#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending tonight‘s #HyggeHour with Trixie & the gang for #BobWhiteBuddies This is Book 17 & where my collection transitions to paperback.

Drinking Hint BlackBerry Water & noshing on Green Apple Peelerz gummy candies.🍏💚(The green matches the green on the book.) My mood is as usual, tired & I‘m not looking forward to Monday at all or the meetings I have to have. Weekends are just not long enough.😣

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

A make up haiku inspired by my breakfast yesterday. I stopped by a local market & it was raining & I was craving turnip cakes so I ducked into the nearby dim sum restaurant & just ordered what I wanted, knowing I‘d have plenty to enjoy later. Consumed leisurely with a current read.

Dim Sum for One 🥟💙🥟

Dim sum for myself
Too much for one sitting means
Leftovers to love

P.S. This is my second dim sum haiku! 😉😋

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku (I still have a couple to catch up on) is inspired by the bird I was listening to this morning on the Merlin app. One of my favorites. I didn‘t get a picture this morning, so this one‘s from online.

Backyard Dandy

Red-whiskered Bulbul
Such a dapper little guy
Mohawk with a blush

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by restless nights & the anxiety that creeps its way in.

Photo courtesy of the internet.

Night Monsters

Night whispers of doubt
Racing thoughts and pounding heart
Sleep drifts far away

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished this one on the plane yesterday for #ThematicCozies September #Books This bookish cozy had been in my TBR for ages & I love the author‘s gardening & bird-related series, so it‘s no wonder I enjoyed this one. Set in Bath, the MC, Haley, curates a library foundation dedicated to the Golden Age of Mysteries even though her literary preferences & studies were not about mysteries. When the leader of a group of ⬇️

A day late for #5JoysFriday & another not great week but here goes…

1 -2. Sunset out the airplane window brings me joy, plus getting upgraded & uninterrupted reading time. Probably my most joyful moment on the plane was it was about 30 min delayed leaving Hilo & the pilot got on the radio & apologized and said “Folks, we‘re going to fly it like we stole it and get you there as soon as possible.” It cracked me up & laughter is joy!🤣💛

3. I had⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Catching up on haikus. This one is inspired by these macarons I bought at a little cupcake/dessert place in Hilo. I like looking at them almost as much as eating them.

Eat the Rainbow 🌈

Bright little jewels
Macarons in rainbow hues
Always bring a smile

#HaikuADay HaikuHive

Behind on my daily haikus, I‘m not sure what day we‘ll call this one but it is the view from my skylight yesterday before sunset. I love the color of the clouds.

Skylight Frame

Sky in soft pastels
Fluffy pink and golden clouds
Greeting the sunset

Friday has snuck up on us yet again 🫣 so it‘s time to make your #5JoysFriday list of those 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. 💛💛💛

Make your post, tag it with the #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you want to share joy with. Use the background if & as you please.

EVERYONE is welcome to join in! 💛🤗💛

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I‘ve been MIA from Litsy this week. Just a lot going on at work & I‘m headed to Hilo tomorrow. I have 4 days of haikus to make up but today‘s is first & easy thanks to a little #SundayBuddyRead joy from @TheBookHippie in a bright orange envelope. I didn‘t want to show what all was in it in case others haven‘t opened it, but it made my day. Thanks, Christine! 🧡🤗🧡

Envelope full of
Reading camaraderie
Joy between pages 🧡

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

For tonight‘s #HyggeHour I‘m reading the latest Encyclopedia Brown book for #EBBR & then catching up on a cozy mystery with my remaining time. I‘m hydrating (it‘s humid) with Hint watermelon water & noshing on this cute Neko Pan (bread with strawberry cream filling).

Mood is tired. Shoulder is still sore & I‘m not ready for Monday. 😵‍💫

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Lots of thoughts & shoulder pain (maybe sympathy pain for @dabbe 😉) had me wide awake most of the night & slow going today but it did inspire today‘s haiku.

A night without rest
Sunday draped in heavy eyes
Dreams still call to me

#Read2025

This apocalyptic horror novella caught my eye on the library shelf & it was a good creepy quick read. (I finished it in about an hour-ish at Silent Book Club). An unreliable narrator makes it hard to tell what was “real” & what was in Riley‘s head & the tension & crazy ratcheted up with each page turn. A Bird Box vibe (at least the movie, I didn‘t read the book) & a good fast book if you are in the mood for somewhat graphic horror.

My #WeekendReads this weekend include the tagged book & books for #ThematicCozies #SheSaid #EBBR & #SundayBuddyReads & whatever else strikes my mood.

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished earlier in the week for #NancyDrewBR
This one did not seem familiar to me, so is it a reread or not? Hmmm… 🤔 Anyway, not my favorite book, but still a pick for nostalgia. This one (I read the 1973 version) is set in a little seaside town, drivable from River Heights. Again, where is River Heights because I keep reading Midwest? Maybe it‘s a lake beach town?🤷🏻‍♀️ Anyway Nanners & her girls are there to ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by having to work for a few hours on Saturday, but doing it out of the coffee shop with reading breaks makes it a bit better.

Work on Saturday,
Coffee, breakfast wrap in hand,
Plenty breaks to read

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by last night at Silent Book Club. This was the second time I joined in & once again, I enjoyed it. There‘s something nice about seeing different people of all kinds & ages reading together.

Silent Company

Sometimes it‘s nice to
Sit and read, surrounded by
Kindred minds with books

Woot! Got my #5JoysFriday posted on Friday so much better than last week. This one is mostly food again, but week take joy where we find it! 💛💛💛

1.Last Saturday I went to the makers market & my favorite Laotian/ Peruvian food truck was there & I got my favorite plate the Peruvian Pesto Paste with Lemongrass Short Ribs & Potatoes. So joyful! 😋

2. My power went out Monday afternoon & rather that sit & sweat & stress, I took myself out for ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Catch up—I wrote this haiku yesterday in the quarterly Conscious Leadership class taught by our CEO, but didn‘t get it posted last night. We sit still in silence at the beginning & end of each session & some times are harder than others to control my restless thoughts. 🧘🏻‍♀️☮️

Being

Sitting in stillness
Thoughts, emotions battle peace
My inward journey

Hi Friends, how is it Friday again so soon? I have been at a training class most of the day & then doubled-down on the peopling & went to my second Silent Book Club tonight!🫣🤭So if it‘s Friday where you are, it‘s time to make your list of the 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week.

Make your post & tag it with #5JoysFriday & tag me & anyone else you‘d like to share joy with. Use the background if/as you wish.

All are welcome!🤗

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku was inspired by my morning commute to Hilo which looks pretty much the same each week so that it feels like I‘m doing it by rote.

Muscle Memory

Autopilot drive
TSA, Starbucks, lounge, fly…
Weekly sky commute

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by a small rainstorm this afternoon that really made me want to read or take a nap, but alas, there was too much work to do to give into the temptation.🌧️

Afternoon rain storm
Soft strikes against the skylight
Rest calls, I resist

#Read100

My first finished book of September, I finished this one for #FictionalTraveler #September #EnglishSpeaking & September #Roll100 #77 #AnyBOTM Overall, I enjoyed this one, although it drug in parts. The unique premise of an unmarried British woman who comes home after her friend‘s hen party to find she‘s married & her attic keeps “replacing” husbands with no end in site. Lauren made some choices I judged & thought over-the-top but ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I was awake early this morning mainly due to random work & Monday thoughts, but also due to the noisy multi-bird concert in my backyard that inspired today‘s haiku. (Note: photo borrowed from online)

Backyard Cacophony

Spotted dove begins
Finches form the Greek chorus
Mynah drowns them out

P.S. cacophony is a favorite word. 😉

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Tonight‘s #HyggeHour is being spent with Nancy Drew for #NancyDrewBR I feel like Nancy looks pretty disheveled on this cover, so here‘s hoping her head is okay!😉#NNK

I‘m drinking blueberry lemonade because it‘s been overly muggy this weekend & I‘m trying Dubai chocolate for the first time because I finally saw it in small bars that don‘t cost $15.

Mood is sad the weekend is over & it‘s a full workweek. 😵‍💫

I‘ll probably never get reviews posted for August, I‘m still behind for July but I managed to read 20 books, which surprised me given my schedule & energy level for the month. Many were short books & I made 8 day trips in the month which gives me about 90 minutes per trip of reading + airport commute time.

Finished books for #SundayBuddyRead #SheSaid #NancyDrewBR #BobWhiteBuddies #EBBR #CampLitsy2025 #ChildrensClassicRead2025 #AuthorAMonth ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by Sunday & the fact that as slow & casual as I can make Sunday, Monday‘s crazy is just around the corner.

Sunday drifts along,
Clock hands slow but Monday comes,
Would that I could stay…

A day late for #5JoysFriday & it was kind of a sucky week to be honest, but still there was joy. 💛

1. I worked a partial day Monday but it was from the coffeeshop so it was joyful that Friday came sooner. 💛💛💛

2. I don‘t like regular Oreos but these 🍋 ones give my mouth joy.😋

3. Last weekend I got Lamb Bhuna & garlic naan from a favorite Indian place & it gave me several days of joyful eating.😋

4. I caved at B&N last Friday & bought ⬇️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Decided to combine my Friday‘s haiku with this week‘s #SereneSaturdays prompt about favorite warm drink zen. Give me hot apple cider & other apple tea & coffee drinks as I despise pumpkin spice & of course it‘s everywhere right now. (Although it‘s too muggy today for me to truly crave something warm!)

Team Apple 🍎

Autumnal feelings,
Apple cinnamon girl in
A pumpkin spice world🍎✨🎃

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Missed posting yesterday‘s haiku & #5JoysFriday so I‘ll catch up, but I‘m going ahead & posting today‘s haiku inspired by my monthly maker‘s market visit & this banana bread latte (called the Nanner Bread Latte) that was perfect for an extremely muggy morning. 🥲☀️⛅️

Nanner Bread Latte

Sweet banana buzz,
Coffee fuel for market day,
Joy in every sip

Well look it‘s Friday already-how did that happen? Time to share those 5 things (big or small) that brought you joy this week. 💛💛💛

To join in, make your post (you can use the background any way you want or use your own), use the #5JoysFriday tag & tag me & anyone else you want to share the joy with.

EVERYONE is welcome to join in! 💛🤗💛

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

My friend & I have this thing where when it‘s been a tough day/week/whatever, I tell her I‘m laying on the couch “contemplating my life choices.” That‘s today‘s haiku inspiration because today‘s chaos felt like a Monday. 😳😵‍💫 TGIF! (almost!)

Sometimes I stop and
Contemplate my life choices,
Chaos pays the bills

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku was inspired by a group of house finch chattering away in my backyard this morning. It sounded like a good gossip session. (Note—picture is not my yard or my particular finch—I wasn‘t dressed to go take one myself!)

Tea Time in the Trees

House finch chatterings,
Backyard gossip in the trees,
Spilling all the tea.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku takes its inspiration from my Tuesday which was a Monday with literal back-to-back meetings from 7:30 AM to 5:30 pm with one 39 minute break in between. It also plays homage to a favorite scene in 1987‘s Overboard…

Back-to-back meetings,
All day long with one short break
“Buh-buh-buh-buh-buh”

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Here is Friday‘s haiku, inspired by the little book of creepy stickers I bought because they made me laugh.

Haunted dolls, eerie,
Delightful on paper, just
Not beside my bed

#Read2025 #SeriesLove2025

Finished this yesterday for #ThematicCozies August #Travel & found it a solid cozy. Set on a upscale European river boat cruise (in this first one it starts in Budapest), where the MC, London Rose has just been named Social Director (sort of the cruise director) & one of the passengers dies on an outing under mysterious circumstances. Overall, I liked London & the mystery wasn‘t bad. I‘d read the next one in the series.

#Read2025

Finished in August & read this #BOTM novel for #FictionalTraveler August #Hot (it‘s set in a desert compound in the summer).

I am a sucker for reality television drama even though I rarely watch it these days so I quite enjoyed this dystopian version. For a debut novel, it was well done & I liked the elements of reality tv & looking at what is truth versus fiction. It had both dark humor & a few mild thrills & twists thrown in.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Still one haiku behind (Friday‘s) but today‘s is inspired by doing a few hours of work today on the Labor Day holiday, but at least changing the scene by working out of my local coffee shop where I can be fed & caffeinated while I do it.

Laboring

It is Labor Day
And so I labor, low key,
Coffee close at hand

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending my #HyggeHour listening to the last 30 minutes of the tagged book for #ChildrensClassicReas2025 & then finishing up Accidents Happen, my final book of August.

I‘m drinking lemonade & eating a cherry turnover. I‘m very happy that tomorrow is a holiday, even though I do need to put in a couple hours of work.

#Read2025

Finished this one earlier in the week, my second for August‘s #AuthorAMonth #JudyBlume. The library audiobook became free & so I listened to it & really enjoyed the reread. I must have read this book a bazillion times growing up & it all came back. Perfectly captures growing up in the late 70s-early 80s for me & all those things—bras, periods, boys & friendships & all the questions & angst they bring.

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

This is my makeup haiku from Thursday inspired by this photo I took on the plane Wednesday that just turned out so blue.

Blue Within

Blue is the color
Of sky and sea and sometimes
The weight of my thoughts 💙🩵💙

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Still a little behind in haikus but today‘s is all about the reading. I‘m staying put at home & finishing the final 3 books I have started to clear out August by midnight. Wish me luck! 🍀📚

A day set aside
Three books waiting to be closed
Before August ends

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I still need to make up a couple days of haikus but since I just wrote today‘s, I thought I‘d share it. I‘m cheating on my usual coffee shop today with one a bit further away since I‘m on a little field trip. A different look & vibe but still full of aloha.☕️🌺

Island coffee shops,
Different vibes, one spirit shared,
Coffee aloha

My #5JoysFriday list this week. TBH it wasn‘t a great week overall again & some of my joys may look familiar as I haven‘t had much chance to vary where my simple joys come from.🤷🏻‍♀️

1. I took a wellness day today & have Monday off for Labor Day, so it‘s a much needed 4-day weekend.🗓️

2. I made today peaceful overall-staying off of the news & social media, getting my haircut, eating what I wanted & doing what I wanted, including a nap. 💛

⬇️

A much needed wellness day off from work. Started with a haircut & now reading in the Barnes & Noble cafe before I try to do a little wallet damage & run my mall errands.

Breakfast is a slice of the artichoke quiche & the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte. I did get the $5 book special because it says Fall & the back cover says “Lucy Kane Hates Pumpkin Spice Lattes” Me too, Lucy, me too! 😉

Thanks everyone for starting #5JoysFriday this week without a prompt! I truly meant to post last night but fell asleep.😵

Anyway, as usual, EVERYONE is welcome to share 5 things big or small that brought you joy this week. Use the #5JoysFriday tag on your post & tag me and/or anyone you want to share our joy party with. You can use the background any way you like or use your own.💛

Happy Friday! I took a wellness day & will post my joys later!

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

I wrote this haiku yesterday after watching the news. Part of me is angry, most of me is just tired and incredibly sad. 💔

Another dark day
Sense lost in a broken world
I can‘t stop the tears

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

So I thought this week would be easier but work is still kicking my butt & I‘m three days behind in haikus. This one for Tuesday is inspired by the picture I took waiting for takeoff to Hilo last week.

Awaiting Flight

View from a runway
Stillness before the ascent
Sky awaits its wings 🛫☁️✈️

#HaikuADay #HaikuHive

Today‘s haiku is inspired by the sliver of moon I saw in the sky last night as I was taking my trash out. So delicate and beautiful in the night sky🌙 (Note: not my picture but the closest I found online.)

barest sliver of
waxing crescent moon clothed in
the black velvet night 🌙

#Naturalitsy #HyggeHourReadathon

Spending tonight‘s #HyggeHour back with Trixie & the gang to finish the second half of Book 16 for #BobWhiteBuddies.

On my couch, drinking this flavored iced tea & enjoying a couple snack sized Take 5 bars I purloined from a dish at the board meeting last week.🍫🦹They are one of my favorite candy bars.

Mood is fine. I could use another weekend day but my workweek, while busy,should be at least a bit calmer.