Happy Memorial Day weekend – the unofficial start of summer! Most years, after end-of-school-year celebrations, summer arrives with a bang. However, unfortunately, I have covid (for the second time, ugh), so I missed most of the last week of school. I did find a special and safe way to still celebrate with my class on the last day. This year, instead, has been a gentle easing into summertime, thankfully with beautiful mild weather. And in fact, it’s emblematic of why I love summer – to me, it should be a time of ease, of carefree days, of wandering and lingering and lazing. Here are five simp ..read more

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell My first read of 2023 is the best book I’ve read in a long time. Maggie O’Farrell’s storytelling is phenomenal, full of rich details and suspense. This work of historical fiction takes place in Renaissance Italy and imagines the life of Lucrezia, a girl who grows up in Florence in the 1550s. Lucrezia has always been the black sheep of the family — her eccentric behavior, fascination with creatures, and passion for unusual paintings, is a mystery to many. After an unfortunate incident, at the age of 13, she must marry Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara. Init ..read more

Last night, the weather did not look good. I had plans with two friends and my husband to see Taylor Swift play at Nissan Stadium for her third Nashville show in The Eras Tour. She had successfully played the Friday and Saturday night shows, both of which also had potentially stormy forecasts, but cleared up. Sunday was different. The forecast only got worse, not better, as the concert time approached. Still, we stayed positive and got ready together, even as the sky darkened. I wore this The Archer t-shirt with this ribbed tank dress underneath (size XL to give it a looser, more comfy fit ..read more

Mother’s Day is coming up in two weeks, and I’ve gathered some favorite gift finds for the mom or mother figure in your life – many that can be found locally in Nashville, or ordered online. I hope you enjoy! Personalized Stationery Choose from some pretty floral designs, or customize stationery to show her face or her pet’s (dog / cat)! A Cheerful Plant The Sill ships beautiful plants straight to your door, like this Petite Sunset Orchid. Le Creuset Espresso Cups Perfect for the mom who wants to feel a little more European, these small, charming espresso cups come in a crisp white as ..read more

Happy Earth Day to you! I find so much peace and joy in nature, and taking a daily walk is one of my favorite rituals. Today, in celebration of Earth Day, I soaked up a beautiful, longer walk with our dog and my parents’ dog in one of my favorite places, Percy Warner Park. It was the perfect temperature, with a dreamy mix of sunshine and clouds, a sudden brief rain shower and gust of wind, wildflowers, a flying owl, and quiet as we walked the paved roads as well as the trail. I hope that today, you have found a moment of beauty in nature as well. If that hasn’t been possible, I am rounding up ..read more

This weekend was the annual spring plant sale at Green Door Gourmet, an event I’ve come to look forward to after finding wonderful plants there last year and the year before. My mom and I picked out our flowers Saturday morning, and I felt drawn to colorful varieties, and different types from years past. Last spring and summer, I realized that our patio actually gets more sun than I thought, so I chose some sun-happy ones. I spent the afternoon potting these new beautiful plants, and truly savored the warm, welcome spring day. It was full of sunshine, new green, and joy for me. Here are the ..read more

My birthday was this past Tuesday, April 4, and my mom’s birthday is coming up on the 10th. We always enjoy celebrating together with fun spring activities around our city. We decided to try a few new restaurants and happenings in Nashville, as well as a beloved longtime tradition. Here are some things we really enjoyed doing over the past week, and that I would recommend for a celebration or just for fun! Afternoon Tea at Blue Aster Last Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock, we went to the new Afternoon Tea experience at Blue Aster, the restaurant located inside the Conrad. It was a leisurely an ..read more

Memorial at The Covenant School Last Monday, March 27, three children – Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney, and Hallie Scruggs, all 9 – and three adults – Mike Hill, Cynthia Peak, and Katherine Koonce – were killed at The Covenant School in Nashville. Covenant is in my neighborhood and less than three miles from the school where I teach nine-year-olds just like Evelyn, William, and Hallie. I teach children who were friends with them, who are struggling to cope and understand something that they should never have to. Memorial at The Covenant School This tragedy deeply affected our community in Na ..read more

Swim top / high-waisted bottoms H and I returned from our honeymoon late Saturday night after a sun-filled, serene week spent in the Caribbean’s low-key island of Anguilla. It had been a dream of mine to visit the Caribbean, and I feel so grateful and fulfilled to have experienced this adventure. We just had the best time, and I’m sharing how we traveled and where we stayed, plus all the things we did and saw. I hope this helps with planning your own vacation, or simply wanderlusting and dreaming of a future getaway! Many of the photos in this post I took with my camera and edited; a few are q ..read more

H and I leave on our honeymoon this Saturday for my spring break. We are so excited; it will be my first time in the Caribbean (or anywhere like it), and I am anticipating warm, sunny days in the sand and exploring the island with my husband! Here are some essentials that I am planning to bring along: Light, easy dresses Shorts/tops Lightweight pants (my favorite travel pants) Cardigan Soft pajamas Swimsuit/coverup Comfy, versatile sneakers Sandals Packable straw hat Reef-friendly sunscreen Sunglasses Fun reads – Georgie, All Along, The Dead Romantics, The Vibrant Years Mini crossword book ..read more