I've been listening to the She Explores podcast on and off for the past few months. Ever since B and I had started planning our (now cancelled) Colorado vacation, I took inspiration from listening to other womens' stories about nature, the environment, gardening, the outdoor industry, and more. This movement started on Instagram and they also have a book, which I linked through Amazon below but  if you can support your local book sellers, please do!

Website | IG | Book 

I found this YouTube channel a month or so ago and have been watching it quite a bit to get ideas for renovations and storage solutions for our camper. Tiny Home Tours goes inside peoples' removed school buses, RVs, sprinter vans, tiny homes, etc to see how people make these spaces functional and how tiny living works. I could never live in a tiny house (hello, where would I put all my books and Harry Potter stuff?!) but I'm fascinated by the vagabond, adventurer way of life that these people are living.

Facebook | IG 

I started reading this trilogy last week and devoured the first book, The Lost Castle, in one day. After posting about it on Instagram, the author messaged me and said she wanted to send me signed copies of the trilogy. I was so touched by her thoughtfulness and I can't express how much I appreciate all the kindness that has been shown to healthcare workers (and all essential workers) during this time. I can't wait to dive into Castle on the Rise and continue the story!

From Goodreads, the synopsis of The Lost Castle:

A thirteenth century castle, Chateau de Doux Reves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France's picturesque Loire Valley. It survived a sacking in the French Revolution, was brought back to life and fashioned into a storybook chateau in the Gilded Age, and was eventually felled and deserted after a disastrous fire in the 1930s.

As Ellie Carver sits by her grandmother's bedside, she hears stories of a castle . . . of lost love and a hidden chapel that played host to a secret fight in the World War II French resistance. But her grandmother is quickly slipping into the locked-down world of Alzheimer's, and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family's history.

Sparked by the discovery of a long forgotten family heirloom, Ellie embarks on a journey to French wine country to uncover the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty--the castle so named for Charles Perrault's beloved fairy tale--and unearth its secrets before they're finally silenced by time.

Set in three different time periods--the French Revolution, World War II, and present day--The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged, and an enchanted castle that inspired the epic fairy tales time left behind.

One of the challenges of the Safer at Home orders that are going on a cross the country is that I rarely have any interaction with people outside of my workplace or my household. Yes I make phone calls and text quite a bit, but I miss coffee shop dates with my friends! A group of us who live in Wisconsin who are also on the Oiselle Volee team have been Zoom chatting once a week, usually on Sunday mornings. One of the leaders of our Wisconsin group, Sheila, sets up a theme each week with coordinating questions (for instance, last week was favorite race medal and why) and then we talk about the Pit and the Peak of our previous week. Having support from these ladies has been a lifeline for me and I look forward to it every Sunday!

Mug is from Trek Light Gear and they currently have a " Pay What You Can" promotion going on where you choose your discount! They have some great outdoor blankets, mugs, books, and hammocks so go check them out if you're in the market!

Supporting:

Artery Ink is a local print company that creates anatomical-themed clothing and artwork. They designed these two shirts with $5 of each purchase going towards a local initiative started by two Milwaukeeans called Feed The Frontline.