My therapist looked at me across their office. It was filled with books teetering in every corner, trinkets from across the decades of a therapy practice, and pictures on any available shelf and wall space.

I glanced out the window at the gray day staring right back at me.

As a perfectionist, people-pleaser… this was really edgy for me to think about. And I truly didn’t know what would happen if I actually aimed for an imperfectly “good enough” in my life.

But here’s a secret: this was five years ago.

And present-day Claire can wholeheartedly say—I want to be imperfect.

Messy, vulnerable, authentic, genuine, good enough.

Because why be anything else?

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After my dad’s passing a couple of years ago, I’ve always felt a deep sadness that the two of them wouldn’t get to celebrate this wedding anniversary together.

Fifty years is something to celebrate.

Fifty years of true love, of deep partnership, and a sense of magic about it.

October’s playlist was created to remind us of the enchantment of feeling really and truly loved. And that’s something I think my parents’ long love story can teach us all.

Here’s this month’s playlist.

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“October is when autumn really settles into itself.”

Sigh.

I’ve never felt October summed up so… perfectly?

This is the month where autumn shines the brightest. There’s not a doubt.

How fortunate for us that we get to have it every single year.

Here’s your October Ever Diaries.

P.S. If you are new here, welcome! At the start of the month, I send these little overviews out about the time of the year we are greeting—and don’t tell the other posts, but these are some of my favorite ones to write! From astrology to history to what’s happening in our skies above, you’ll find a hodgepodge. Every Ever Diaries also includes photos from the place I am dreaming of visiting that month. I always save the location for the sign-off, so see if you can guess the spot as you peruse the post. Wishing you an ever joyfilled time, Claire

Once Upon an October…

If you followed along our September Ever Diaries, you'll remember that from now till the end of the year, the months are named after the order in which they fell in the old Roman calendar days.

“Sept” marked the seventh month, “Oct” marked the eighth month and so forth. Back when there were only ten months a year, this worked great…until January and February were added and suddenly we found ourselves with a calendar that has months meaning numbers that no longer align with their order in the year. A lost cause at this point!

But, did you know that October held a few other names across England as well?

Old England used to call October Winmonath, which translates into Wine Month. As you can guess, it was the time of the year associated with the seasonal making of wine.

October also had an English alias as Winterfylleth, meaning “Winter’s Full Moon.” But, October is autumn, not winter, right? Well, the Brits associated October’s full moon with the inauguration to the winter months. Interestingly, there’s the folklore that “If October brings heavy frosts and winds, then will January and February be mild.”

What shall October bring? As the saying goes—only time will tell.

Sources: https://www.almanac.com/how-did-months-get-their-names

Worth a Revisit This Month

October, in Ten Words

Ten words to describe this tenth month…

1. Enchanting: There’s something enchanting in the air.

2. Fleeting: Every leaf that falls reminds you how precious this time is.

3. Pinnacle: The peak of autumn is here.

4. Stunning: Look out at the world and be stunned by the beauty this month.

5. Pronounced: There’s no overlooking this month!

6. Bewitching: It certainly casts a spell over you.

7. Brisk: The weather calls for sweaters, fuzzy jackets, and slippers.

8. Fiery: A warm hearth is calling…

9. Spooky: Boo!

10. Celestial: Call it fate if you must, but the night sky feels extra special this time of the year.

October, Written in the Stars

What’s happening in the skies above this month. Psst: It’s a packed one!

October 4: Saturn in Opposition—look for it in the sky!

October 8/9: The Draconid Meteor Shower

October 10: New Moon in the sign of Libra

October 12: Mercury in Elongation—look for it in the sky!

October 21/22: The Orionid Meteor Shower

October 26: Full Hunter’s Moon in the sign of Taurus

Notes of October

On the Counter: Chrysanthemums

Tunes on Repeat: The Good Witch soundtrack

Currently Watching: Hocus Pocus

Book Dog-eared: Practical Magic

From the Market: Apples & Plums

This month, I’m dreaming of an October in Germany.

Auf Wiedersehen,

Claire

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

Three cards for the year, and one card for each month, all to give you an idea of the theme of the year.

For September, I drew the deer.

A card all about gentleness.

And September came in and left with such an ease and gentleness.

Here’s what brought me joy this September.

1. Hannah Adkins’ YouTube Vlogs

A little late to the vlog party over here. I only started watching them a year or so ago. I’ve had a hard time figuring out the types of vlogs which nurture me and add to my enjoyment in life, not taking away from my peace.

One vlogger who adds to my nervous system feeling balanced is Hannah Adkins. Her vlogs, set in the Cotswolds of England and focused on the seasons, make me feel so incredibly calm. I positively look forward to when they drop every Sunday.

Here’s one of my recent favorites from the month.

2. A New Song I Can’t Stop Playing

Besides Taylor Swift’s four new songs, I cannot stop loving this song by The Dramatics.

My favorite part? The lyrics at the beginning.

“I used to look up at the stars and get jealous of the sky,

And I wonder what it’s like to get to hold them every night”

Such a beautiful thought, and it’s made me look up at stars and wonder about it too.

3. A Perfume I Love & a Podcast I Can’t Wait to Listen To

After seeing a suggestion by Lydia Millen (another vlogger I love), I signed up to get on the Ffern ledger.

A natural perfume company which calls the UK home, Ffern releases a perfume each season, tailoring it to fit into a story for the time of year. It’s a whole experience when you open the box to receive your perfume; a seasonal tea is usually included along with a cinema ticket with a code to watch that month’s short story, amongst other little surprises.

With autumn crossing our threshold this month, I received the autumn fragrance, and I am loving it.

I’m also excited to start listening to their podcast, As the Season Turns.

4. GBBO is BACK!

I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that The Great British Bake Off is back this month!

I watched the first episode—which premiered last Friday—and I already have a few favorites I am rooting for.

Just pure adoration for this show.

5. Mr. Darcy, Meet Leopold

I never intended for this to be such an England-heavy post, but I am kind of here for it.

To wrap up the theme, I started the book, Most Ardently Yours by Freya Sampson. It’s a cute little read, much like a Hallmark movie in a book, and if you are a huge Pride and Prejudice fan like myself, you’ll enjoy the tale about Mr. Darcy suddenly appearing in 2026 London.

In one review, someone mentioned it reminded them of the movie Kate & Leopold, which made me smile with how much I used to enjoy watching that film.

Perhaps October will bring a rewatch for me.

Thank you, September, for the joy! I’d love to know what brought you joy this month? Tell us in the comments!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

But, I never intended to have such an ambition.

Truthfully, it took me making a list (and checking it twice) to realize I was already in the 20s a few years ago.

Due to being more on the eastern side of the U.S.—although it’s called the Midwest, but I digress— those smaller states on this side of the Atlantic make it super easy to check off a ton without venturing all that far.

"Over halfway,” I thought. “Why not go for it? Get the fifty.”

I’m proud to say I am now at 48.

And my latest…

Alaska.

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May this playlist remind you of the contentment which September brings.

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A month whose thirty days were often warmer than I was wanting, whose trees were still pretty green while all I wished for was a view of reds, yellows, and oranges, and whose essence was neither fully summer nor fully autumn.

That gray area which marks September is precisely why it has now become a month which I find so very dear.

This month isn’t about doing all the fall things. Not about trying to soak up every single autumnal feeling while it lasts. It’s about making the soft passage to October and the months beyond.

In whatever way it feels is best.

Here’s your September Ever Diaries.

P.S. If you are new here, welcome! At the start of the month, I send these little overviews out about the time of the year we are greeting—and don’t tell the other posts, but these are some of my favorite ones to write! From astrology to history to what’s happening in our skies above, you’ll find a hodgepodge. Every Ever Diaries also includes photos from the place I am dreaming of visiting that month. I always save the location for the sign-off, so see if you can guess the spot as you peruse the post. Wishing you an ever joyfilled time, Claire

Once Upon a September…

September starts not only the -ber months, but also the months which take their names from numerals.

After months largely named after people and gods/goddesses (looking at you March through August!), September gets its name root from Latin to mean seventh, as in the seventh month.

But wait, you may be saying… isn’t September the ninth month of the calendar year? To which I say, correct indeed.

Far back in history, when the early Roman calendar was the fashionable calendar of use… there was no January or February. The year began in March and contained 304 days. Which, as one can imagine, due to Earth’s roughly ~365.25 solar rotation, made the years start to get quite wonky. And to add to that wonkiness, the days which are now contained in January and February still physically happened, but they simply just didn’t exist/count as actual days happening in the calendar.

Roman King Numa Pompilius in 731 BCE decided to take a whack at fixing this by adding 51 more days to the year and officially adding our beloved months of January and February to the calendar party. Although this only brought the calendar to 355 days per year, and it still didn’t address the problem fully.

Long story, somewhat long, when the early Roman calendar skipped over January and February, September was the seventh month and was accurately named so. Now, we find ourselves with a month meaning seven, but it is actually ninth in the year.

Can you imagine reorganizing a calendar? It sounds astronomically hard—literally.

Sources: https://www.almanac.com/how-did-months-get-their-names, https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/whats-name-months-year, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240227-how-julius-caesar-made-the-longest-year-in-history-and-brought-us-leap-years

Worth a Revisit This Month

September, in Nine Words

Nine words to describe this ninth month…

1. Shifting: From summer to autumn, from vacation to routine.

2. Peaceful: There is this serene quality of September before the rush of autumn and the holidays start.

3. Patient: There’s no rush, no hurry. Just presence this month.

4. Waning: Those long days are not so long anymore.

5. Honeyed: Honeybee season as well as honeyed light season.

6. Settling: Into our non-summer routines once more.

7. Overripe: Produce turning into jams and jellies.

8. Pleasant: The weather, the company, the moods.

9. Retreat: A moment of quiet once again in our days.

September, Written in the Stars

What’s happening in the skies above this month.

September 10/11: New Moon in the sign of Virgo

September 23: Fall Equinox, first day of autumn

September 26: Full Harvest Moon in the sign of Aries

Notes of September

Flowers on the Counter: Zinnias

Tunes on Repeat: Instrumental

Currently Watching: Ted Lasso

Book Dog-Eared: Northanger Abbey

Farmers Market Finds: Pears & Elderberries

I’m dreaming of the beautifully wild state of Alaska this month! How about you?

Talk to you soon,

Claire

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

So, I’ll just cut to the chase, with the fourth season of Ted Lasso coming back this month, I wanted to dedicate this month’s joy & tell post to all things Ted and friends. Because the promotional content they’ve been making has been incredible.

Hope you enjoy! And I hope you’re feeling better than I am :\

P.S. If you are a believer (pun intended!) in the Richmond Way, check out this post I wrote last year about the life lessons of Ted Lasso.

P.P.S. Much like the show, these clips most likely (and by that I mean definitely) include some profanity.

1. Wings with The Boss(es)

2. THE Trio We All Love Dearly

3. A Friendship We All Want To Have

4. Rebecca? Or Not Rebecca?

5. It’s Time to Party

What brought you joy this month? Comment to let us know!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

A reminder that this month, too, brings with it quite a bit of excitement.

Some of the exciting parts of August for me, personally? Peach season, soaking up the last summer weeks, and prepping for the seasonal routines which only late August and September bring.

This month’s playlist honors this bittersweet, but exciting month.

Hope you enjoy!

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That’s how August always seems to feel to me.

There is certainly this bittersweetness to it, how could there not be? While we are only technically in the second half of the game of summer, we are inching ever towards autumn once more.

The month also brings along equal excitement, too. As if to counteract the bittersweetness a smidge.

Excitement of getting back to some routines once more, of enjoying our last weeks of summertime, of coming back to feeling grounded in ourselves after a summer so far which —while full and thriving—perhaps has left us feeling a bit depleted of some inwardness and structure again.

Bittersweet or excitement or both, however you are meeting this eighth month, I wish you joy along the way.

Here’s your August Ever Diaries.

P.S. If you are new here, welcome! At the start of the month, I send these little overviews out about the time of the year we are greeting—and don’t tell the other posts, but these are some of my favorite ones to write! From astrology to history to what’s happening in our skies above, you’ll find a hodgepodge. Every Ever Diaries also includes photos from the place I am dreaming of visiting that month. I always save the location for the sign-off, so see if you can guess the spot as you peruse the post. Wishing you an ever joyfilled time, Claire

Once Upon an August…

Way back before the common era, there was a lad named Augustus Caesar, who went through quite the name-change to become Julius’ heir upon his death on March 15th, 44 BCE.

As discussed last month, Julius laid a considerable claim to rewriting calendar history with his shift towards a more solar-based system and for making a year equal ~365 and 1/4 days, amongst other things.

And in honor of Julius, the seventh month was renamed July, which is also his birth month.

A similar story arc is seen with Augustus (errr… Octavius or Gaius or is it Octavian…). Born Gaius Octavius Thurinus in the year 63 BCE, the man was later named heir by Julius, who also changed Gaius’ name to Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus— Julius might have had an itsy bitsy bit of a big head—before the name Augustus we all know stuck. Augustus meant “honored” as Augustus didn’t enjoy having a formal title of king or emperor—though that didn’t stop him from being one!

Augustus was known for being one of the “administrative geniuses of history” (Britannica). He was a master in propaganda and also someone with the foresight to make the Roman Republic into a society to last the ages.

Like the man before him, Augustus got a month named after him, and because he wanted to emulate Julius even more so, took a day away from February and made August 31 days, just like Julius’ July… or so legend says.

A man and a tale (and a month) which has stood the test of time, that is for sure when it comes to the first Roman Emperor of Augustus.

Sources: https://mytpl.org/project/how-august-got-its-name/, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Augustus-Roman-emperor/Personality-and-achievement, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus

Worth a Revisit This Month

August, in Eight Words

Eight words to describe this eighth month…

1. Stirring: Lots of things are brewing this month… vacations, back-to-school, back-to-routines, and so much more.

2. Dawning: On a similar note, lots of new things are coming. Like a brand new day, August feels like the freshest of starts.

3. Recuperating: August is the first dinner bell ring to remind us to start coming back to ourselves again for autumn and beyond.

4. Assured: Not sure if is the fact we are in courageous Leo season, or if it’s because of the confidence of this month’s namesake, but August feels like it brings this sense of assurance with it.

5. Wistful: It’s so easy to wish this month wasn’t the dog days of summer or to wish we were in the beginnings of autumn already.

6. Rich: In stories, memories and that lingering summertime sunshine.

7. Weathered: Commonly known for being the hottest month for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere and by now… a lot of us are over it!

8. Corn-y: In the sense that peak corn season is here!

August, Written in the Stars

A heads-up, this month is packed up in the skies.

• August 2nd: Look out for Mercury

• August 12th: New Moon in the sign of Leo

• August 12th/13th: The Perseid Showers (one of the brightest meteor showers to see!)

• August 15th: Look out for Venus

• August 27th to 28th: Partial Lunar Eclipse

• August 27th: The Sturgeon Full Moon in the sign of Pisces

Notes of August

Flowers on the Counter: Dahlias

Tunes on Repeat: Crooners

Currently Watching: Roman Holiday

Book Dog-Eared: Persuasion

Farmers Market Finds: Blueberries and Peaches

This August, I am dreaming of visiting colorful Mexico! How about you?

Hasta luego,

Claire

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

Perhaps that’s always how July feels.

You can go in with a schedule of what and when, but the month calls for us to leave room for the magic that happens solely from having nothing on the agenda, too.

Of the stories told over late nights with friends, of the laughs sitting around the kitchen table with family, and of the peace of getting a late unintentional sleep-in.

Thanks to you, July, for reminding us to leave extra room for the serendipity.

Here is this month’s joy & tell.

1. Boundaries, but Make it More Fun?

On a recent road trip with a friend, we listened to this incredible episode about boundaries by Shrink Chicks. I adore them and their podcast so much.

2. Farmers Markets Are For Lovers

Farmers markets are one of my truest loves of summertime. Getting to wake up, grab a favorite reusable bag, and head to a nearby farmers market is one of the best ways to start off the weekend, in my book.

Lucky for all of us, we still have a few months of some really great produce ahead!

3. A New Take on a Throwback

I’ve been listening to this song by Cynthia Erivo on repeat lately. And I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to stop. Any suggestions on whether I need to watch the movie, Bad Times at the El Royale, now?

4. Oh, Dahlias

This was the first year I’ve ever planted dahlias on my own. After a hard-fought battle with a bunch of raccoons digging up the bulbs, we came to a truce which allowed me to grow three dahlia bulbs. The first one bloomed this month, and I’m already wanting to grow more next time…that is if the raccoons will let me.

5. Worthy Homes

One of my favorite algorithm finds from YouTube has been the Homeworthy channel. Each video takes you around the world to look at some of the most stunning homes. My current watch? This one in Provence.

That’s a wrap on July and its Joy & Tell. Wishing you all a beautiful start to your August.

Ever Joyfully, Claire

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

That was all I imagined and dreamed of when I heard our family vacation was going to be in Southern Portugal this year.

Portugal has been on my sister-in-law’s bucket list pretty much since I met her. So, when the “where to take the family vacation?” question came up late last year, and Portugal was the winner…. I was excited, but I didn’t really feel a strong pull either way.

Until I got there.

After navigating a wee mess of airport lines, we stepped out into warm, sun- drenched skies with the most lovely of sea breezes grazing our faces in Lisbon.

I was sold.

Head over heels did I fall in love with Portugal for the next nine days of my life. And, my goodness, did it teach me a lot about joy in the process, too.

While one could easily say any city in the world has a deep history and culture (just go on any walking tour in any city in any country), Lisbon really and truly does.

Friendly people, amazing sights, and golden beaches (both physically and metaphorically) are just a few reasons why this place might just be one of the most joyful places I have ever visited.

Take a tour of Southern Portugal with me—here’s the ever joyfilled itinerary.

Note: ALL credit goes to my sister-in-law for coordinating and planning such a wonderful trip from top to bottom. Bravo!

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Last month, it was scaling a mountain and taking in the view.

This month, it was diving off a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean for a swim.

I could feel the cool (but quite wonderful!) water, sense the cotton texture of grabbing a fresh beach towel, and see my friends’ laughing and having a wonderful time on board.

In the background, all I could hear was music which felt like a good time. I’m talking songs which feel like summertime.

This is the playlist that came forth when I put that picture to music.

Hope you enjoy this exalted playlist!

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His inspiration? A set of seasonal sonnets.

It remains unclear who exactly wrote these sonnets, but there are some guesses that Vivaldi himself might have taken the pen to paper!

Quite literally, the score for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is putting music to the words. Vivaldi included notations to indicate where in the composition the sonnet’s phrases were being depicted.

Each one as unique as the season itself, Summer’s sonnet (or “L’Estate”) goes:

In a harsh season burned by the sun,
man and flock languish, and the pine tree is scorched;
the cuckoo unleashes its voice, and soon
we hear the songs of the turtle-dove and the goldfinch.

Sweet Zephyr blows, but Boreas suddenly
opens a dispute with his neighbor;
and the shepherd laments his fate,
for he fears a fierce squall is coming.

His weary limbs are robbed of rest
by his fear of fierce thunder and lightning
and by the furious swarm of flies and blowflies.

Alas, his fears are only too real:
the sky fills with thunder and lightning,
and hailstones hew off the heads of proud cornstalks.

What strikes you most about this sonnet?

For me, it’s how much disaster and gloom it brings with it.

Words like “hailstones,” “robbed of rest,” and “harsh season” all grace their presence throughout the sonnet… and they sure aren’t the first words I think of when I think of summer.

Yet, listening to the Four Seasons’s Summer , you do indeed hear this. There’s a sense of trepidation, a foreboding, while also a sense of liveliness and bounciness.

Perhaps that is part of summer; it’s a season of highs and lows.

Of experiencing the celebrations, long days, and vacations, while also balancing it with the downsides it brings, too: droughts, heat waves, and a feeling of missing the routine the rest of the year brings. Plus, a knowing this will not last. Summer will shift to autumn, winter, and spring before coming around once more.

This season is teaching us a lesson here, about holding space for two things to be true at once. This season of summer might not look exactly how you wish it to be, but it can still be lovely. Like any season, it isn’t perfect.

There’s a joy in living this way. Knowing that nothing will ever be wholeheartedly perfect, but that doesn’t mean we can’t love the moment all the same.

So, let’s celebrate July, knowing it will bring with it highs and lows. We can still honor and exalt it for what it is: the true height of summertime.

Here’s the Ever Diaries for July.

P.S. As always, guess what place I’m dreaming of visiting this month based on the pictures in this post. I’ll let you know where it is in the sign-off!

Sources: https://baroque.boston/vivaldi-four-seasons, https://www.riphil.org/blog/the-story-behind-vivaldi-s-the-four-seasons

Once Upon a July

Once upon a time, there was a Roman General named Julius Caesar. After fighting many a war, he announced himself dictator for life.

As the man in charge of the Roman Republic, he overhauled Roman government and society, including creating a whole new calendar system named after himself.

The previous Roman calendar was lunisolar—a fancy way of saying it relied on lunar cycles as well as solar ones. Sounds complicated, yes? Yet it did a decent job staying aligned with the seasons when used correctly, something a purely lunar calendar struggles with and can quickly fall off from.

Julius scrapped the lunar aspect of the Roman calendar and moved solely toward a solar one. Gathering his most trusted mathematicians and philosophers, he had them create a new system to better match the length of a year. The agreed-upon calendar mixed the “old Roman months, the fixed length of the Egyptian calendar, and the 365+1⁄4 days of Greek astronomy,” and was henceforth named the Julian calendar (Wikipedia, Julian calendar).

What did this look like? A twelve-month year with a day added about every four years to account for that ~1/4th of the sun’s year. Sound familiar? This system was later adjusted into today’s Gregorian calendar starting in the year 1582.

After Julius’ assassination in 44 BC, the month of July (his birth month) was renamed for him. Some 2000-plus years later—and another calendar change!— his legacy still remains.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_calendar, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunisolar_calendar, https://www.history.com/articles/july-month-history-facts

Worth a Revisit This Month

July, in Seven Words

1.) Exhilarating: Taking a splash into a cool body of water—how exhilarating!

2.) Thriving: Peak summer, endless days, and a garden that's starting to thrive!

3.) Humid: That humidity sure lets you know it's here to visit for a bit.

4.) Glowing: The sun really casts itself upon every inch of our world this time of year, doesn't it?

5.) Festive: Whether it's celebrating a holiday, a birthday, or simply summertime… it's festive this month.

6.) Ripe: Real summer produce starts this month; I'm dreaming about some homegrown tomatoes!

7.) Drowsy: Between activities, being outside for hours on end, vacations, packed schedules, and the simple dog days of summer, this month makes you want to take a nap!

July, Written in the Stars

July 6th: The Earth will reach the furthest point from the sun. This only happens twice a year!

July 14th: New Moon in the sign of Cancer.

July 29th: Full Moon—called the Buck Moon this month.

Notes of July

Flowers on the counter: Hydrangeas

Tunes on Repeat: Country

Currently Watching: Tucci in Italy

Book Dog-eared: Julie and Julia

Farmer’s Market: Tomatoes & Basil

Not sure if it’s this heat wave we are in as I write this, but I am dreaming and longing to be in the temperate fjords of Norway this month!

Vi sees, Claire

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

Alas, somehow, June is really over for this year. On the one hand, part of me feels a mixture of nostalgia in saying such a thing. May and June bring some of my favorite moments and weather of the year, and to inch toward midsummer already makes me feel a wee bit sentimental.

On the other hand, July and August always symbolize the epitome of summertime for me. I picture sailboats, bonfires, bathing suits, an abundance in the garden, and sunshine when I think of those two months. There is still much to look forward to this summer as the calendar turns to July tomorrow.

Before it does, let’s take a moment to reflect on the joy June brought with it.

Here’s this month’s joy & tell.

1. Last Meals

I’m no stranger to shows like Hot Ones, and I do enjoy an occasional YouTube binge of shows depicting another side of celebrities. Oftentimes we only see quick little bursts of the famous, and it can feel very superficial. Shows like Hot Ones have really bridged that much-needed gap, capturing the more human side of the people who grace our screens.

I stumbled upon another series in that same vein called Last Meals. As the name implies, the show has celebrities eating their last meal with the host while getting deep with the questions. It’s a fascinating watch… if there’s a celebrity you really love, you may end up learning more about their life than you ever expected.

A few I’ve enjoyed (or have on my to-watch list):

• José Andrés Eats His Last Meal

• Alton Brown Eats His Last Meal (this one was really deep!)

• Gordon Ramsay Eats His Last Meal

• Jason Kelce Eats His Last Meal

• Sean Evans Eats His Last Meal (two worlds collide!)

It does make you wonder — what would your last meal be? I’m still working on my full list, but so far it includes hand-cut french fries, Spanish vegetable paella, the chocolate peanut butter cake from my favorite restaurant, chocolate chip waffles, sticky toffee pudding, and some kind of soup.

2. A New Jane Austen Classic?

I love Jane Austen. Full stop.

Her stories have stood the test of time, and I truly adore being able to watch the adaptations and build my own list of favorites. If you’re curious, my top two are Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Emma (BBC 2009).

Imagine the thrill, then, of seeing the newest trailer for an adaptation of Sense and Sensibility coming out later this year! I’m still trying to nail down my favorite version of this novel—maybe it’ll be this one? I’ll find out come autumn.

3. Letter Writer

If you’re a Jane Austen fan, you’ll know how much of an impact letter writing has on the stories. It’s what moves a good portion of the plot forward in stories like Pride and Prejudice, and it even culminates in the best letter ever written, in Persuasion.

When was the last time you wrote a letter? Not a thank-you note, but a real, honest letter to someone?

It had been years for me…I realized this month.

While I’m still in the midst of completing Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way 12-week program, this past week had me embarking on a reading deprivation exercise, where I wasn’t allowed to read books for the week, or otherwise had to decrease my media consumption. It’s meant to stretch you… and stretch me it did!

It was in the desperation of wanting to distract myself with a book that I reached for some paper and a pen to write a dear friend of mine a letter.

Much like a character of Jane’s, I found myself writing about the little details of my day and my life as of late. And in doing so, it brought to light how much I missed conversing this way with people.

So much time is spent catching up in short increments, or not wanting to bore someone with the mundane details of life. But in letter writing, you’re almost expected to talk about the littlest moments that make up your days.

If you find yourself longing to write a letter, I found this cute Pinterest pin about things to include, too!

4. Stephen Colbert… and Arthur?

Growing up as a 90s/early 2000s kid, I have some of the fondest memories of rushing home to catch my favorite after-school TV shows.

One of them was Arthur. I can still remember how much I’d replay the library card song on my CD player in the car… I re-listened to it while writing this, and I can confirm it’s still a banger of a song.

This month, I came across this video of Stephen Colbert and crew redoing the beloved theme song, and it brought such a smile to my face. It’s an oldie from early on in Stephen Colbert’s show, but a goodie.

5. Heat Wave, Anyone?

After watching our friends over in Europe suffer through a heat wave, we managed to have quite lovely temperatures over here across the pond… until this week.

I walked outside to water flowers this morning, and there was that feeling of being hit with a wall of heat as I stepped out of the AC.

As the garden center checkout cashier told me yesterday, “It’s going to be a beautiful week… to stay inside with the AC.”

While inside and on YouTube, I saw this channel called Gardener’s Guide, hosted by our friends over in the UK. It’s very wholesome and lovely.

A recent episode is all about gardening during a drought. It also takes you around Britain to look at gardens coping with the heat wave. How timely! If you’re missing the great outdoors because of this heat, check out their videos to bring a little gardening mood into your heart, from the comfort of an air-conditioned house.

There's a wrap on this month’s joy & tell? I’d love to know, what brought you joy this June?

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

June’s that month. After months of quiet in the winter and the energy returning in the spring, June is a pinnacle moment. A month of embracing the thriving. Taking a step back to congratulate yourself and others on finally making it to this moment.

When I picture listening to a soundtrack for this month, it is filled with songs which are soft yet also wild. It’s a feeling of being on top of a mountain and looking at the soft beauty of the Earth in front of you and realizing just how quietly wildly and stunning it truly is.

Here’s this month in a playlist.

Read more

My steps were unhurried, the air fresh and the smells of sweet late-springtime grass crossed my nose.

The birds were singing their tunes. Providing the melody for the symphony of nature. The ribbets from the frogs would jump in occasionally to be the bass notes while little chirps from the insects on tree branches would pop in to add that sharp staccato accent.

As I was making this walk at my favorite most place, I realized…

This is what June is.

Here’s this month’s Ever Diaries.

P.S. If you’re new here, every month I post an Ever Diaries where I joyfully celebrate the month ahead. I always love to include a place I’m dreaming of in the newsletter, so take a peek at the pictures and see if you can guess where it is this month. I’ll let you know in the sign-off!

Once Upon a June.

June’s name comes from the Roman goddess of Juno. She was in charge of marriages and the wellness of women, in particular the married life of women. Tis no wonder this month is so rampant with weddings!

As history goes, Juno eventually became the figure sought by many for comfort, like a guardian angel for women, a picture of “the female principle of life,” (Britannica).

Back in the days of the Roman calendar, the year moved around the lunar cycles. Wintertime didn’t a have monthly names, and a good portion of the months of the year were simply named based on their order in the year. Sextilis, for example, was the name of the sixth month.

Ironically, this was not June.

With the “new year” falling more-so towards spring’s start in March, June would have only been the fourth month of the year.

Enter the complicated shifting of calendars through more “modern” history, and we now find ourselves with a Gregorian calendar marking June as the sixth month of our year.

Who knew June had such a history!

Sources: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juno-Roman-goddess, https://www.almanac.com/how-did-months-get-their-names

Worth a Revisit This Month

Here’s some posts from the archive to check out this month:

June, In Six Words

Describing this sixth month, in six words.

1. Spectacular: it’s that spectactular late springtime/early summertime of the year.

2. Rosie: The first of the roses are blooming, and aren’t they just the sweetest?

3. Serenade: Step outside the chorus of birdsongs when you get a chance this time of year.

4. Endless: the days seem to last and linger this month. Our height of daylight.

5. Barefoot: Skipping the sandals—whenever you get the chance—in favor of barefeet.

6. Fragrant: the smells this time of the year are incredible from mown grass, to flowers in bloom, to the salty air of a trip to the seaside.

June, Written in the Stars

What’s on deck in astrology and astronomy this month?

Save the Date:

June 15th: Super New Moon in the sign of Gemini

June 15th: Look out for Mercury in the night sky!

June 21st: Summer Solstice

June 29th: Micro Full Moon —called the Strawberry Moon this month!

Notes of June:

Flowers on the counter: Roses (of course)

Tunes on repeat: Classical

Currently watching: Something’s Gotta Give

Book dog-eared: Eat, Pray, Love

Farmer’s market finds: Raspberries & mint

Thanks for reading this month’s Ever Diaries!

This June, I’m picturing a summertime in Greece! Ocean waves, sunshine and walks through Santorini.

Avtío, Claire

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

Perhaps it was (likely) because I spent the first part of the month traveling, or perhaps it was how Memorial Day fell super-duper early this year, or perchance it was just one of those months that felt like it moved very quickly.

No matter the answer, this May brought with it a new found love for lots of new and old things.

Here’s this month’s joy and tell.

1. The Marlow Murder Club

I’m no stranger to cozy mysteries. I adore them no matter the time of the year. This love equally transfers to the silver screen with cozy mystery series and movies. There is just nothing quite like curling up to watch one!

This month’s cozy mystery I loved was The Marlow Murder Club on PBS/ Masterpiece. Set in the quaint town of Marlow in the UK, this series follows three women at different points in their lives while they work together—and find meaning—in helping to solve a murder in their little town.

The story is intriguing, the setting is spectacular, and I am now I’m excited to read the book series!

2. The Artist’s Way

Per a suggestion from my therapist, I started The Artist’s Way this month, which is a 12 week program to help you excavate your creative artist within. I’m only into the first week, but I cannot even begin to say how much I am enjoying this book/program thus far.

3. Lucy Worsley

May I please have a smidge of the coolness that is Lucy Worsley?

A Brit by birth and a historian by passion, Lucy delves deep into British history over on PBS/BBC. Her shows cover people and places and events from the likes of Jane Austen to the British perspective of the American Revolution—which I highly suggest giving a watch for this year’s 250th birthday of the USA!

She’s also an author. I got her book, Jane Austen at Home, for Christmas last year, which I am excited to dive into this summertime as well.

4. Father Richard Rohr

I had a bad day this month. One where you just need to go to sleep and cross your fingers that some rest and a brand new day will bring forth some new goodness. I’m thankful to say it did. In the form of sunshine, a long walk with the birds singing, and listening to this podcast episode with Richard Rohr.

A Franciscan priest, Father Rohr joins Oprah’s Super Soul podcast to discuss all things living your truest self. Even though this episode is from 2015, it still rings true today… and isn’t that the greatest?

My favorite quote from the whole episode?

“God is a verb.”

5. For the Traveling Folks

If you know me, you’ll know my favorite thing to do is travel. To be able to go somewhere new, experience the sights, sounds and culture… there's truly nothing like it!

In preparing for an international trip this month, I realized there is something I greatly value when it comes to packing for trips…

Being as light as I can.

Wherever I can cut weight/ bulk, it is a gift when it comes to packing (and lugging your suitcase around.)

The trip I took this month was one occasion where I felt like I packed pretty darn well.

Here were some of the favorite things I did:

1. I bought washing machine detergent sheets. Like dryer sheets, but for the washing machine; they contain all the detergent you need. They are flat, weigh very little, and they allow me to not have to worry about carrying laundry detergent around (or buy some big bottle wherever I am) if I need to do a quick clothes wash.

2. I brought my Kindle. One of my favorite parts of my day is getting to settle down with a book. And knowing how bulky books can be and how much space and weight they carry with them, I made myself pack solely my Kindle for my entertainment reads this vacation, and it was so worth it.

3. I used a backpack purse for my personal item. I’ve been trying to figure out the solution for my carry-on and personal item for a few trips now. While I still am trying to nail down my ideal carry-on situation, I feel like I have figured out my personal item dilemma. I used to do a purse/tote. What I would find is it often made me have another thing on my shoulders to have to carry around and left my hands still somewhat limited in movement. When I am on a plane, I tend to use only a few things (especially on shorter flights): headphones, Kindle, and my phone. I also like to keep my camera in my personal item bag along with identification. Throw in some hand wipes, a couple of stain remover wipes and that is pretty much all I want or need in my personal item bag. Making the commitment to switch to a smaller backpack purse was just what I needed and has lightened up my personal item in many ways, physically and mentally.

4. I brought a travel journal. This might not sound so revolutionary, but as a new-to-journaling girl, I was debating on how to handle my journaling practice while abroad. Do I just pack my regular journal—it’s flat, isn’t it? Or do I just supplement with my Notes app on my phone — I could make that work, couldn’t I? While cleaning out my travel stuff before leaving, I found some old travel journals which I knew would just be what I needed. I still got to experience the good old-fashioned pen to paper method, but they were small and thin enough to not add extra weight and squeezed into my personal item backpack mentioned above so I could journal on the trip over the ocean.

Now, this isn’t’ to say I have it all figured out. I still tend to bring one too many shoes, and I can certainly cut back on everything I feel like I need to have in my carry-on bag. But, it does feel like I’m reaching the point where I am starting to learn what works and what doesn’t for me while I jet to my next adventure. I hope it might help you, too, figure out what is best for you.

That wraps up Joy & Tell for May! See you soon, June!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

There’s just something about the month of May which casts a spell over me.

Like I was handed this love potion by the heavens and told to drink it.

And I fall head over heels in love with this month.

Its weather, its flowers, and its whole gist.

I simply adore it.

Here’s your Ever Diaries for May.

P.S. If you’re new here, every month I post an Ever Diaries where I joyfully celebrate the month ahead. I always love to include a place I’m dreaming of in the newsletter, so take a peek at the pictures and see if you can guess where it is this month. I’ll let you know in the sign-off!

Once Upon a May

May, unlike its predecessor April, has a much more straightforward name origin.

Back in the ancient Roman times, offerings were made to the goddess of fertility and growth, Maia, with hopes of her blessings upon the upcoming agricultural season. May was named after her.

During this time of year when we tend to plant seeds for our summer gardens and where the world quite literally feels like it is reborn outside our very windows, it's not hard to see why this month is named for Maia.

Source: https://www.history.com/articles/history-may-month

Worth a revisit this month:

May, in five words

A little snippet of words to describe this fifth month of the year.

1. Elegant: there’s this subtleness in May that knows it’s an elegant month.

2. Gentle: the breezes, the birdsongs, the moods

3. Feminine: dresses & sandals, sunsets & flowers

4. Tender: a wish for spring to linger on a little longer

5. Hopeful: for summer plans & longer days ahead.

Thanks for reading this month’s Ever Diaries!

This month, I can’t stop dreaming of the chateaux in the Loire Valley, Dordogne and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions in France!

À bientôt,
Claire

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.

The whole world is the most delightful of greens.

Emeralds and olivine (if you don’t know this one… it really sums up this budding spring green perfectly) are abundant in what seems like every corner of this little part of the world I’m in.

It really reminds you of how all that snow, all that cold, and all that winter… led us to this moment.

When you walk outside to the chorus of birds serenading, the leaves making their grandest of appearances, and that daylight which just simply stretches more with each passing day.

This time of the year—it’s a joy in the truest of definitions.

Here’s what I loved this month.

1. A Stanley Tucci Love

There’s simply something about this man that I adore. I don’t know if it’s swagger, his effortless chic style or the fact that he travels across Italy to eat food —yes, pretty please!— but anything this man does immediately catches my attention.

With Devil Wears Prada 2 coming out next month and his newest season of Tucci in Italy, I am in full awe that the month of May will bless us twice with this amazing gentleman.

2. These Shoes Were Made for Traveling

After being introduced to Rothy’s a few years ago by a cousin, I have been sold.

They really are a shoe that can last for the ages!

With a trip booked next month for some warmer weather, I recently got this pair of Rothys in jasmine and wren.

And they might have just become my new favorites!

3. An Ode to Analog

The youths (as my dad used to call them!) have been talking more and more about this idea of living a more analog life in 2026.

And I can say wholeheartedly, I’m not surprised Gen Z and Gen Alpha are feeling like technology is overrunning their lives.

I feel incredibly blessed to be a later millennial where my childhood and early teen years were not so social media and technology based. Even when I got my first phone at 13, it didn’t have access to the internet. Social media consisted of Facebook (and then later on Instagram and Snapchat). Twitter was vaguely there in the background.

I feel sadness for the lost childhood memories of many young people, the time spent looking at a screen instead of being out in the world, exploring and discovering. For the teens who are glued to their phones and feel that insurmountable pressure to be “perfect” for social media.

It's a lot to deal with for any person, let alone the younger generations for whom this is all they know.

I’ll get off my pedestal now, but I’ll leave with this… Pinterests newest ad is wonderful at showing this idea of how we can have technology and live a more screen-free life at the same time. Plus, it makes you feel appreciative if you got to experience the magic of a non-social media world.

4. Aging Vibrantly

Stumbled upon this advert by Patagonia about being “too old not to.”

Really going to adopt this as my new affirmation, I’m too old not to do it!

5. She’s Got That Style

Ask my mother, and she will tell you, I spent the vast majority of my high school days in sweatshirts. Leggings were not a huge thing yet or I know they would have been part of my daily wardrobe choice, too.

With school starting at 7:40am, I never had the desire to really dress up. This has continued with me towards adulthood… I sure do love a comfy outfit!

These past few months, I have found myself breaking out and discovering a love for style. I still do love a day spent in my leggings and a t-shirt, but it has been so fun to start putting together outfits and really start narrowing down what my own style is.

I’ve been pinning it all to this Pinterest board if you’re wanting some inspiration as well!

There’s Joy & Tell for April. I’d love to know, what brought you joy this month?

Share Ever Joyfilled

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS. These posts/resources are also not a substitute for medical/professional advice. Please seek professional help if you feel you or someone you know needs it.