The highs and lows of the month.
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Ebb & Flow: December 2022
Monday, October 31, 2022
Ebb & Flow October
The highs and the lows of the month.
Perfume:
MoonaLisa Alexandria and Solstice Scents Vanilla Pipe Tobacco
Perfume Oil:
Arcana Wildcraft Cake Lust and MoonaLisa Strega
Lotion:
Cosmic Cleanse Magnesium Body Creme Unscented (I put lavender and peppermint oils in it)
Skincare:
Blood Moon Botanica Moon Dew and Luminous Glow facial oil combined morning and night. Britton is having a shop update November 11th-12th.
Lip Balm:
Evergreen by Firebird
Candle:
Bath and Body Works Marshmallow Fireside
Wax:
Candles From the Keeping Room Potpourri Spice
Incense:
Moss Garden by Shoyeido (smells like vanilla ice cream to my students)
Work Bag:
Tote #2 by Siren Co. (still absolutely obsessing over it)
Bra:
Whiskey Dog Wares bralette, freaking comfy as all get out.
Eating:
Boar's Head Sweet Chili Garlic hummus
Drinking:
Dram sparkling water with or without CBD
Listening:
Twenty One Pilots Scaled and Icy album
Watching:
Breaking Bad for the first time through, new episodes of British Baking Show and Unsolved Mysteries
Reading:
Completed reading challenge and pretty much reading school work right now. Everything Maria Montessori.
Awaiting:
The holidays, small celebrations, Thanksgiving dinner, fires in the fireplace, winter gardening, bonfires, that sort of thing.
Dreading:
Making my eye doctor appointment for the 1,000th time. Kept getting pushed back due to unexpected meetings at work, the hurricane, and now... not sure when I will get to it. And I need glasses for the first time I think. Blurry vision life.
Hit:
Old lady time.... Plackers Grind No More Night Guard. I crack my teeth and fillings from night time teeth grinding if I don't wear a mouth guard. These aren't awkward in my mouth and don't hurt me. And are cheap.
Miss:
Tieks ballet flats. I fell for the hype and bought some but they are not comfortable and I regret it.
Low:
Feeling stretched. I added a leadership position at work to my plate but then other things happened and now I need take my training sooner than I anticipated. So I am taking my ESOL class, Montessori classes, and juggling the daily job and the extra position all at once. I know it will pass. My ESOL class will be done by Christmas. My Montessori training is 18 months. My leadership position is a 3 year tenure. I can do this. The girls promised to help me cook. Adam will give me grace. I just need to get the hang of it and be ok giving up my relaxing time. My reading. My gardening. Just for a bit. Just a little.
High:
I got to see my sister and my brother-in-law and my niece over the summer and I am still riding that high. Adam, the girls and I talk about it all the time. Thankful we were able to make it happen. I am also happy that I have been able to see some birds, the foxes, and an owl in our backyard.
How have you been doing? And hits or misses? What are you wearing? Smelling? Watching on TV? How is your life going?
Saturday, October 29, 2022
2022 Reading Challenge Completed
1. Join the Resistance- whether subverting Nazis in WWII-era France, opposing a current oppressive state or ideology, or fighting the patriarchy in a dystopian future, be a rebel with a cause.
I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by Maryse Conde is written by a French novelist from Guatemala who explores slavery and colonialism. She gives Tituba a voice here and does a phenomenal job of it. **
3. Daughters- explore the complex sibling relationships so often a theme in literature.
Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews has been on my TBR list quite some time. I finally tracked it down at a used book store and the horror did not disappoint. Talk about complex sibling and daughter relationships. Yikes. ***
7. Back to the future- bridge time and distance with a dual timeline narrative.
The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack is a tale of mysticism and relics, where a tarot deck spans the past and the present and is mysteriously important. It was a decent story for a fun quick read, but nothing ground breaking. **
11. Book maze-get lost in a twisty plot that keeps you on edge.
In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware is a twisty plot for sure. Another one of those popular thrillers that keep you guessing and read like a sprint. This one revolves around a lonely outcast and her unexpected invitation to a bachelorette party in the woods. ***
12. Heartsqueezer.
Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison didn't simply squeeze my heart, but mashed it to a pulp. This tale may be extremely triggering to some, so beware. It was worth the gritty read for me though. ***
17. Read your bliss- any topic or genre that makes you happy.
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix was a Barnes & Noble pick by my oldest. She saw that rocking 80's cover and fell head over heels for it. The tale ended up being pretty awesome. It was a spooky story about a possessed teen and how her best friend deals with the fall out. ***
20. Gothic horror- I'm not saying it's haunted, but there's something going on in with house...
Devil's Day by Andrew Michael Hurley is British gothic horror in a folktale setting. Andrew does a phenomenal job of creating a slow burning spooky mind game. Is there foul play? Are the characters unstable? Are there other forces at work? I have thoroughly enjoyed all three of his books so far and highly recommend them for his melancholy English settings and maze-like relationships. ***
24. Booktok, Booktube, or Bookstagram-discover what real readers recommend, and find out if that book is worthy of all the hype.
Year of the Witch by Temperence Alden came from a podcast I listen to. I quiet enjoy following along with Invoking Witchcraft with J. Allen Cross and Britton Boyd, and they often do guest interviews and one was Temperence. I picked up her book and it was a quick read about some basics regarding the Wheel of the Year. I did find it sparse and very introductory, probably fitting for some but I didn't really glean much from it. *
25. #Ownvoices- books about characters from underrepresented/marginalized groups in which the author shares the same identity.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones is the story of a black marriage in middle class America and how culture, norms, and expectations weave their influences over it. It is written by a black author and provides an eye opening perspective. **
26. The moon as muse- inspired by the moon; depicting moonlight, the night sky, or heavenly bodies on the cover.
Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman. There are a few authors that I will forever pick up if I see their names upon a book spine: Bradbury, Atwood, Poe, and Hoffman. I love Alice's magical and lyrical take on life. This is the story set in Florida about a recently divorced mom and her teenage son adapting to this foreign, sometimes savage peninsula swollen with alligators, mosquitoes, and a moon that can induce madness.***
27. Never have I ever...-read a book about ___. Fill-in the blank with a new topic or genre.
Gudrun by Alma Johanna Koeing was a random book I picked up in St. Augustine at a tiny used book store. It is an ancient tale based off of a German epic (I believe?) and follows along a royal family for a few generations and how their choices in love and battle unfold upon one another. ***
30. Forged in friendship. A story about companionship.
The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson fits this bill perfectly. It follows a young concubine and her gay male best friend who has the gift of making any map he draws come to life. They have to escape their kingdom once his lifestyle comes to light and they aim for the shelter of an island born of myths. ***
Sunday, July 31, 2022
Ebb & Flow: July 2022
The highs and lows of the month.
I think I have mentioned it before, but after a vicious twig ant (I always called them oak ants) attack while pulling weeds (invasive air potato vine) I used my Life Flower Bug Bite Elixir and found immediate relief. I swear this stuff really is magic.
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Felin Lune Apothecary: Natural Deodorant Paste
Friday, July 29, 2022
Stone Roses Handmade Rosaries
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Siren Co.: Waxed Canvas Bags and Goods
I tend to carry a laptop, charger, legal sized clipboard, composition notebooks, pens, lunch, papers, folders, wet wipes, masks, markers, water bottle and a whole universe of whatnots in my work bag as a teacher. I knew I needed something large, with lots of pockets, and versatility. My choice... Tote #2 for $160. It comes in six color combinations and I chose tan on olive. I liked tan on tan as well but my oldest voted on this one between the two.
Thursday, June 9, 2022
Arcana Wildcraft: Moonstone & Black Tourmaline
These perfumes were sent as a gift.
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Candles From The Keeping Room: End of May Order 2022