It‘s already Friday for some of you & that means it‘s time for #5JoysFriday where we take a pause to think about those 5 things big or small that brought us joy this week. 💛💛💛

To join in simply make your post, use the #5JoysFriday tag & tag me & anyone else you want to invite to the joy party. Use the background if/as you like.

Everyone is welcome to feel & spread the joy! 💚🤗❤️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by this photo I took of boats in the harbor & the one with a mast lighted like a tree. Christmas & joy in general can be found all around us.

Among tied-up boats
One small tree lights up the night
Joy docks anywhere

Happy Holidays to all! 💚🎄❤️

#Read2025

Finished yesterday for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 Thus was a sweet book that was a great read for the season. I liked the family & found family themes, along with hope, giving & the abundance of nature. It made me want to have maple syrup on snow.

#Read2025

Completed for #AuthorAMonth December #NoraRoberts I read Robert‘s books back in the day, but it‘s been literal decades, so I went to Libby to find a standalone & this one came in first. I enjoyed it, mainly the Appalachians setting, characters & the mystery/thriller aspects. Overall not bad, a good don‘t-have-to-think-too-hard about-it book & I may read the other book when my hold comes in. With this one, I have read all 12 authors! 🎊

#12BooksOf2025. Thank you @TheEllieMo for continuing this fun tradition!

I read some great books in January 2025 but I think this one was my favorite for its blend of books, humor & pathos. 💙📚💙

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive #WeirdWord #weirdwordwednesday

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the joy found in a tiny soft warm cookie 🍪 handed out by my server at brunch today “for the holidays.” I love the word Lagniappe:

“Lagniappe is a word used in Louisiana to refer to a free giveaway or a small gift added to a purchase or experience as a little something extra.”

Lagniappe

Joy in the small things
Warm peppermint chocolate chip
Gifted after brunch

Thank you so much @JamieArc for a perfect #JolabokaflodSwap box! I‘m excited to finally read this book & WOW to all the🍫 One of my favorite things is trying different “local” chocolates & you really came through! I already sampled a Michigan Mint, the name of the Yooper Bar is awesome & I love Sanders Sea Salt Caramels! Is there really such a thing as too much chocolate?

Much appreciated as I settle in for a quiet #Jolabokaflod tonight.🍫🎄⬇️

I went to the restaurant attached to one of my local grocery stores & had brunch with my favorite Mexican Street Avocado Toast (hard to see with the over easy eggs on top) & side chicken sausage. Now back home relaxing & getting ready to open gifts on the phone with my friend & then #Jolabokaflod this evening. 🍫📚

Wishing everyone who celebrates a Happy Christmas Eve & if you don‘t celebrate, Happy Wednesday! I hope you find peace in the day.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I have not been writing my daily haikus but I did a thing & got a ridiculously low Kama'āina rate on a hotel room last night & treated myself, kicking off my holiday PTO with some pampering, room service dinner & reading. My view of sunset over the harbor was worth the price of admission alone & inspired this haiku.

Harbor View

Boats gently bobbing
Sun settles into the sea
The calm settles me

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHoyrReadthon

Spending my #HyggeHour reading the tagged book for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 while listening to holiday movies in the background.

Drinking a Hint Spiced Pear water because I need to hydrate & eating some of the Mambo Magic Sticks my colleague gave me because I always hoard the mango ones in meetings.

Mood is good because while tomorrow is going to be a very busy day, I have the rest of the week off. 🙏🏼💚❤️💚

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished last weekend for #EBBR & as usual, I didn‘t review it right after I read it & forgot most of it but I did solve a few. I do remember typing sentence (high school typing class) & the rattling dollar but I missed several of these as the solutions were really odd tiny details. I don‘t really remember this one from childhood, but, it still gets a soft pick for nostalgia‘s sake.

I had yesterday off & I am still late to the #5JoysFriday party. 🤦🏻‍♀️ But I say there is no time limit on joy so here goes:

1. Having Friday off & then Tuesday-Friday next week is a big joy. It‘s been a tough work year & I need the break. 💛

2. Receiving Litsy card swap mail brings me joy.💌 I‘m sorry that mine were mailed out late but they should reach most before the end of the year.

3. I‘ve been watching a holiday movie per night & ⬇️

#Read2025

I‘ve only read Joe Hill‘s stories before because I have a hard time sticking to big books. So why did I read this one? A strong recommendation by a Silent Book Club “friend” who loves horror & the fact that I wanted to get the Audible “Mount Everest” badge for listening to “a title that is longer than 20 hours.” I ended up really liking it & thought the narrator & cast made it entertaining & most of the time flew by as I listened ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished earlier in the week for #FictionalTraveler December #HomeForTheHolidays theme

Set in a Christmas-y small town in Oregon (still feels like home to me), the MC, bakery owner, Cinnamon Peters, finds a body in the woods behind her bakery & it‘s a judge of the local Gingerbread Competition & someone seems to be trying to frame her for the murder. This was a fine holiday cozy & I would read another from the series.

Can I just tell you how happy I am that tomorrow is Friday & I have the day off?! It also means it‘s about that time to share those 5 things (big or small) that brought you joy this week. A week where we need a big boost of it.

To join in, make your post & tag it with #5JoysFriday & then tag me & anyone you want to share some joy with.

Everyone is welcome to join in!

Thank you @JamieArc !!! My #JolabokaflodSwap arrived safely!📗🍫 The tough part is waiting to open it! 🤗

#Jolabokaflod

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

For tonight‘s #HyggeHour I‘m reading the 11th Encyclopedia Brown book for #EBBR & then probably starting the pictured cozy for #FictionalTraveler

I‘m on the couch drinking holiday herbal tea & eating a local chocolate bar with lilikoi & coconut.

Mood is fine. It will be a busy but short week with a trip to Hilo & a 3-day weekend & I‘m happy about that.

#Read2025

I read this for a challenge prompt & quite enjoyed this novella about a group of robots who band together to take over a noodle shop in 2064 post-apocalyptic San Francisco. Cozy & sweet, it also explores some deeper themes.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished this paranormal cozy mystery for #ThematicCozies December #Holiday & it was just okay for me. I think it‘s a spinoff from another series so it felt like I was dropped in the middle of the backstory rather than being a first book & there were also a few too many characters for my taste. I didn‘t hate it but don‘t know if I‘d bother to read another when better cozies are out there.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished last weekend for #NancyDrewBR this one involves pottery, stolen Chinese vases & artifacts, missing Chinese nationals & the hunt for a kaolin clay pit (River Heights continues to have it all). Nancy gets knocked out so our Nancy Noggin Knockout counter #NNK moves to 12/26. 🤕 I look forward to discussing it with the group tomorrow.

#Read2025

Read this while standing in line at the post office yesterday & thought it was a good, quick read. Not that Christmasy-besides the play on the title & that it‘s Christmas time but that‘s okay. Free with First Reads & Audible Originals.

It was a long & busy week so I‘m late with my #5JoysFriday post but here we go:

1. I ate some delicious food this week. Pineapple upside down cake in Hilo, the most amazing lamb & crab cake for our board meeting dinner. Total mouth joy.

2. We sell these dill pickle peanuts in our branch retail locations & my coworker gave me 2 cans. Pickle joy!🥒💚

3. Got my hair cut yesterday (joy!) after the board meeting & stopped at B&N & picked up my ⬇️

Went to the post office 30 minutes before it opened this morning & waited & read standing in line. I was second in line & by the time 9 AM hit, the lobby line pictured had more than doubled. But it was worth the wait as once it opened I was out in 5 minutes & got my mainland packages out (shown peeking out under my purse).

My #jolabokaflodswap package is on its way & it‘s supposed to arrive around 12/19. 🤗🎁📚🍫

Hi Friends, it‘s Friday. I‘m in a board meeting all day & it‘s been a week. 😵‍💫 But still, there‘s joy & it‘s time to share those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. 💛💛💛

To join in, make your post & tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you want to share the joy with. 💛🤗💛

EVERYONE is welcome!

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Starting my #HyggeHour soon as I‘m not sure how long I‘ll stay awake. I‘m behind on my weekly reading challenges but I feel more like some effortless Nancy for #NancyDrewBR

I‘m on the couch with a cup of throat tea & no snack tonight, listening to my favorite very mellow holiday playlist.

My mood is tired & not ready for tomorrow or the week which includes a Hilo overnight & a board meeting.😵‍💫

#Read2025

My first December #Roll100 pick finished, #26 Any Backlist . I have been slowly working my way through T.Kingfisher‘s backlist the last couple of years, liking both her brand of creepy horror & retellings. This one was a bit of a slow burn for me but I enjoyed it. It was more creepy than scary & left some questions unanswered at the end but I enjoyed it. How can you not like a setting that‘s a museum/curiosity shop in a small town? 😱

I‘ve been a little MIA this weekend. I had a really busy day Saturday & started feeling under the weather & spent much of the day sleeping. When I wasn‘t, I was recording books I had read but hadn‘t put in my Kindle reading challenge which I hit on November 29 with 155 books completed.

Once I added my unrecorded books I was at 178, so 1 book away from hitting last year‘s 179 books & the rest of the month to go. I‘m feeling good about that! 🏆😎

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

The moon is so gorgeous again tonight, it deserves a second haiku. (See my first on the post before this one.) Once again, I borrowed a photo from online. 🌕🌝🎑🖤

You rise once again
Round and bright to light my path
Through this winter‘s night

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Behind a day or so on my haikus so here‘s one inspired by the big & beautiful moon last night. It‘s known as the “cold moon” because it appears at the coldest part of the year.

You are called “Cold Moon”
Only due to your timing
As you warm the sky

P.S. I took a photo but it wasn‘t very good & this one I found online looks more like what I was viewing last night, clouds included. 🌕🌝🎑💛

Besides the fact that it‘s 🌺 Friday, here‘s the other things that brought me joy this week for #5JoysFriday 💛

1. An ARC of the 22nd book in the Bakeshop Mystery series! 🥐🍰💛

2. My drive home last night with the most incredibly gorgeous moon! (I couldn‘t get a good pic but it was gorgeous!) 🌕💛

3. The dillicious dill pickle “Grinch Salt” & Grinch socks in the McDonald‘s seasonal adult happy meal. I wanted green socks so I must go back! ⬇️

How did Friday sneak up on me again? However it did, I‘m very glad to have it here!

If you want to share those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week, make a post & tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you want to spread joy to. 💛

Everyone is welcome! 💛🤗 💛

November was a good reading month for me with 15 books read & 2 started-but sadly, not much progress with my Women Who Run with the Wolves reread.🩶🐺

I finished books for #SundayBuddyRead #ChildrensClassicRead2025 #NancyDrewBR
#BobWhiteBuddies #EBBR #RiseUpReads #MonthlyNonFiction #ThematicCozies #FictionalTraveler #Roll100 (3) #AuthorAMonth &SeriesLove2025

A good mix of books, favorites were Living With Picasso, The Serviceberry & Aftertaste

I‘m really excited about my #AuldLangSpine list from @julesG ! There was just one book I had already read & loved (AWGTMI ⭐️) & a few on my TBR but several new to me titles, which I always love!

Pictured are are the first 6 I‘m starting with, beginning with the tagged book I was already planning on reading in January for #AuthorAMonth & I Know How This Ends because I loved Cassandra in Reverse.

Mahalo @monalyisha for another great match!

My December #Roll100 picks:

#73 Any Memoir/Biography: Sure, I‘ll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford

#58 Any ARC: First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

#26 Any Backlist: The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

I‘m most excited about my ARC of First Sign of Danger, the next book in her Haven‘s Rock series.

My picks for December‘s #FictionalTraveler #HomeForTheHolidays (the tagged cozy mystery is set in a fictional holiday town in Oregon which is my old home/stomping grounds) & #ThematicCozies #Holidays (Jingle All the Slay which is a witchy holiday cozy). ❤️🎄💚

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

@Amiable left me a comment in my last haiku & mentioned flannel which made me think of plaid shirts (& wear my very lightweight one-It‘s 80 degrees here today) & it inspired today‘s haiku:

Sometimes I like to
Wear plaid & pretend it‘s cold
Even if it‘s not…

🖤🩶🤍🩶🖤

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the fact that it‘s December 1st & 75 degrees F. here. While I‘m not complaining (too much), sometimes it‘s hard to dredge up seasonal spirit in a place with no clear seasons. Seeing palms & other trees wrapped with lights helps make me feel more in the holiday spirit.

‘Tis the Season

Season‘s gentle pull
Fades beneath warm island nights
Trees dressed in lights help

#Read2025

My last book of November, completed tonight for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 Its age (published in 1901) shows it the storytelling & some of the 8 stories were not that great, but I liked a few & it was mildly enjoyable so I‘ll give it a soft pick for nostalgia. 🐉💚

#Read2025

I don‘t think this was Armstrong‘s best book & not that much of a retelling of Sleepy Hollow, but it was entertaining & a good blend of mystery/thriller & paranormal. Due to her grandfather‘s will Samantha (Sam) must stay in her family‘s cabin (where her father killed a boy & took his own life) for a month to inherit the money she needs to take care of her ailing from dementia mother. Local lore & legend of a headless horseman & the ⬇️

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour on the couch finishing up my last book of November for #ChildrensClassicRead2025 🐉

I‘m (sadly) starting my last bag of stuffing popcorn🍿😢 & drinking a spiced pear Hint water (one of their holiday flavors).🍐

Mood is really not at all ready for Monday & a new busy workweek. 😵‍💫

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

I was able to get the Libby audiobook of this 8th book in the Secret, Book & Scone Society cozy mystery series right as it came out.🏆 I really love the MC, Nora & her bookstore & close knit group of friends who are just as much her family. In this one, a psychic is murder after giving a book talk & while doing readings in the store & Nora & the crew are on the case. This book feels a bit transitional for some of the ⬇️

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Every month I read the book for #EBBR & then don‘t write down my results & return it to the library before I get around to reviewing it! 🤦🏻‍♀️ Anyway, I think I was only somewhat successful in solving the mysteries in this one but who knows?! 🤷🏻‍♀️ I didn‘t remember them from childhood so I may have missed this one, #10 in the series. It gets a soft pick as they mostly all do.

#Read2025

Getting all my November reviews in so bear with me! I finished this one a couple of weeks ago, switching between my #BOTM & the audio book & I quite liked this unusual story of a guy who can taste the favorite foods of the dead & make them appear when he cooks the dish. It did get a bit long in the middle but I was caught up in Konstantin‘s story & the blend of foodie novel & ghost story. It even ended up on my #AuldLangSpine2025 list.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished last weekend for #BobWhiteBuddies Book 19 has summer holidays starting & a new mystery or mysteries for Trixie & the gang to solve. This one stays close to home with the Bob-Whites helping out a neighbor whose garden business is being sabotaged. There‘s also stolen mail & of all things ***BIG spoiler alert*** a hidden marijuana field & it made me laugh that when it is burnt to hide the evidence, the gang ⬇️

#Read2025 #MonthlyNonFiction #SheSaid

Finished this morning for #SundayBuddyRead this was a engaging memoir about an amazing woman. A gifted artist & writer, this book focuses on her time with Pablo Picasso & could be titled “Surviving Picasso” who was a giant ass hat man baby. It‘s hard to separate the frustration with the man from his art, but the real interest in book is Francoise‘s perspective on his art & her own. Thanks to the fabulous ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today is pretty warm (79 degrees F. feels like 82 according to my weather app) so the hibiscus agua fresca I am drinking is refreshing & the inspiration for today‘s haiku.

Hibiscus Bliss 🌺

Tart, sweet floral notes
Cold Agua de Jamaica
Bliss in every sip

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Just finished my #ThematicCozies November pick for #Food & I quite enjoyed this second book in the An American in Paris mystery series. Tabitha is back to learning cooking from her best friend Julia Child & solving mysteries. In this one 2 chefs are murdered by drinking poisoned rare wines. I have a fascination for the Paris catacombs & Post-WWII France & between that & the delicious food mentioned (all the butter & ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Doing some holiday shopping today at nearby local businesses & stopped for a cider & cookie break, inspiring today‘s haiku. Big boxes can‘t compete with homemade treats.

Small Business Saturday

Mulled cider, soft crumbs
Reasons to shop close to home
Small joys, small business

#HaikuOnTheGo

#Read2025 #MonthlyNonFiction

Can you tell I‘m trying to catch up on reviews today? 🤦🏻‍♀️ I finished this one a couple weeks ago; it was assigned reading for our executive retreat/business review. I was not enthused going into it because the cover & title seemed too new-agey for my tastes but I was pleasantly surprised that there were a lot of great leadership nuggets inside this quick read that I will take away & practice.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished earlier in the month, this was my third #Roll100 November pick #9 Any Series

What can I say? I love this cozy fantasy series that‘s got gods & goddesses, dragons, a western vibe & unique & lovable characters. This is the third & I believe the final book of the series & if so, it went out well. I especially loved the time spent with characters from the first two, that didn‘t take away from the story. 🧡🧡🧡