Before we get into today’s newsletter I want to share a little update (that no one asked for, lol)! After surveying premium subscribers recently, there were some interesting (and helpful insights). A few things stood out. The overwhelming majority of you indicated a preference for receiving one newsletter a week. I get it, everyone’s inbox is overflowing! Also, the entire goal of this newsletter is to help you spend more time offline. Which leads me to the next point, the majority of you were interested in reading more about living offline and spending your time more mindfully. Music to my ears!

So, I’ve decided to be a little more flexible with my newsletter cadence. Instead of Click. Read. Love. every Sunday, some weeks you might receive something different, like this one, instead. There may be weeks when you get two newsletters from me, but I hope you’ll find that whatever I’m sending, it’s worth the precious time you spend reading it. As always, thank you so much for being here.

I’m writing this newsletter sitting by the fire, rain pouring down on our metal roof hard and loud. The remaining patches of snow are shrinking to tiny clusters. The sun is setting at 7pm! The birds and the bears are waking up. It is officially spring. No, I’m not completely delusional. It’s highly like we’ll get another snowstorm in the next few weeks, but with Spring Equinox I always feel a change.

Animals awakening from their winter slumber, increasing light, bulbs popping up from the ground, the shift in the natural world invites us to participate in our own transformation. We can look to nature as our guide and teacher.

I find that Spring always brings a mental and physical lightening. I can feel myself unwinding, opening up like a spring tulip on a sunny day. And with that comes creative energy and inspiration. Even though the signs of spring in Vermont are sparse right now, I can feel it coming. So today I’m bringing you all things spring. Think recipes, activities, playlists, books, and even a little style inspiration in the mix. I hope this newsletter helps you find joy and delight in the everyday this spring.

Getting in the Mood

Honestly I rarely use Pinterest anymore. It feels like one big ad, ugh. But occasionally I pop on to see if anything sparks inspiration or imagination. I decided to make an inspiration board for Spring Equinox to help me get in the mood, and it was actually a fun exercise. I even found some style inspiration based on what’s already in my wardrobe. Vermont spring has to be practical because the first half is mud season. Learned the hard way my first season here when I wore white converse to a brewery with a dirt parking lot. Rookie move.

If you don’t mind using Pinterest it can be fun to set the tone and give you some ideas for the season ahead.

Offline Activities for Spring

I love the creative energy of spring and have so many projects and activities I’m looking forward to this season. The possibilities are endless but here’s a few things to get your imagination going:

Pottery: We took a family clay class last weekend and it was, dare I say, fun. I think of myself as “not a pottery person” but I decided to make a berry bowl because the one we had broke, and things took off from there! It was a hand building class so I had to shape the bowl without a wheel. We’ll go back to glaze in a few weeks and I’m so eager to see how it turned out.

Watercolors: I found the image of spring themed watercolor bookmarks on Pinterest and I can’t wait to make some of our own. Such a fun and easy craft that you can’t mess up.

If you’d like to access the rest of this newsletter, upgrade to a paid subscription. I offer sliding scale subscriptions, which means you pay what you can afford. This newsletter never has ads or affiliate links. Paid subscriptions are the only way I monetize this newsletter.

Subscribe to read more

Become a paying subscriber of A Common Thread to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.

Upgrade

A subscription gets you:

  • Access to weekly series Click. Read. Love.
  • Access to weekly series Offline, On Purpose
  • Access to the monthly Book Thread
  • Access to all other published essays

Reply

Avatar

or to participate

Avatar

Julie Moser8 months ago

You have included so many of my favorite topics in this post! Thank you, Jess!!

Avatar

Jess KirbyAuthor8 months ago

Thanks for reading!

Avatar

Brittany Viklund7 months ago

So much DELIGHT! Happy spring, Jess!! Let's try to enjoy some lavender lattes together soon.

Avatar

Jess KirbyAuthor7 months ago

Yes please! I’ve been thinking of making a Burlington day trip for some thrifting and a stop at Trader Joe’s. Maybe when I get back after spring break!

Avatar

Jennifer8 months ago

I adore this time of year. I enjoy many things about spring (snow-free trails, tuning up my road bike, more daylight, shifting seasonal cooking, etc) but planning my vegetable garden and prepping my fruit trees and shrubs are top of my list! I have seeds started under grow lights in my basement, I've started prepping my raised beds and will soon do the same to my in-ground garden. Fruit trees and shrubs have been pruned and perennials edibles such as chives and sorrel are popping up and reminding me I should split them and share with friends. Being outside and "touching earth" without 3 layers of clothing is good for all of us, regardless of whether that means gardening/yardwork/hiking/walking or just soaking in some chilly sunshine. Cheers to a new season, looking forward to warmer weather activities and spending some time each day disconnected from the horrors that abound in our news.

Avatar

Jess KirbyAuthor8 months ago

Yes to all of this Jennifer!