A whole month has come and gone without any updates in this space. Who would have thought that JD being home on leave would cause the opposite effect? 

His first full month home was filled with growing pains, triumphs, a cold or two, and a lot of sleepless nights but we made it and are, fingers crossed, back in business.

I have been putting a lot more effort into my IG stories as of late, sharing lots of finds — fashion, home, and for little ones, over there. Be sure to follow along if you’re not already. I hate to put all of my eggs in one basket so to speak, especially as I own this space and the former has historically been an ever shifting cavern of wonder and disappointment. BUT it has been really fun to share everything going through my mind and coming across my radar in such a casual format. I’ve also been posting up a storm on LTK, which I am fully addicted to.

Listening to — 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
My vinyl hasn’t come yet. I’m starting to worry it might be lost. But never have I been so into every single vault track on an album. Wow! Current favorites are “Now that We Don’t Talk” and “Is it Over Now?”

Watching — The Holiday
I’m fully in the let’s start Christmas the day after Halloween camp this year. It can be fall again for Thanksgiving. I have been craving this movie and plan to watch this weekend. I will of course be keeping a close eye on the home decor to see if it is as impeccable as I recall. Nancy Meyers’ interiors are timeless wonders. 

Following — @thisoakhouse on Instagram
Speaking of… her daughter Annie Meyers-Shyer’s account is my new favorite follow over on IG. She is expertly renovating her home and is sharing all of the exquisite details along the way. I am very much enjoying following along as I dream up our spaces. Such good inspiration here!

Shopping For — Black boots
Found and ordered this pair and am in love with them. They strike the perfect balance of being on trend with the western look while maintaining a classic design that will age much slower. You know how I live for longevity when it comes to the pieces I collect. Also love this pair!

Making — Ribollita
There is nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of soup this time of year. We have already made our famous butternut squash and white bean and kale soups so far this season. Next up is ribollita, which will be a first for us. Ribollita, bread soup as I lovingly call it, just may be my all time favorite. Will it stand up to Osteria la Pace’s? Probably not but if we get half as close I will be deliriously happy. Hot tip if you are ever in Volterra,Italy — dine here, get the ribollita, even if it is 95° out. It is absolutely worth it. 

On my mind — Big Magic
A few years ago my office sent us a series of surprises and delights around the holidays. One of them was the option to choose between two books and a little package accompanying it. The first book was Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Sutanto, which I am reading/listening to on Audible right now and the other was Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Clearly I decided I was going to read both eventually. I have been thinking about this one story from Big Magic a lot lately and wanted to share. 

In the book she describes having an idea for a book she wanted to write. She had a clear idea of the story and all of the details around it but never got to writing it. A while later she met up with a friend who had been working on a story of her own. They decided to share their ideas with each other, her friend went first and described down to almost every detail the very same story. She was shocked, but instead of being mad or accusing her friend of “stealing” a story she never knew she had also been working on she noted that this is how the universe works. The idea had presented itself to her and she didn’t bring it to life so it left her and found someone else to do so. 

Sometimes in this world I feel a bit bogged down. I like this notion that ideas will go find the person who will best bring them to life. I like to think that is true, that coincidences that have occurred over the years are as innocent as that — an idea finding its way to the right person. There wouldn’t be a market for certain things if only a select few were interested in them after all. But sometimes I get grouchy about it too. I’m trying not to be. Maybe ideas, even when used, can keep floating along so as to make a bigger impact. It’s an interesting concept. 

Being in a public space opens you up to a lot. Lately it has me wondering how much is a shared appreciation and how much is influence. Where is the line and what happens when it’s been hopped over?

It’s been nice chatting. Let’s do it again real soon xx