6) Meanwhile, I'm enjoying

Tiny bike gangs, playing cards, and all things Betsy-Tacy

Last week, my thirteen-year-old daughter and I flew to Mankato, Minnesota, the town immortalized as Deep Valley in Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books (if you haven’t read them, you must! Post haste!). The historical society in Mankato has done much to preserve many of the sites mentioned in the series, so we got to tour both Betsy and Tacy’s houses, take a seat on the bench on the little hill, visit the building that was the library in Betsy’s day, and walk Lovelace’s old neighborhood, pointing out Tib’s house, and Winona’s, and Carney’s.

This trip was the fruit of a family tradition, wherein I take each of our daughters somewhere they want to go the year of their thirteenth birthday.¹ Airline tickets for a family of six are, shall we say, somewhat prohibitive—but for two at a time every few years? That’s manageable! And in a biggish family of all girls, I’ve found it essential to pluck just one daughter out of the house every now and then and really spend time with her.

So, the two of us explored all the delightful Betsy-Tacy history of Mankato, yes, but my favorite part was the time spent just with this daughter—listening to her music together at our bed and breakfast, playing cards in a corner restaurant booth, and talking and talking and talking. These one-on-one moments are treasures, and I feel rich having just gathered so many of them. It was sweet to spend that time with her—and it is so good to be back home now.

Here are a few other good things I’ve been enjoying this month²:

1. Placemaker, by Christie Purifoy — While reading this book, I had that pleasant feeling of recognition, as though I was listening to the author describe things she loves deeply and thinking, “You too?” Placemaker is a gorgeous book about how we can glorify God through the places we make, yet the subject of homemaking is just one facet of what she means by “placemaking.” Purifoy examines the trees of different places she’s called home and allows her thoughts to branch outward from them, weaving in history and personal narrative to give these reflections the depth that comes from multiple layers. This is a book I’ll revisit in the years ahead, for sure.

2. Compelled podcast — I’ve been listening to this podcast for years, and I just love it: every episode features the story of God’s transforming work in someone’s life. Some of these are dramatic “I was a criminal on death row” stories, but a lot of them are quiet recountings of how God works through the ordinary things of life to redeem marriages, lead people into ministry, or shepherd families through the darkest valleys. Sometimes, sure, the tone of the show might veer a little toward the cheesy side, but I’m here for it: listening to story after story of the Lord’s goodness and power bolsters my faith and helps me to “remember the deeds of the Lord” when my own soul needs reminding.

3. King’s Wild Project playing cards — . . . are simply the coolest. We love our Lord of the Rings cards—they’re gorgeous and so soft and have withstood many a round of cribbage³ already!

4. Eucatastrophe Coffee & Used Books — I realize that this one is only available to local readers (so sorry!), but it’s been one of the best parts of our summer so far. This secondhand bookshop lives in a town thirty minutes from our own, one a regular commitment has brought us to frequently this summer, and so we’ve spent several sunny afternoons at Eucatastrophe, savoring secondhand books, Italian sodas, and sourdough toast. So lovely.

5. Riding bikes — After a full decade of balance bikes and unicorn helmets, we are finally at a stage where we can all ride our bikes like tall, alert people who generally make good choices on two wheels. We’ve loved riding our neighborhood streets and trails together this summer, like a tiny bike gang. Dreams do come true!

Also! Intersect Arts Center in St. Louis graciously featured one of my essays in the catalog for their current art show, “Evidence of Joy.” I’ve loved learning more about their mission and am so grateful for the chance to be a part of their work! You can find the catalog for that show right here. The art in it—egads! Just beautiful.

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Lately, I’ve been reading:

• The Chronicles of Prydain, by Lloyd Alexander

• The Year of Jubilee, by Cindy Morgan

• Life Together, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (reread)

• The Quotidian Mysteries, by Kathleen Norris (reread)

• Gentian Hill, by Elizabeth Goudge

• Writing Picture Books, by Ann Whitford Paul (reread)

• Tell it Slant, by Brenda Miller & Suzanne Paola (reread)

• Strong and Courageous, by Miriam Huffman Rockness (read-aloud)

• The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge (read-aloud, reread)

• The Secret of the Swamp King, by Jonathan Rogers (read-aloud, reread)

• North! Or Be Eaten, by Andrew Peterson (read-aloud, reread)

How about you? What have you been enjoying lately?

1. Lest you worry that my husband feels left out, our plan is that he’ll take each daughter on an adventure when she turns eighteen! And we do still go on trips all together—we just tend to keep those excursions closer to home.

2. One quick note on links: Because I want you to be able to find and enjoy the material things mentioned on these lists, I do include links—some of which may be affiliate links to Bookshop or Amazon. But nothing mentioned on these lists will be endorsed or promoted by the maker or any of that nonsense. All enthusiasm in these posts is purely voluntary.

3. Or golf, or Nertz, or war, or solitaire, or . . .