End of October | 2024
A roundup of mundane magics and writing worth sharing
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Today's post has the usual end-of-the-month roundup of mundane magic moments, links I loved, and books I finished. The sections are clearly marked, so feel free to jump ahead.
October always feels like such a busy month, doesn’t it? At least, it does for me. This one was no different, but the busyness is also the less structured/more casual kind, and I was careful to start scheduling rest, so I’m managing better than I expected.
There’s quite a bit to share today, so I’m going to jump right in.
✨️ Mundane Magics ✨️
Anne with an E: This is my favourite TV series that was never finished (and yes, of course Firefly is a close second). I’ve been slowly rewatching (by which I mean bingeing about three episodes at a time and then not watching for a week or more) and although I know I’ll get to the [not] end and be sad again, I’m still enjoying it. It’s such a comfort show for me. I’ve already added the original Anne book series and a couple related works to my reading queue for next year and am excited to read them for the first time.
Craft club with my friends - finally! I started craft club at the library with one of my close friends, and another quickly joined us. We bring whatever project we want and hang out. It’s great. But for various reasons, this is the first month in a while that me and both of those friends have all managed to make it to craft club. I’ve still enjoyed the days when one or both of them couldn’t make it, especially with the company of our librarian and a newer friend I met through craft club, but it was nice to just be together again.
Library vendor market: Our library started an annual spring and autumn local vendor market this year, and I just love walking around and seeing what’s there. It’s a bit less overwhelming for me than some other venues, since it’s fairly small, but there’s a great variety, and I really enjoy it.
Family tie-dye day: My husband had the idea to get some tie-dye stuff and play around at home. If you read my post earlier this month, you’ll know that I wasn’t satisfied with the results of my own tie-dying, because I was too timid with the colours, but I still enjoyed the overall experience, and I loved watching the kids gleefully dumping colour onto their projects.
Apple festival: There’s a local-ish apple festival that we like to go to as a family every year, and it’s got a bunch of things I love — like bees! Between the on-site cider making, the various baked goods, and the honey vendor, there are always bees around. This year, they were swarming the honey table with the beeswax candles out, and I really love to see them and hear them buzzing. There’s also a horse-drawn wagon ride, some animals to pet, people spinning yarn and weaving, and fried apple rings, along with projects for the kids and all manner of other things. The kids were able to use some old-fashioned tools this year, to grind corn and drill holes in wood, and pump water, which they loved. A lot of it is free to enjoy.
Reading: I know this is basically a given at this point, but I had a really great reading month, and I also finished my hundredth book for the year! That was higher than my original goal, but it’s less about the actual number for me, and more about all the time I’ve been able to spend doing something I love so much. I definitely think the reading queue has played a big part in how much I’ve read, and I’m just really happy about it.
Picking pumpkins: We go to a local farmer’s market to pick pumpkins every year. They’ve got a nice selection of gourds as well as plenty of other interesting things. We brought home some cider donuts, and the kids got to try those wax bottle drink candies my husband and I enjoyed growing up.
Visiting family: my husband’s parents managed a visit this month, so we got to bring the kids and spend a few hours talking. We weren’t sure his mom would be up for travelling, so it was really nice to be able to get that time with them.
Trick[trunk]-or-treating: My dad works for a company that puts on an annual trunk-or-treat, and he and my mom love bringing the kids every year. It’s nice having another opportunity for the kids to wear their costumes, and they give out a lot of fun things. This will be going out before we’ve gone out for Halloween, of course, but we had a great time last year, and I’m looking forward to it.
A list of other things that have comforted me this month: hot water bottle, cocoa and sea salt oatmeal, crocheting little baskets, a literal chill pill, Krispy Kreme donuts, rewatching the Lord of the Rings movies, and Halloween movies — I’m happy to expound on any of these in the comments.
Links I Loved
With the U.S. election coming up fast, this essay from
about how we got here feels really important.The title of this piece from
about burnout isn’t very comforting, but the content is.It’s been a while since I shared something from
but not because her words have been any less comforting. As usual, her words here feel like a virtual hug and gentle permission.
Books I Finished
Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit by Lyanda Lynn Haupt: A beautiful nonfiction in a similar vein to Braiding Sweetgrass (I didn't love this one quite as much, and I think part of the reason was the narrator — it just didn't connect for me and pulled me out of the experience a bit, so I’d personally recommend reading physical or digital if possible).
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: A middle grade fantasy, and the second book of Gaiman's that I've read (the first was The Ocean at the End of the Lane), both via audio. I loved this book. There's something about Gaiman's story telling along with his narration that is really magical. The story itself is a bit dark and mysterious, but it has some really wonderful humor as well.
Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone by Thuy-vy T. Nguyen, Heather Hansen, and Netta Weinstein: A nonfiction with a lot of interesting research about solitude and its benefits. (Unfortunately, it did *not* tell me how to get more alone time as a stay-at-home parent of two small children.😅) I appreciated the acknowledgement from the authors about how new the research is, and where they explain their own interests in relation to it. I would've loved a section that focused on neurodivergence and solitude, but I don't think the lack of it is the fault of the authors so much as the lack of specific research in that regard. It's a somewhat dense book, and I did get a little bored at times, but enjoyed it overall.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: A stunning contemporary fiction. The author has said this book is about love but not romance, and that's a perfect way to describe it. You don't have to be a huge gamer to enjoy this, but if you're like me, you'll enjoy the references. For some reason I kept putting off picking this book up, but when I read it I was all in. Definitely one of my favourites from this year.
The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner: The most delightful combination of fantasy and mystery. I was fully prepared to love this book before I picked it up because of 1) the title — need I say more? Don't worry, I will — and 2) the author. When I first got back into reading a couple years ago, one of the first books I read was The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry, and I adored it, so I immediately picked up Unnatural Magic as well (which was technically the wrong order, but thankfully they worked either way). Anyway, I was completely enamoured by this book right away and was invested based on the vibes alone, but my interest in solving the mystery of it all really snuck up on me, and around the halfway point when I should have gone to bed, I couldn't make myself put it down for at least a couple more chapters. The twist is great, and this is also one of my absolute favourites of the year.
The PLAN by Kendra Adachi: If you're familiar with Kendra's Lazy Genius podcast then you probably already know what to expect from this book. If you're not familiar with her work, you might be put off by the title, or the mention of the word "lazy"1 or the idea that this is another book trying to fix your life — I promise this one really is different. If you enjoyed KC Davis' How to Keep House While Drowning, this is similar. It's quite quick and accessible, and so full of compassion. The focus is on the present moment and helping you feel like yourself. And there's literally a whole chapter on periods because this is actually written for women (which is not to say that no one else can read it; I think the world would be better off if everyone took more of these principles and ideas to heart). It might take a second to get used to the tone/writing style because it's very casual, conversational, and friendly. She excudes big sister energy. She uses a lot of metaphors but also gives information in a straightforward way. Personally, since I've listened to her podcast, I could hear her in my head the whole time, which made it more enjoyable for me.
Hallowpeen: A Halloween Sentient Object Romance by Holly Wilde: Why yes, this is, in fact, a pun-filled pumpkin smut novella which I read for, y’know, science. Listen. Here I was thinking I'd healed all my purity culture trauma, but this unhinged little story had me feeling like at any second someone would find out what I was reading and I would be in trouble (not with my husband, mind you, because he heard me cackling from the other room and wanted to know more about the puns). Anyway, if you've never read any questionable fanfictions, (or if you're simply horrified by all of the above) this may not be for you, and that's okay. Would I say it's well written? Not necessarily. Was it entertaining? Yes. It's absolutely ridiculous, and I laughed the whole time.
The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman: A magical time travel novel from the author of Practical Magic. I really liked the premise of this book, and Hoffman writes with her usual beautiful prose. There's some religious trauma, some found family, some magical realism, and Nathaniel Hawthorne - all of which I enjoyed.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero: A YA blend of magical realism and fantasy about a biracial Jewish girl, written in stanzas rather than typical prose. This book is absolutely stunning. It is gorgeous and heartbreaking and different from anything I can remember reading. It's a pretty quick read, but there's so much contained within it.
Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton: A knitting mystery. This one was published in 2005 and that is very much reflected in the writing (there were literal pages of diet culture nonsense) but beyond, that I found it enjoyable. This is part of a series, and the most recent was published in 2018 so I'm hopeful that the writing will have grown, and I'm planning to give the next few books a shot.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh: A YA fantasy feminist retelling of Korean mythology and folklore. This book was so atmospheric and beautifully written. I loved the twists, and how it all came together in the end. You don’t need to be familiar with the original folktale to enjoy this.
Shady Hollow by Juneau Black: A murder mystery set in a community of woodland creatures. It's cozy. It's mysterious. It's the first in a series that I'm very excited to continue. Yes to all. Consider my disbelief indefinitely suspended.
Blessed Samhain! I hope you’ve had a wonderful October. I’d love to hear from you in the comments. And as always, feel free to share.
I’ve mentioned this before, but just in case you’d like clarification, Kendra herself has said that “Lazy Genius” is a bit of a misnomer, because the idea of laziness comes with a lot of negative connotations (I don’t personally believe that laziness is a thing, but it’s literally her brand). But the idea behind her work is to “be a genius about the things that matter [to you] and lazy about the things that don’t,” which is basically to say: she helps to make things easier. I think her methods work well for my neurodivergent brain because they’re not one-size-fits-all, and they’re meant to change with you.
I love/loved Anne with an E. Yep as you said, "This is my favourite TV series that was never finished."
I have a very dog-eared copy of Gaiman's Graveyard Book (love it). Thanks, as always, for the generous curation of your faves. Always fun to hear about.