WELCOME to our monthly collection. This space is our online equivalent of a commonplace book. Here is where we offer links and ideas for you to explore, and things we might want to revisit or remember. Brew yourself a cup of tea and savor a quiet moment while you read. May you always be inspired to live with equal parts industry and creativity.
Dear March - Come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat -
You must have walked -
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,
I have so much to tell!
I got your letter, and the bird's;
The maples never knew
That you were coming - I declare,
How red their faces grew!
But, March, forgive me--
And all those hills
You left for me to hue;
There was no purple suitable
You took it all with you.
Who knocks? That April!
Lock the door!
I will not be pursued!
He stayed away a year, to call,
When I am occupied.
But trifles look so trivial
As soon as you have come,
That blame is just as dear as praise
And praise as mere as blame.
By Emily Dickinson
Celebrating the coming of spring was a common theme in 19th century American poetry. Many of Dickinson's nature poems focus on specific natural elements, but this one is describing a transition and reflects the changing emotions and perceptions that come with new beginnings. The short lines with few words give a sense of urgency. March is personified as a guest, showing up at the front door of someone who has been long anticipating her. She wants to hold off on April's arrival as his fullness could overpower March's fragility. This poem is about expectations, change, and transformation. We must embrace life's transitions to grow and evolve along with the passing months of the year.
You Eat Less Variety Than You Think. Embrace It. Here’s a way to simplify meals and nutrition. I plan to use some of these ideas in April.
How My ‘Little House’ Fantasies Helped Me Downsize. When we lived in a camper for months, I thought of it as a modern day Conestoga Wagon, and that helped me decide what was worth keeping in it. I love the ideas in this article.
This is a new-to-me word that bookish folk might like: Byronic hero. A Byronic hero is a moody and brooding rebel. He is characterized by arrogance, cynicism, and a mysterious magnetism, stemming from a dark past or a secret. The Byronic hero challenges the traditional notions of heroism. The term comes from the works of Lord Byron, a Romantic poet from the United Kingdom in the early 1800’s, who is known for his rebellious and enigmatic characters. I learned of this term in my background study of The Count of Monte Cristo. To be honest, I haven’t liked the Count much for over 90 chapters, but he certainly has a mysterious magnetism that has kept me reading.
I ran across this picture of keyboard seats and it made me smile.
My Spring Tonic: Kvass. The description in Trim Healthy Table, a cookbook by Serene Alison, says this drink is teeming with life and infuses your cells with vitality. Traditionally, it is known as a blood and liver cleanser and rebuilder. The betacyanin in beets increases the oxygen in your blood dramatically. It balances electrolytes and provides minerals.
To make your own, wash two medium-sized beets. Don’t peel them. Cut them into 1″ chunks and put into a clean quart jar. Add 1/2 tablespoon of Himalayan or Real Salt and fill with purified water to within an inch of the top of the jar. Cover with a lid and set on the counter to ferment for one week. By then it should be a deep burgundy color with little bubbles collecting at the top. You can drink it now or let it sit in your fridge for another week, as the flavor continues to develop. Drink an ounce or two every day until gone. You can also eat the beets at the bottom of the jar. Here’s to health!
I hope you found inspiration in this list and enjoyed your cup of tea and quiet moment reading.
–Liz
For more Spring:
So She Reads 
4 responses to “So She Reads Collection: A Spring in Her Step”
After years of being only vaguely aware of what the term “Byronic Hero” alluded to, I too learned the true definition by way of background reading for a classic. (Jane Eyre)
And though I have not personally made acquaintance with the Count, he is on my list. Perhaps next winter!☺️
Yes, Mr. Rochester would qualify, too. Thanks for reading!
This may not be the place for this question… but didn’t one of you write an article on suggestions of how to proofread books, like for a school library?
Hi Jana, This is the best place to ask, because it’s really a collection of random things. I did a quick search here but only found a mention of it in Alice and Me in Wonderland. But your question got me thinking. Do you proofread for your school library? What do you find easy and what is hard about it?