ending.

(Pick up your copy of The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo here.)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase from links in this post, I may receive some kind of affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support in this way!

What do you do when you're missing one of nature’s most beautiful seasons?

During my late twenties and early thirties I lived in California. I had grown up in Idaho where the four seasons reigned predictably - each one at its specifically allotted time: summer, fall, winter, spring, repeat. And I LOVED it!

But the Californian city I was living in at the time didn't really have the same distinct seasons, and I didn’t realize how much it affected me until I found...

that one street.

I don’t even remember the name of the street now, but in my mind it will always be Fall Street. At just the right time each year, I could drive down that road and mentally travel through a vortex...back to a place where the seasons rotated and brought all their beauty with them. Unlike the rest of the city, the trees on “Fall Street” turned orange, red, and gold for a brief time during September and October. 

Reflecting on that experience of driving down Fall Street and the effect it had on me has gotten me thinking about what the changing of seasons reveals to us...and fall in particular.

There can be beauty in change.

Saying goodbye to something can bring a flash of fiery beauty with it.

Change can bring calm, and it can bring storm. It can also bring with it times of sitting safely indoors while the storm goes on around us outside.

Being without this tangible message during my time in California was difficult. I've since moved onto new seasons, both figuratively and literally. And living in New England now, I feel like I live in the place where autumn was born.

But I think back on what it was like to be without a distinctive autumn, and I think of you...

...the "you" who is going into a September and October without changing leaves and cooler, stormy weather.

...the "you" who is in a new place, longing for little tastes of home.

...the "you" who, although experiencing autumn, feels stuck in a season of life, wondering when change will come.

This is for you.

And it might sound trite, and I know it won't solve all your problems. But when you're longing for a new season, or missing a previous one, you can find little ways to bring bits of the season with you.

Sure, you could get out the fall decor from storage. (And believe me, I support that! I'll be doing that myself and loving every moment of it!)

But, wouldn't it be great if you could find a way to bring little reminders of fall with you...like, literally carry them around with you?

What if you could wear fall?

Well, you can...because look what I found: clothing and makeup that all celebrate the colors of fall!

The Tasi Travels Vagabond Jumpsuit from Flora & Fauna is vegan, ethically sourced, and cruelty free. (For cooler weather, add a sweater.)

Speaking of sweaters...

The Texture Cotton V-Neck from Everlane looks insanely comfy, and the crimson one hits just the right color note for fall!

This Geometric Pattern Crewneck Pullover Sweater from Target has a warm retro feel to it.

Don't miss Everlane's Golden Brown Corduroy Straight Leg Crop...now those are fall colors!

Okay, I didn't stop there, you guys...there is some amazing fall-colored makeup out there I just had to share with you!

Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Blueberry Mascara from 100% Pure

Certified Organic Intense Matte Lipstick (Dare Devil/Toasty Orange-Red) from Credo

Dirty Hippie Vegan Lip Tint (Plum Pie) from Flora & Fauna

Benecos Natural Vegan Coffee & Cream Quattro Eyeshadow from Flora & Fauna

Benecos Natural Kajal Vegan Olive Eyeliner from Flora & Fauna

And finally, to top it all off...

Tenoverten Nail Polish, Cliff Color from Target

Now...I know this doesn't fix your difficult situation or help change the season you find yourself in, but you know...it's the little things in life that can bring us joy sometimes, and I hope you've found something here that inspires you to carry a little bit of fall around with you no matter what season you're experiencing.

Let me know if there's a great product out there that I've missed!

Disclosure: If you purchase from links in this post, I may receive some kind of affiliate commission (at no additional cost to you). I will only promote products that I personally use or can recommend without hesitation. Thank you for your support in this way!

You kids are not allowed to go into the woods under any circumstances.

When I moved to Connecticut, I had no idea the mysterious and exciting things that had happened just an hour’s drive away from my new home.

Well...in this case when I say “happened” I’m referring to the things you experience when opening up a novel and traveling inside. You feel like you’ve been there - that you’ve lived the things you’ve read as though they really happened.

And so, in this way, reading the fiction novel Fablehaven for the first time years ago took me deep into the forests of Connecticut...long before I ever met my husband who actually grew up there! And it wasn't until reading it again after moving to Connecticut that I realized the author had set the whole story near Lyme - just an hour's drive from what I now called home.

Some books are best read at certain times, and summer has turned out to be the best time to re-read Fablehaven (for the third time in my life)!

This magical experience of Fablehaven by Brandon Mull takes place in the forests of Connecticut during the summer vacation of Kendra and Seth, a brother and sister duo from New York. Young Kendra and Seth are reluctantly taken on as visitors (without their parents) by their grandparents whom they barely know (and aren’t even sure that they like).

Their arrival at their grandparents’ home in the middle of a forest is just as strange and mysterious as you might imagine it to be. It’s isolated and there are warning signs (literally) the whole way there.

When they arrive, there is a short drop-off by their parents and a welcome from their grandpa that is anything but welcoming...not to mention the strange fact that their grandma is nowhere to be found, and discussions about her are quickly dismissed.

What seems to be a long, boring stay ends up taking a strange and mysterious turn. This home and the surrounding forest is shrouded in secrets...and has much more going on than meets-the-eye.

Rules are established. 

Rules are broken. 

Mayhem and fantastical beings are awakened as ancient treaties are broken. As a battle between good, evil, and everything in between becomes a frightening reality, Kendra and Seth are forced to put aside petty sibling rivalries in order to simply survive.

Things become increasingly dangerous, desperate, and ultimately hopeless as their worst fears are about to be realized.

And then, courage and hope arise from an unexpected place. 

And it doesn't matter whether I've read it once or three times. The climax of this story culminates in a picture of such beautiful, divine empathy that it moves me to tears every time.

Fablehaven is a world of magic, and it will make you look at your own world with different eyes. It turns out that our own world has just as much magic in it as the magical forests in the pages of Fablehaven - if only you have the eyes to see it.

*  *  *

Don't miss adding this amazing summer read to your book list! Fablehaven by Brandon Mull can be found here:

Fablehaven (Book One)
Fablehaven Complete Boxed Set (Yes, there are more in the series! But the first one is my favorite.)

Disclosure: If you purchase from links in this post, I may receive some kind of affiliate commission (at no additional cost to you). I will only promote products that I personally use or can recommend without hesitation. Thank you for your support in this way!