It’s a hot sunny Midsummer weekend here in the UK, and I hope plenty of you are out enjoying the sunshine!

My life is still made up of packing boxes, taking bags to take to the tip, handling furniture deliveries and sorting piles of books. The past few months have felt like a marathon for so many reasons, and I’m definitely flagging as we’re getting towards the finish line. I can’t wait for mid-July when Mum and I will be through the move and properly settled in our new home. We’re both craving a return to normalcy and our usual routines.

Still, the lovely summer weather is enough to raise anyone’s spirits, and I’ve been having fun watching the hares racing around the fields lately, kicking up their heels and enjoying the sunshine. We’re often out in the car very early in the morning - before 7am - so that we can beat the rush hour traffic as we head over to York with another car load. It’s a real pleasure on these drives to notice how much more wildlife is about, including the hares.

Catch up on the latest posts for my Seasons of Story private community:

• Read my article on my five favourite writers’ gardens.

• Watch another ‘behind-the-scenes’ video: an updated kitchen tour, showing the new bookcase and cabinets; my mum’s bedroom update and a look at the very first copy of The Cosy Commonplace Book.

I hope you enjoy the latest Seasonal Weekender post: keep scrolling down for 3 recommendations from the week; 2 seasonal quotes and 1 journal prompt.

THREE THINGS FROM THE WEEK

1/ The Book

I’ve been snatching moments in the week to finish The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett and have so enjoyed returning to this classic Maine novel. I can’t wait to discuss it with the Seasons of Story community next Sunday (28th June). If you’re looking for a charming read to enjoy over slow summer afternoons, then do give it a go; the book deserves to be much more widely known.

2/ The Recipe

It’s strawberry season, and these peanut butter and jam bars from Riverford sound a delicious way to make use of summer’s berry abundance. As June is my mum’s birthday month, I’d normally be planning a cake (or possibly a pavlova) for her birthday next weekend, but this year (apart from taking her out to lunch!) we’ve decided to put the celebrations on hold until later in the summer.

3/ The Face Mist

To combat the soaring temperatures and the hot, sweaty work involved in moving, I’ve been spraying this lovely face mist* at multiple times during the day. The Pixie Rose Glow mist is a hydrating facial spray with a beautiful blend of natural oils. It was sent as a press gift, and it couldn’t have arrived at a better time! I love the rosy scent and refreshing effect on my skin.

* affiliate link

TWO SEASONAL QUOTES

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Thank you very much for your well wishes following last week’s Seasonal Weekender. Mum is doing much better after her fall, which is wonderful. We’re still fully occupied by the move, so this is a brief note from me today.

Catch up on the latest posts for my Seasons of Story private community:

• Read the final installment of Mum’s Tom’s Midnight Garden guided slow read. The next slow read will be announced in August.

• Watch another ‘behind-the-scenes’ video of our move: installing the first bookcases in our living room and selecting fabrics for roman blinds and curtains.

I hope you enjoy the latest Seasonal Weekender post: keep scrolling down for 3 recommendations from the week; 2 seasonal quotes and 1 journal prompt.

THREE THINGS FROM THE WEEK

1/ The Kindle Deal

I love Letitia Clark’s Italian inspired cookbooks, and For the Love of Lemons is currently a great price as a limited time Kindle deal (£1.99). It’s got plenty of delicious ideas for summer dining.

2/ The Bookshop

At the start of the week, Mum and I popped into the newly opened branch of Toppings bookshop in York. The bookshop is enormous (it is the largest independent bookshop in the UK) and absolutely gorgeous. Many of you will remember my visits to Toppings in Bath, so you can imagine how over-the-moon I am that such a lovely branch has now opened in York.

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We have had some highs and lows this week. Last weekend was lovely, and I documented the start of it in this new YouTube vlog:

• First Glimpse of My New Home (Starting the Move In). Watch here.

In the video, I filmed a little kitchen tour and unboxed some beautiful peonies for my new home. Mum and I also shared some of what we got up to last weekend: getting our hair done (always a joy); buying cheese for a cheeseboard from a local favourite shop and enjoying a delicious meal in York as we looked out on the river.

Then on Tuesday, Mum had a nasty fall, bruising and scraping herself pretty badly and further jarring her back and hip (already painful from the whiplash). It was a bad shock for both of us, but fortunately she’s as plucky as ever and healing well. We’re both still suffering a lot from whiplash following our recent car accident. I didn’t listen to my body enough, and I really overdid it on Thursday, when a friend kindly helped drive bags of books over in her car. I loaded up her car as well as ours, lifting dozens of bags filled with books, unloaded everything the other end and wound up the day mowing the lawn at the new house. It was far too much, and I’ve been in a lot of pain since, to the point where I can’t sleep properly at night. I’m used to being the one who eases physical burdens for my Mum, and I’ve always been able to keep pushing myself, but I’m having to learn that right now, I just can’t do it all.

Happily, both mum and I have now started physiotherapy for the whiplash injuries, and although initially it’s making us feel worse before we can feel better, we know we’re on the right track. But I will say that dealing with a move when you’re struggling physically is not at all fun! I’m frustrated by not being on top form, but at least Mum and I have each other, and I know we’ll get through it - I just can’t wait to be on the other side! I also appreciate the friends who have offered to help, including those within the Seasons of Story community. Thank you! We also really appreciate your thoughts, prayers and kind messages ❤️

Speaking of community, make sure you’ve got these dates in your diary if you’re a part of SoS. In the post below, I’ve shared the dates for our book club discussions of The Country of The Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett and James by Percival Everett, as well as the date for our Summer Tea & Book Chat:

A very good piece of news from the week is that we have a new (old!) car. Hurrah! The rental is returned, and it’s such a relief to have our own car again. The very nice man at our local garage has been such a star; not only was he really kind over the accident, he made it his mission to find a good car we could afford, and we’re thrilled with the result.

I hope you enjoy the latest Seasonal Weekender post: keep scrolling down for 3 recommendations from the week; 2 seasonal quotes and 1 journal prompt.

THREE THINGS FROM THE WEEK

1/ The Book

During one of my recent sleepless nights, I read Two Gentlemen and Lady by Alexander Woollcott (originally published in 1928), which I’d spotted and purchased on a whim in Waterstones. The book contains three short stories about three different dogs, all charmingly illustrated, and was just the kind of light-hearted read I needed.

2/ Nice Biscuits

I’m in no mood to bake at the moment, but we still like to be able to offer something sweet alongside a cup of tea if a friend is over at our new place. These Chocolate & Orange biscuits from Betty’s are just the thing!

3/ The Linen Dress

I really love this linen dress* by Seasalt. In fact, I like it so much, I bought it in all three colours: pink, green and blue! It’s so easy-to-wear and just the kind of dress I want to reach for all through summer. At the moment, Seasalt has an offer on where you get £15 off when you spend £75+. You can split purchases up, so you can get the discount each time you spend £75 (that’s what I did!).

*affiliate link

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Happy end of the month! A quick note from me today, before Mum and I load up the car for another trip to the new house. We’ve had heatwave temperatures in the UK this week, although I’ve barely noticed the weather as life is entirely preoccupied with packing and unpacking. Still, the sunshine has been nice, and the first of my roses has started blooming in its pot - a lovely sight.

This week on Seasons of Story, I shared another video update about my new home here. You can watch the paint saga we went through and the colour I finally ended up choosing.

I hope you enjoy the latest Seasonal Weekender post: keep scrolling down for 3 recommendations from the week; 2 seasonal quotes and 1 journal prompt.

THREE THINGS FROM THE WEEK

1/ The Audiobook

One thing that’s been such a joy this week is listening to Stephen Fry reading the Blandings Castle books by P. G. Wodehouse in this collection. I was feeling really overwhelmed before bed one evening and decided to listen to some PGW (always a good cure for a bad day). As you know, I’m a stalwart Jonathan Cecil fan when it comes to Wodehouse audiobooks, but Stephen Fry (predictably) also does a fabulous job. Highly recommend!

2/ The Prints

Sadly, my new home doesn’t have enough wall-space for the Emily Sutton alphabet prints I’ve collected over the years, so I’m selling them through Tennants Auctioneers (who are based in Yorkshire, but who sell internationally). I’m sure many of you will recognise these prints from my YouTube videos!

The prints I’m selling will be in the Modern & Contemporary Art auction on 13th June, available online and in person. My prints are listed in this catalogue (lots 534-542); all but T is for Tree is framed. Thought I would share here for anyone interested, as lots of people have asked me about these prints over the years.

3/ The Bookmarks

I printed out a set of the bookmarks I created as a gift for anyone who pre-orders my upcoming book, The Cosy Commonplace Book. I’m very pleased with them! I made these bookmarks to match the six sections in the book: Celebrating Cosy Season, Nature’s Tonic, No Place Like Home, Simple Pleasures, Wise Words for a Happy Life and Love & Friendship.

Information on where to order The Cosy Commonplace Book and how to get the free printable gifts for those who pre-order is here.

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It’s not been an easy week, as I shared here. Mum and I were in a car accident at the start of the week, and although fortunately no one was hurt, our car was totaled and we are both very sore from whiplash.

Still, we’re doing our best to keep going, as unfortunately the packing won’t do itself! We’re not running on full steam yet though, so thank you for your patience as we get over the worst of the pain and deal with the added paperwork and having to get a new (or with our budget, ancient is more accurate) car. Mum will be catching up on her Tom’s Midnight Garden slow read posts as soon as possible.

In the meantime, make sure you’re caught up on all our posts about out new home:

• we first announced the move in this Mother & Daughter Book Chat

• I shared a kitchen tour in this video

• And a house tour + new flooring in this video from the start of this week.

I’ve just posted a newsy catch-up on YouTube, which you may watch here.

I hope you enjoy this week’s Seasonal Weekender post: keep scrolling down for 3 recommendations from the week; 2 seasonal quotes and 1 journal prompt.

THREE THINGS FROM THE WEEK

1/ The Book

I’m thrilled to announce that SIGNED copies of my second book, The Cosy Commonplace Book, may now be purchased from the fabulous Slightly Foxed, who ship to the USA. Pre-order here.

A limited number of signed copies are also available from Waterstones, but they won't ship 'The Cosy Commonplace Book' to the US, so if you're based in the States and would like a signed copy then please order from Slightly Foxed. I look forward to traveling down to London later in the summer to sign all copies!

2/ The Start of Peony Season

I adore peonies, which start blooming in May here in the UK. We’ve been buying bunches from M&S, and they cheer me up whenever I look at them.

3/ The Journal

It’s always a joy when the latest quarterly journal arrives from Slightly Foxed, and this week the new summer issue landed on the doormat. I can’t wait to sit outside in the sunshine and read through it this evening. I’m especially looking forward to Daisy Hay’s article about Evelina by Fanny Burney.

TWO SEASONAL QUOTES

1/

As I work among my flowers, I find myself talking to them, reasoning and remonstrating with them, and adoring them as if they were human beings.

— Celia Thaxter

2/

Standing in the evening sunlight, gazing across the pile of junk, the nettles, the rusting hovels and the scratching, dusty hens, Pop sighed loudly and with such content that the sound seemed to travel with perfect definition across the surrounding fields of buttercups and may, gathering its echo at last from the mingled sounds of the remaining geese, the voices of cuckoos calling as they flew across the meadows and the small, passionate, invisible nightingales.

‘Perfick,’ Pop said, ‘You couldn’t wish for nothing more perfick nowhere.’

— H.E. Bates, from The Darling Buds of May

A JOURNAL PROMPT

Write down three-five things that you do well, that are natural talents of yours. Then consider how much time you give to these talents. Is there a part of you that you’re not letting shine fully? Journal your thoughts on this.

Have a lovely week ahead everyone!

Please press the heart button below if you liked this post, as it helps others to discover Seasons of Story. Thank you ❤️

THE COSY COMMONPLACE BOOK:

Instead of my usual Seasonal Weekender post today, I’m delighted to be able to announce my second book, The Cosy Commonplace Book, which will be published by Batsford on 3rd September (UK) / 8th September (USA).

A warm and welcoming literary anthology that celebrates life’s comforts and joys, both big and small, The Cosy Commonplace Book is divided into six sections: Celebrating Cosy Season; Nature’s Tonic; No Place Like Home; Simple Pleasures; Wise Words for a Happy Life and Love & Friendship.

I’ve poured everything I love into this book, and it’s packed with cosy quotes and poems, tv and film recommendations, recipes, book and tea pairings and much more. Some of my favourite features are my ideas on ‘How to Live Like a Jane Austen Heroine;’ Maya Angelou’s Bread Pudding Recipe; my ‘Rules for a Happy Life’ and themed book lists like ‘Books to Share with Kindred Spirits’ and ‘Comfort Books for Rainy Weekends.’

Each chapter features a beautiful illustration by artist Debbie Powell, with more illustrations and pretty borders used throughout the book. It’s a lovely companion to The Country Commonplace Book, and I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!

Keep scrolling down for information on pre-orders and signed copies…

PRE-ORDER LINKS:

The Cosy Commonplace Book is internationally available to pre-order from all major booksellers. You may also order the book from your local bookshop or request it from your library.

***Pre-orders are SO important for helping a book to have the best start in the world. As a token of appreciation for those who pre-order, I have created some free resources: a list of my 55 Favourite Cosy Reads and some printable bookmarks designed to match the beautiful pages of The Cosy Commonplace Book***

UK LINKS:

• A limited number of SIGNED books available from Waterstones. Pre-order here.

• Amazon UK

• Blackwells

• Bookshop.org

• Hatchards

• Foyles

USA / WORLDWIDE LINKS:

The US edition of the book will have the American spelling of ‘Cozy’ on the book’s cover.

• A limited number of SIGNED editions are available from Slightly Foxed, who ship to the USA, as well as within the UK and internationally. CLICK HERE to pre-order. Books ordered from Slightly Foxed will be the UK edition with the spelling ‘Cosy’ on the title.

• Alibris

• Amazon USA

• Amazon CA

• Amazon AU

• Barnes and Noble

• Books-a-Million

• IndieBound

• Powells

You can also search for The Cosy Commonplace Book from wherever you usually buy books.

If you pre-order The Cosy Commonplace Book, don’t forget to get these free gifts.

For anyone who pre-orders 3 or more copies of The Cosy Commonplace Book (I know I’m biased, but it would make the best gift for Christmas and the cosy months of autumn & winter!), I would love to send you a personal, handwritten thank you card.

Simply email info@mirandasnotebook.com with your name and address, and I’ll pop a card in the post as soon as possible.

Thank you, as always, for your support of my work. It truly means the world to me 💜

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First of all, I know it is Mother’s Day weekend in the US and Canada, so a very happy Mother’s Day to all celebrating today!

At the moment I don’t know whether I’m on my head or my heels; it’s been such a busy and exciting week in my life, as members of my private Seasons of Story community will know. As usual though, I’ve managed to find moments of calm in nature and from my reading, even if I’ve only been able to read a few pages at night just before going to sleep. I love seeing the cow parsley frothing along country lanes at this time of year, often mingling with hawthorn blossom.

Here’s a round-up of content from this week:

• My mum, Donna, shared Part 2 of her guided slow read of Tom’s Midnight Garden, covering chapters 8-14, and giving such thoughtful commentary.

• We shared a new Mother & Daughter Book Chat, in which I announced some very exciting personal news, as well as some bookish news. Change is afoot! I’ll be sharing updates in this private community, and will announce the news publicly at some later date.

• There’s no new YouTube video this week, owing to all that is happening behind the scenes at the moment. I’ll be filming as and when I can over the next few weeks.

I hope you enjoy this week’s Seasonal Weekender post: keep scrolling down for 3 recommendations from the week; 2 seasonal quotes and 1 journal prompt.

THREE THINGS FROM THE WEEK

1/ The Book

A book on my pre-order list right now is The Original by Priya Parmar.

I interviewed Priya many years ago when her novel, Vanessa and Her Sister (about the relationship between Vanessa Bell and Virginia Woolf), first came out. I’ve unearthed this interview (from July, 2015), and you can read it on my blog here.

During our conversation, Priya told me that she was working on her next novel, which would be about Katharine Hepburn. I’ve been waiting for its release ever since, and I’m so glad it’s finally here! I can’t wait to learn more about Katharine Hepburn, an actress I’ve always admired, and Priya is a brilliant writer, so I’m sure she’ll do her subject justice.

The Original has already been released in the USA and is available to pre-order in the UK (it’s published on 18th June).

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The glorious weather continued this week, especially on Friday which was remarkably hot. Today, we’re experiencing more typical weather for a Bank Holiday weekend in the UK: steady rainfall. I’m not complaining, though, because we had so many days of sunshine, and it was wonderful to be able to sit outside and enjoy a glass of rose a couple evenings this week.

May is one of my very favourite months, and the start of this May seems lovelier than ever, as the warm weather has meant that trees and shrubs are flowering earlier. The horse chestnut ‘candles’ and the lilacs are putting on a spectacular show, and when we were in York yesterday, we saw masses of blooming wisteria.

Here’s a round-up of content from this week:

• My mum, Donna, shared Part 1 of her guided slow read of Tom’s Midnight Garden, covering chapters 1-7 of this beloved children’s classic by Philippa Pearce. It’s so fun to read the comments from everyone reading along with us!

• I shared a video on YouTube that highlighted 10 of the most treasured books from my shelves.

• I shared 10 more treasured books in an exclusive video for Seasons of Story members.

• Bonus: from the Seasons of Story archives, I recommend returning to this post, in which I read aloud the May Day chapter from Flora Thompson’s Lark Rise to Candleford.

I hope you enjoy this week’s Seasonal Weekender post: keep scrolling down for 3 recommendations from the week; 2 seasonal quotes and 1 journal prompt.

THREE THINGS FROM THE WEEK

1/ The Book

The latest book collaboration between Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane looks simply stunning.

Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, the author and illustrator duo behind spellbinding nature books including The Lost Words and The Lost Spells, return with another gorgeous book that celebrates the beauty of the natural world, but also its precarious future. From the Avocet to the Yellowhammer, The Book of Birds comprises 49 different species whose populations are currently declining or endangered in Britain. Each is brought to life through Macfarlane’s lyrical, playful writing, and Morris’ vivid illustrations in watercolours and gold. — publisher synopsis

The Book of Birds is published 7th May, and I’ve added it to my wish-list.

2/ The Tablecloth

This green and white gingham tablecloth is such a bargain. I bought one for the kitchen table a few weeks ago, and I’m really pleased with how nice it looks. The seersucker has a slightly rumpled quality, which means ironing isn’t necessary - another bonus for me!

3/ The Audiobook

I generally feel like rereading Sense & Sensibility in the springtime, and so my current audiobook on the go is the version read by Juliet Stevenson, which is my favourite.

TWO SEASONAL QUOTES

1/

The May garland was all that survived there of the old May Day festivities. The maypole and the May games and May dances in which whole parishes had joined had long been forgotten. Beyond giving flowers for the garland and pointing out how things should be done and telling how they had been done in their own young days, the older people took no part in the revels...While the garland was being dressed, an older girl, perhaps the May Queen herself, would be busy in a corner making the crown. — Flora Thompson, from Lark Rise to Candleford

2/

It is in fact only from beneath the oaks, catching their olive against a deep May sky, that you can see their real vividness. The same holds good for ashes and beeches. You must get under them, lie under them, and look up. The brilliant light comes down through the leaves that are still thin-skinned and delicate.... They seem to intensify, at the same time, the blue of the sky, to clarify and deepen it to faultless turquoise. It is a perfect combination. Moreover, the chance of it never comes again all summer. It is only in May that you can lie or stand or sit in a wood and see that intense lofty miracle of light and leaf, the off-setting of green by blue, of leaf by sky. In another month the sky will be shut out. There will be a sky of leaves in its place.

— H. E. Bates, from Through the Woods

A JOURNAL PROMPT

In your notebook, write down three highlights from April and three things you’d like to accomplish in May.

Have a lovely week ahead everyone!

Please press the heart button below if you liked this post, as it helps others to discover Seasons of Story. Thank you ❤️

Note: affiliate links used for Blackwells