Full of Joy Fridays | Week 18 in 2021

This week… where did it go?! I’m thankful for this semi-regular joy-gathering practice I’ve cultivated over the last year. Its purpose is to help slow things down, find the delight in the mundane, and remind myself that this is my life.

+ This was my view while journaling on Monday morning and I ran outside to take a picture of it. The bird calls were captivating while I was out there, so I returned to my desk and cracked open my window to let in their sounds; it was chilly but worth it. The pinks and purples of the sky only lasted a few minutes, so I was lucky to look up when I did!

+ We have a new little chipmunk hanging around the house lately. Bryce has named it Brown As the Nighttime Sky (I just go with it). I adore chipmunks. I don’t think we had them in my part of Texas – if we did, then I wasn’t observant enough to notice them.

+ I took this picture last spring, but we had the same view last weekend. Bees, by the way, have been showing up in my reading life a lot of lately. Here are some of bee coincidences I’ve noticed in the last few weeks:

1. Bees saved the infant Simonopio from certain death and were his lifelong companions in The Murmur of Bees.
2. I happened to catch a show about beekeeping on a local radio show.
3. There’s a statue of a woman with a beehive in Piranesi.
4. Beorn in The Hobbit keeps bees and lives off of their honey.

I think it’s so fun to notice these bookish coincidences. Another couple of examples:

• A couple of years ago I read two books in a row that heavily featured cheese and pickle sandwiches (Ellie & The Harpmaker and Career of Evil). I’m sure you can guess my late night snack in the weeks that followed!
• Earlier this year I read two books in a row that had a character named Emil – that’s super random, right? (O Pioneers! and The Room on Rue Amelie)

I’m going to start writing these things down.

+ Colton’s floor is finished! It’s so nice to have the carpet out of his room. I spent a lot of time (every day) trying to keep his carpet fresh and nothing worked, so it’s a relief to simply mop daily and know that there’s nothing else to worry about. Except – he’s discovered that he can move his bed, which has opened a new can of worms.

+ Our homeschool is off next week. I’m still planning to read a little of The Hobbit, cuddle on the couch for Bryce to read aloud to me, and to practice with some math flashcards, but nothing else. I can’t wait for the little break!

---

I’m planning to be back on Sunday with another Wendell Berry poem – I think I’ve decided on one. Until then – I hope you have a weekend full of exactly what you need. Take good care!