Some Happy Scribbles...

about nesting, books, lyrics, and laundry baskets

One of my favorite pastimes is puttering around the house, plumping pillows, and creating tablescapes with candles, books, and vases, while fantasizing about more complicated improvements, like new furniture or even “gasp” renovations! But this activity comes with a creeping sense of guilt and a nasty little voice in my head saying that I’m wasting time procrastinating while I should be doing something more important; that making my home nice is not real work.

I was having one of theoe moments this week when I looked outside to marvel at the tiny and tenacious mother bird who is building a nest on our porch – not on a beam or tucked into a nook like a sensible bird - but precariously cantilevered on the side of a wall with nothing but the mud and sticks she is diligently gathering to hold it up.

As I’ve watched mother bird single-mindedly work to create a safe home for her future babies in this unlikely spot, I’ve examined my nest-feathering guilt, and decided it’s time I give myself permission to enjoy it without shame. After all, we all need a comfortable, safe nest for our families. What’s so wrong with making that nest lovely?

One of my favorite books on making a comfortable home is A Pattern Language; I’ve had it for years and pulled it out again this week for inspiration. It’s not the typical design book full of beautiful pictures, it’s more of a bible, compiled by architects, of the design patterns and sequences that make people feel most comfortable in their homes and neighborhoods. There’s a whole section on how to layout a town!

Many of the patterns are simple and immediately make sense, for example:

159: Light On Two Sides Of Every Room. When they have a choice, people will always gravitate to those rooms which have light on two sides, and leave the rooms which are lit only from one side unused and empty.

Jim and I had noticed that very thing in our home and never understood why certain rooms just didn’t feel inviting. Other patterns: to place bedrooms facing the east, so people can rise with the morning sun; how to create a cozy “eating atmosphere,” and the importance of alcoves and window seats on the periphery of rooms, so that people can spend time with others, yet still feel a little private.

I love incorporating these ideas in my home – you might like it too!

Here are some more of the things that made me happy this week.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Amelia

my favorite window seat!

Podcasts and Walking: The Trojan Horse Affair

I am a million years late to the trend of walking or running while listening to a podcast, partly because I had this high falutin’ idea that if I was outside I should be enjoying the scenery and natural sounds.

I’ve now discovered podcasts, and the birds, butterflies, bees, and trees have now faded from my focus as I march along listening to The Trojan Horse Affair by Serial, which is the surprisingly gripping story of a newbie journalist investigating whether a plot detailing an Islamic takeover of British grade schools, was, in fact, a hoax.

For me, anything with “Affair” in the title is compelling, and I am addicted…

A Daily Cup of Calm

If you are in the market for a daily dose of peaceful wisdom, I would love to suggest subscribing to The Daily Respite by Clara Parkes, which is a short morning email with an image of something relaxing, like a pot of tea or a nice view, and some sweet and gently encouraging words from a writer based in Maine.

If You Like That, You Might Also Like This…

Years ago, in a book by Oprah, I read about Simple Abundance: 365 Days to a Balanced and Joyful Life, a huge bestseller from the 90’s by Sarah Ban Breathnach, who coined the term “authentic self.”

The book is organized as a separate meditation for each day of the year, often beginning with a quote, followed by notes about finding meaning and joy, as the seasons, and life, proceed from day to day.

Misheard Song Lyrics

I am famous for mishearing song lyrics; my personal bests are: 1. thinking the David Gray song was “Avalon” not “Babylon” and proudly singing along to my fancy high-tech MP3 player as I traveled around Africa in my twenties; and 2. wholeheartedly belting out “Some day oh yeah some day” at crowded bars to the U2 song “Sunday Bloody Sunday.”

Yikes. The titles to both songs should have been strong clues as to the words, but I still didn’t catch on.

Anyway, I loved this piece in The New Yorker celebrating misheard song lyrics, although I am frankly shocked they didn’t include Avalon / Babylon or Some Day / Bloody Sunday… surely it’s just me?!

Disappearing Laundry Baskets

For some reason, our laundry baskets are mysteriously disappearing (I should probably get the people from Serial to investigate), so it felt like kismet this week when Wirecutter recommended the best laundry baskets!

Book Lovers

I’m reading and enjoying Book Lovers, the latest book by Emily Henry, whose two previous novels were NY Times bestsellers.

Book Lovers is exactly what I was looking for: fast, fun, and clever, but not too clever!

I Come From A Land Down Under

While looking up David Gray and U2 music videos, I stumbled upon this gem: the “official HD video” of Men at Work’s classic, Down Under.

Enjoy!