Monday, January 12, 2026

early morning table: writing and reading

my morning table


I have had a pretty rocky start to the new year, but it's just forced me to do more internal reflection. 

My daughter gave me some Mary Oliver poetry books for Christmas and I've really been enjoying starting my day with the poem. I have some literary goals for 2026 and by the end of the week I'll make a post about them. 

I've been so utterly exhausted that I've only been taking time to calm down my central nervous system, and read when I can. 

I started this year off with about seven current reads… I'm learning every year just how valuable I find this way of engaging with my books. If you've been here for a while, you know that I don't chart my reading, and any digital way. I'm never aware of how many books I've read in a month, or season, or a year. 

What's funny about that is I really enjoy watching people wrap up their books! Maybe I'll change and go back to counting some in the future, but for now, it feels really easy to just have as many books as I won't going at a time. 

I let the novels tell me what demands my attention. If my heart feels pull to a certain story, I'll stay with it for a while. 

Although I haven't been able to get much sleep, my morning, start very much like the photo above. The kitchen table with steaming, hot light, roast, coffee, my journals and agendas, and my common place notebook, a few e-readers… And a stack of books (not pictured).

I'm off to have a pretty intensive day of academic work, caregiving, cleaning, cooking and reading… I hope and pray that your new year is off to a great start and that you're able to find what touches your soul in the books that you read this year. 

If this next sentence resonates with you, I challenge you to accept it… Ignore everything you see on the Internet, including me. 

Read whatever calls see you.  

Happy frosty January reading, ☕️ 
 

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Classics reader. Deep thinker. Proust Admirer. Re-reading expert. I believe that a small TBR is the way to go.My number one reading truism: If it isn't worth reading twice, it isn't worth reading once.