Reading and writing over the colder months

books from my shelf, a rejection with a silver lining, some recommendations

The cooler months have arrived here and during this most full chapter of life I’m choosing to spend as much time as possible sitting in my favourite armchair with a blanket and either knitting or a book in my lap. This doesn’t equate to as much time as I would wish for, but it is enough for now - it has to be. A quieter period at work and a short break between librarianship subjects has coincided with the arrival of my favourite seasons: cold, crisp, and misty. My partner and I have been spending time in our (I’m going to say ‘rambling’ instead of ‘messy’) rambling garden planting indigenous grasses, correa and lavender (lavender, because it is one of my special loves), and since handing in my last assessment task I’ve had some time to stock up our freezer with bolognese sauce, butter chicken and soup. I’ve also been baking foccacia and flat breads to serve with… everything.

One of the reading goals I set this year was to read five books that I already own. So far, four of the 19 books I have read have met this criteria:

1. Dusk by Robbie Arnott

2. All Fours by Miranda July

3. The Desert Knows Her Name by Lia Hills, and

4. At the Pond: Swimming at the Hampstead Ladies’ Pond by Ava Wong Davies (Ed.).

I’m currently reading a(nother) library book, but the next pick from my shelves is likely to be either Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane or Always Home, Always Homesick by Hannah Kent. Sometimes I feel like the season impacts the way I feel and understand each book, with the book often taking on a shadow or memory of the season in which I read it. I can’t think of All Fours without thinking of the summer (and many, um, other things… maybe not the best example). Nevertheless, the seasons certainly guide the choices I make with my reading. The books I read over winter feel more contemplative and quiet somehow, than those I might encounter over summer. Maybe I have more time over winter to allow ideas to percolate. I’m not sure.

I’ve still got so many books on my shelves that I would love to read and I think part of this goal is going to have to be working on my library holds addiction - I mean, as far as addictions go, putting books on hold can’t be the worst of them. But I do think I could never visit the library again and still have enough to read for at least another two years. What I mean to say is, I’m making a public commitment to increase my goal from five to reading 10 books from my shelves. Or at the very least, eight…

Are you joining me on this challenge? What books have you read this year from your own shelf?

The bush photos you see this fortnight are from a short family walk last weekend at Gawa Reserve, we saw so many birds.

I’m becoming much better at compartmentalising the little pauses between librarianship subjects by consciously flipping into personal writing and making while I have the space. I’m currently working on a piece about hiking with kids that will be published in a few months time, which I can’t wait to share with you.

In other writerly news I received a rejection from a literary magazine I admire this week, but there was a silver lining: the editor took the time to let me know my essay had made her shortlist, and she offered some feedback as to how I could improve it, mentioning she’d be happy to see it submitted again. As far as rejections go, I’d consider this a good one. And so back into the world of the Bogong moth I go, quite happily. (And a shoutout to

Chelsea Steinauer-Scudder

whose class ‘Writing Creatures’ earlier this year helped me build and shape the essay I submitted.)

If you took the time to let your curiosity take you anywhere, where would you go?

Drafts and scribbles from earlier this year when I was immersed in this topic.

Other things…

• I listened to this album by Laura Marling while I was giving birth to my first daughter, and just discovered this song on her recent album Patterns in Repeat. Tears pricked at my eyes as I hung out the washing and listened to it.

• My family volunteered at our local Friends group today, and planted almost 50 plants to support the habitat of a local endangered butterfly. If you’re in Australia and would like to find a Friends group close to you, visit your local council website.

• On my walk this afternoon I started listening to this episode about seaweed on Alie Ward’s Ologies podcast. There are so many interesting topics and the episodes are always engaging and funny.

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Things I’ve loved around Substack recently:

• Burning the library by

  Alia Parker
  . Alia’s comparison of the Library of Alexandria to the petroglyphs of Murujuga was so insightful, a must read. (This ABC News Daily episode is a great companion to this piece too.)

• #6: I Needed a Breakdown Matcha by

  Madeleine Gerber
  because I find the intricacies of other people’s daily lives endlessly fascinating.

• Mid-Year Book Check-In: 10 Questions To Ask Yourself! by

  Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC
  as it’s always a good idea to think about books.

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I’ve shared this before, but it was a special moment.

This coming fortnight we will move through the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. I hope that wherever this note finds you, you’re warm and content.

And that’s quite enough for now.

Until next time, travel light.