Lilac season as a portal

spring, June, and the weekly cadence of this newsletter

Jun 01, 2023

As I sit to write, sipping my jar of water and watching my partner’s cat birdwatch, I ignore my “day job” and listen to the chirping birds of 5 pm.

Spring brings with it an exuberance that nourishes me (more on exuberance another time). The overgrowth of the grass, the bugs returning to daily habit, Nigel (said cat) begging to go outside. The last two summers I spent living in community in upstate NY. It was a heart-expanding, crunchy, beautiful, wild, creative two summers where I filled my cup tenfold.

And, I felt how untrue it was to return this year. I’m feeling the pull for a summer at home — to see the flowers bloom and burst, to care for the house and lawn regularly, to be up close to the quiet mundane of this suburb, to go to the beach.

I’m grateful to have spaciousness and ease this summer, to find a new rhythm that feels true. Mostly, I’m happy to just BE.

Speaking of rhythm…

Let’s talk about the cadence of this newsletter / love letter / portal of delights / secret garden.

Each week, I’m devoted to sending 1 free Tuesday newsletter. Every other Friday, I’ll also send a 2nd newsletter. To start, both newsletters will be free. At some point, my Friday letter will be for paid subscribers only.

My free weekly offering will include my general musings on what’s alive for me. My paid offering will include what’s alive for me AND two extra sections:

IN THE PORTAL
EARTH SPELLS

There are a few people in my life who regularly ask me to make a spreadsheet of classes I’ve taken, podcasts I’m listening to, books I’m reading — any helpful resources circulating my ecosystem.

I thought it would be valuable to include a section of this newsletter called IN THE PORTAL, where I can list all the things I’ve been holding in my sacred attention.

Here’s what’s been circulating in my portal ecosystem this week ~~~

🌀 Releasing this newsletter! Wow, what a whirlwind

〰️ The Common Shapes podcast by Marlee Grace, which has an episode around newsletters that helped me in my process of releasing this newsletter into the ether

🏳️‍🌈 The Sapphics in the City candle by The New Savant, which is not usually the type of scent I go for, but I couldn’t resist the name 🏳️‍⚧️

💠 Devotion by Arlo Parks

☁️ Thursday Girl by Mitski — a revisitation

🖇️ The Off the Grid podcast by Amelia Hruby, which has extremely helpful advice on all things business sans social media

🏀 The NBA Finals begin tonight!