April theme: Seeds

(Each month, I share a theme, offer an example of something that inspired me, and share prompts for you to explore. I share my own journal pages and the thoughts behind them.)

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It was April 20, 2020. Just five weeks earlier, COVID had shut down the world.

I was walking over the bridge to my neighborhood park – a morning ritual I had fallen into – when my phone rang. It was my brother’s girlfriend. We never spoke on the phone, so I knew immediately something was wrong.

My brother Todd passed away that morning.

While I had always expected he might leave this world before I did, it still felt sudden. He was only 52.

He started experimenting with drugs when he was 14. By 16, he was in his first rehab center. Back then, he would call the house right when I got home from school. He knew I was the only one there to answer. “I just wanted to hear the sound of your voice, brat.” He liked to tease me. But he was always sure to tell me he loved me before he hung up.

Todd was always into heavy metal, and I leaned more towards alternative. But somehow, Pink Floyd crossed that boundary. It was one of the few things we could agree on when it came to music.

The week he died, during lockdown, Miley Cyrus streamed a set from her backyard, sitting by a bonfire. She sang this song.

The moment the song began, I felt something shift. I got overwhelmed in a way I couldn’t quite explain. It felt like Todd had sent it to me.

I know that might sound strange. But he had only been gone for seven days. And out of all the songs she could have chosen – it was this one.

This morning, I woke up and didn’t think about any of it. Not right away. I made my coffee, sat down at my desk, and started going through emails. Then I opened Instagram – and the very first thing in my feed was this:

A member of Pink Floyd shows up in a bar to sing I Wish You Were Here with his daughter.

It’s been so long since I’ve listened to it.

For it to find me like that, first thing in the morning on April 20th, felt a bit meant for me. Like a paper airplane cast from somewhere I can’t quite see, landing at my feet.

You might call it a coincidence. I guess it depends on who you are – what you believe is possible, what needs proof.

But as I see it, we live on a planet orbiting a sun, where tiny creatures like bees make our existence possible. That alone feels either incredibly absurd or incredibly magical.

I tend to leave room for the magic.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. Please leave your Tiny Things below and spread delight to all of us who love to read them.

P.S.S. Have you ever received a “sign” from someone you have lost?

If I were able to experience someone else’s life for a day, what would I pick?

Maybe an astronaut. Being able to float weightless and look out over the universe in space would be the most magical thing I could imagine. Though, as a job, I’m not sure I have the patience for all that intricate science work.

Maybe a singer and songwriter? The way music can transform the way we feel in a moment and transport us is incredible.

Will I ever be an astronaut or a songwriter? No. I will not. It was never written in the stars for me. They were not dreams meant for me.

But sometimes we wholeheartedly think something is supposed to work out for us. And it does not.

I don’t always think it is easy to have clarity about these things. Sometimes we are taught from a young age what success means, and we don’t even give ourselves a chance to draw outside the lines.

For a long time, I thought I had failed. I had missed my chance. I chased my dreams, and it didn’t pan out. The money ran out, and I had to adult and pay the bills. That was my story. I just had to make the best of what I was doing in my career. It’s kind of sad when I type it out like that.

But the truth is, I had never “lost” anything. Other than my way. The road is always there. The things are always calling to you. But are you open to listening?

Our theme this month is Seeds. The seeds don’t die; they are dormant, waiting for the right conditions to ignite them again.

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It was the night of the Pink Moon. The clouds had moved in and turned 90-degree days into a cool 68. Very welcome indeed after our heat wave. But as the day dimmed, I realized clouds were obscuring our view - pinkish clouds.

My daughter suggested we go on a walk around the neighborhood. She has recently discovered my old Canon camera. I used to carry a camera around with me everywhere until the iPhone took over. My parents gifted me a Canon camera for my high school graduation. Then I bought a digital version over a decade later. I suppose the camera never lost its magic because she has been using it daily since.

As we looked around for intriguing subject matter, I noticed my snail tree up ahead. There is a huge oak tree that harbors loads of snails in its bark. They appear to be hibernating there year-round. Did you know snails can lie dormant for up to three years in extreme weather conditions? Did you also know snails leave sparkly trails behind them? 🥰

We expected to snap moody photos of snail shells embedded in bark. We did not expect this. Sometimes, when you stop to look a little closer, you discover some magical scenes.

There were dozens of snails slowly making their way across the grass. They nibbled the tips off tiny greens. Their little necks craned, and their mouths smashed bit by bit. Have you ever watched a snail eat? Mesmerizing. There were tiny baby snails, big fat grandpa snails, and unique little patterns on their shells. It was a snail lover’s dream.

I could hear people walking by, and I could feel them staring at us. But I was too delighted to care. They probably wondered if we had taken magic mushrooms. But no, no - just snail enthusiasts.

As we walked away, I saw a guy come out of his home, walk to the tree, kneel down, and shine his phone light. I watched him sit and study the scene, smiling to myself.

We walked back home, walked up the drive, and there it appeared. A big hole in the clouds, with bursts of light fighting to get through. Our Pink Moon showed up.

I can’t really say if it was the snails or the moonlight, but I felt like a kid at a slumber party. Like when you would stay over and sneak out at night. You were filled with giggles, and you didn’t wear a warm enough coat. But there was no way you were going back inside. Because you didn’t want the night to end. You didn’t want to go back inside and do anything routine. You just wanted to find more of that magic. The kind you catch when you least expect it.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. I also invite you to leave your Tiny Things below! Spread delight to all of us who love to read them.

Welcome to Looking for the Magic✨: A Nature Almanac

Spring is upon us. We watch bare ground sprout buds that seem to explode overnight. Nature surprises us daily. Each flower comes back as beautiful as ever. Even after the harshest of winters, those seeds survived. The dirt is ripe for whatever you choose to plant in it. There is nothing quite like planting a seed the size of a grain of rice and watching it burst through the dirt and become something beautiful - if only for a short time.

Lately, I’ve been looking closer at the flowers in my own neighborhood. I am always using my phone to discover their names and origins. While many are beautiful travelers from around the world, digging deeper into native plants has shifted my perspective on what it means to rewild our landscapes. We often feel powerless over the changing environment, but the truth is simpler: when we are mindful of what we plant, we create a nourishing pit stop for the magical creatures who share our world. Our gardens are where we reclaim our connection to the wild.

Things included this month:

• Planting for the Pollinators: Rewilding our gardens

• Magical Creature Catcher: A chart of pollinating beauties

• The Pink Moon: April 1 at 10:12pm EDT

• Creative Prompts: Spring Fever

Planting Native Plants

The days are getting longer and warmer. It’s time to welcome the baby birds and caterpillars.

Here in Southern California, it has felt like summer. All our winter rain ignited a superbloom. This is a rare desert botanical phenomenon where an exceptionally high number of wildflowers germinate and bloom simultaneously.

I drove out to the desert to see it. The meadows were alive with so many types of bees, moths, and butterflies. I came home itching to learn more about native plants and pollination.

The Lacy Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) is often called "Bee Food" for good reason. Its stamens reach out, offering high-protein purple pollen and deep wells of nectar. It doesn’t just sit there; it actively fuels the magical creatures of our landscape - from the tiny, solitary mining bees to the great, fuzzy bumblebees. Its violet, curled blooms offer a rich nectar. It’s consistently ranked among the top 20 honey-producing flowers in the world.

Now let’s compare that to the iconic Birds of Paradise – a common sight in Southern California. They are striking show-stoppers. However, it is native to South Africa and relies on specific sunbirds for pollination, offering little to no value for local bees.

Though I should mention: morning glory vines and geraniums are part of this neighborhood garden. They provide food sources for the pollinators. It shows how we can mix in plants that support our ecosystem while still enjoying some unique visitors.

Calling in the birds and caterpillars

A native oak tree in North America may support 500 species of caterpillars, whereas a non-native tree (like a Ginkgo Biloba) might only support five. Those caterpillars not only turn into beautiful pollinating butterflies, but birds feed them to their young. (Though I must admit those Ginkgo leaves are very magical.)

We all love to find a nest in our backyard trees. Birds like Goldfinch and Meadowlark heavily rely on a diversity of protein-rich small insects to feed their young. The pollen-rich plants provide a ground cover of nutrient-dense seeds. It is a daily buffet for our local feathered friends.

What should you plant?

When you visit a nursery, it’s worth asking: What plants here support our local pollinators? Are there any native plants I can sprinkle in my garden?

Sometimes we feel like the little things we do, won’t matter. But we can help our local ecosystems in surprisingly simple ways – just by what we choose to plant. I love looking out my window while I do the dishes and see the hummingbirds and butterflies drift by.

Here is a little helpful chart of some of my favorites that are creature candy! They are both colorful and help nature thrive…

☽✶ The full moon names featured each month are rooted in Native American, Colonial American, or European traditions. These names are used to describe the entire lunar month, not only the night when the moon appeared full. ☽✶

The Pink Moon arrives tonight, reaching its peak at 10:12 PM EDT. Though its name suggests a rosy hue in the sky, the title is actually a tribute to the wildflowers.

The Algonquin Tradition
The name originates with the Algonquin nation, whose ancestral lands span the Ottawa River watershed. They tracked the seasons by the blooming of Phlox subulata – the tiny, vibrant, moss-pink wildflowers that carpet the ground in early spring. For the Algonquin, this moon was a doorway to spring.

The Paschal Moon
Beyond the wildflower garden, this moon holds a central place in the Christian calendar. Known as the Paschal Full Moon, it is the first full moon to follow the Spring Equinox. By ancient tradition, Easter Sunday is set as the very first Sunday following this celestial event, tethering this holiday to the full moon.

The Astrological New Year
As the first full moon of the new astrological year, this marks a moment of transition. It is a cosmic invitation to shed the heavy layers of the past year that you no longer need to carry. It is time to begin again.

🌸 🌕 The Pink Moon Walking Meditation

The Moon’s Magic Hour
There is no better inspiration than a walk outside during spring. I find the moon the most majestic when I catch it in the early evening. The daylight is getting a smidge longer each day. You get the best view of a full moon just as it comes upon the horizon – you just need to know when to look. I use my Moon Tracker to determine what time it will appear over the mountains behind my home.

Getting Clear
This Pink Moon rises in Libra, the sign of the scales. It is a celestial invitation to seek harmony and evaluate the weight of our daily routines. If you feel your trajectory has drifted off-course, this is the moment to adjust your sails. Libra asks us: What needs balancing? Which relationships nourish you, and which feel like heavy stones?

Set Your Alarm For Moon Magic Hour
Maybe it is just me, but if I don’t set my alarm, I will inevitably forget to go outside. I’ve made these walking meditations a weekly ritual. It is just me and the moon. I suppose I began doing this because where I live has so many trees and things that obscure the moon. I also find moving outside in nature triggers deep thought and inspires new ideas.

The Walk
The first quarter of the year has already slipped away. Think back to January – to the intentions you wished into existence. Where are they now? Have they been tucked away in a drawer, or are they beginning to bloom? As you walk under the Pink Moon, ask yourself:

• What would I like to foster in the month ahead?

• What do I need to let go of?

• What surfaces when the world is quiet, and it’s just me and the moon?

Capture it
When you return home, capture the clarity before it fades. Write it down, or better yet, sketch it. Sometimes when a new insight strikes me, I’ll take a small piece of art paper, scribble a quote, and add a quick doodle to keep on my desk. It serves as a beacon for those days when life gets cloudy again. Or even a photo…

I took this photo a few days ago on one of my moon walks. Bougainvillea is so dreamy. It was not a full moon, but the thing is, the moon will meet you any night of the week.

✦ Go On A Wildflower Scavenger Hunt
Have you ever noticed all the wildflowers that grow on your hiking trails? Or maybe the open meadow on the side of the road? I snap photos and use the Google Lens app on my phone to look up what I find. It is rather intriguing to learn about what grows naturally around you. You will find the history of your place on the map told through wildflowers. How romantic is that?

✦ Introduce a New Flower to Your Garden
Look up a list of the best pollination plants for your region of the world. Bring a list of your top picks to your local nursery. After you plant it, be sure to observe it a little bit each day. Every time a little creature makes a pitstop, may you feel a spark of joy. You are helping support all those magical creatures.

✦ A Friend(s) Date
How often do you invite a friend or friends to meet you out for a few hours? I invite you to extend an invitation. Nothing nourishes the soul more than sitting and talking to someone who lights you up. And it is something we all tend to put off because we are busy.

✦ Plant A Seed (Or Two)
If you were to look ahead three months from now, what project would you love to see completed? We all have them. They sit there waiting for the “perfect” time. But that time does not exist. Take time to sit down and map out where you will carve out time to work on it in the next month.

Until Next Time✨,
Kim

P.S. If you enjoyed this, please give it a like. It helps others discover it as well. 🤗

Share Looking for the Magic ☽✨

I traveled to Palm Springs for Spring Break to watch my cousin get married. It was a surreal moment of symmetry; over thirty years ago, I took this same trip to see her mother get married. That original trip is the reason I ended up living in California. I fell in love with the Southern California weather, the heavy scent of jasmine in March, and the way the palm trees seemed to reach for the stars.

When I arrived at the wedding and found my seat, this was my namecard:

My cousin is a veterinarian, and she brought that passion into the celebration by placing photos of rescue dogs and her patients at every seat. Each guest was matched with a dog that reminded her of them. Of course, mine was a pug. We are a family of animal lovers – whether we are artists or healthcare professionals, we always find a place for our furry friends.

It’s incredible how time marks itself through the people we love. I found myself thinking of how young my cousin was when I got married, or how small my daughter was when we moved into our current home.

When I sat down at that pug placard, it immediately reminded me of a specific plate we have at home. It was a gift from a neighbor when my daughter was only three. Back then, we had a pug named Max. My daughter used to take him out onto the balcony daily to re-enact The Wizard of Oz – she was Dorothy, and he, of course, was Toto. Our neighbor, who shared the balcony, would delight in finding them there when she left for work.

That plate still makes it to our table almost every day. It’s well-loved – as you can see – it acquired a chip. At first, the crack saddened me. But then I remembered the morning it happened: the sound of my daughter accidentally dropping it while proudly making her own breakfast. Now, that chip just reminds me of the years of packing her school lunches and our morning walks to class.

They used to sell these plates at Anthropologie, and for a second, I considered replacing it with a "perfect" one. But then I thought of Wabi-sabi – the Japanese concept that imperfection is what gives an object its soul. It is an appreciation for the story that lives within the cracks.

When I sit down for a meal. This is my plate.

I found this plate at a thrift store. It made me happy. My daughter is a bit jealous of my plate. She eyeballs it. I tell her she is welcome to pick out her own plate. But we all know, she can’t quite give up the pug one.

You might notice a tiny pancake in the photo. My husband handles breakfast most mornings, and pancakes are the house favorite. He always saves the last bit of batter to make one miniature pancake at the very end – just because he knows how much I love tiny things.

So I ask you: What plate do you eat on? What are the stories hidden in your everyday objects?

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. I also invite you to leave your Tiny Things below! Spread delight to all of us who love to read them.

After college, I landed what everyone called a “dream job” at an award-winning design studio in San Diego. I showed up in my thrifted vintage outfits, ready to create, but the excitement evaporated almost instantly. They had me spending an entire month on a single logo. It was tedious, soul-crushing work. I spent my days watching the clock, waiting for permission to go home.

Then, I caught a horrible cold.

I remember sitting on my couch with my sketchbook, watching I Love Lucy reruns in the middle of a Tuesday. I had a sudden, sharp realization: I love this. There was something about those old shows that pulled at a childhood thread - I had always wanted to work in the movie industry, but I knew nothing about that world. Everyone was so proud of my “prestigious” job, but I was miserable in my little cubicle prison.

Later that spring, the owner offered us Friday off because a television show, Silk Stockings, had rented our studio to film. There was no way I was staying home. I showed up, talked to the crew, helped them rearrange the furniture, and ate from the craft services table. It was the most alive I’d felt in years.

I knew then: I had to move to Hollywood.

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Last Monday it was my birthday. I don’t usually make any grand plans. I permit myself to do whatever I want. I can neglect my schedule, set aside my paid work, and get lots of yummy food.

So when my husband told me he had a surprise, I was not sure what to expect. Maybe breakfast out somewhere new?

After he dropped my daughter off at school, we got in the car and drove. 90 minutes north to be exact. It was clear skies and 70 degrees.

Then we arrived.

I’d known about this place for years, having spent many seasons watching the live cams, waiting for the poppies to arrive. They’re fleeting, and the bloom usually brings a chaotic surge of weekend traffic to this rural stretch – a prospect that always kept me away. But on a Monday morning, the hills belonged to us. We had the trails and the vibrant hillsides almost entirely to ourselves.

I moved slowly along the trails, pausing to photograph the tapestry of wildflowers. As I knelt in the grass, a blur of wings brushed past me. At first, I was sure it was a tiny hummingbird – until it landed. It felt like a figment of my imagination come to life; there, right in front of me, was a creature I had spent hours drawing in meticulous detail, finally stepping out of my sketchbook and into the world.

There it was: a White-lined Sphinx moth. I’ve spent so much time with these creatures on paper, yet I have never seen them in the wild. I’d almost given up hope of a real-life encounter, so when it appeared, I couldn't believe my eyes. I spent several minutes in a frantic dance, trying to catch its speed with my camera lens, but it was too quick. Every shot was just a ghost of a wing next to a poppy. Finally, I tucked my camera away and just watched it get carried away with the wind - then I moved on.

We spent hours walking the hillsides and discovering wildflowers. My photos can’t quite capture the beauty of the subtle sage blue foliage against the olive green leaves. Or the soft lilac flowers against the burnt sienna brush. Even the color of the dirt was a rich swatch in the vast palette of this desert full of wildflower blooms. Some things can’t quite be caught in a photo - but I will always try.

My husband told me it looked like there were stars on my face.

We got back in the car, preparing for a long drive home. I opened my photos to see what I had captured. I was about to delete one that seemed a mistake - a shot of the dirt. Then I caught a glimpse of some pink and zoomed in. And there it was…

My moth. The white-lined sphinx. So clear. So beautiful. My magical creature.

Kind of felt like a present from the universe if I’m being honest.

Well, and this guy…

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. Please leave your Tiny Things below and spread delight to all of us who love to read them.

This week I turned 52. I was listening to an interview with the filmmaker Baz Luhrmann. They were talking his song Everybody is free (to wear sunscreen) and how it hit people back in the 90s.

I had to listen to it again. I kind of remembered it. But listening to the lyrics made me feel this profound feeling of sadness and joy.

How many years do we waste trying to live up to someone else’s version of happiness and what we think we should be? We spend so much time longing and hoping for a life that might never even be meant for us. When all along, we never see the one right in front of us. We have to open ourselves up to the possibilities, let ourselves be seen, and trust our instincts to carry us there.

It is never too late to begin.

Oh what a week: an eclipse, a full moon, and trips to the botanical gardens.

On Monday night, I set my alarm for 3:27am. But I naturally woke up earlier. I looked at my phone.

I went back to sleep. My alarm woke me up at 3:27. I put on my shoes, pulled on my coat, and took my phone in hand. I walked out into the night and pulled out my phone.

Have we ever talked about numbers? Let’s do that someday soo because numbers follow me. They are little messages from the universe.

So, it is 3:33am. I look up to see the eclipse clear in the sky.

And then… Woot-Woot. I’ve lived here for years and have only ever heard an owl once, but never seen one. Yet there, in the tree right in front of me, were two owls, calling back and forth in a midnight conversation. In that moment, watching the red moon and hearing the owls speak, it felt like time stopped, and I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

My teen daughter was unable to get out of bed to view the eclipse. She had a cold and was exhausted. But the next day, we went moon chasing together. This is where we get in the car and take random roads through the hills to find a break in the mountains to spot it as it appears on the horizon. We played some Pink Floyd and sat on the side of the road.

It looks like the biggest star in the sky. I suppose because it is. I always try to capture the moon, but can’t quite do it justice. It’s like I want to capture that beauty and feeling it gives me and carry it in my pocket. But I suppose that is the thing in life, the fleeting moments. We have to catch them while we can, because tomorrow they will be gone. Everything is temporary when you think about it. The world is in a constant state of motion. We have to decide what to pay attention to.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. Please leave your Tiny Things below and spread delight to all of us who love to read them.

P.S.S. I must share some of my favorite photos from the botanical gardens. Everything is blooming. We get spring a bit early here. But it will be coming to you in other parts of the country very soon! Get outside and catch it while you can.

Tonight at 3:33 am Pacific Time, a total lunar eclipse will turn the moon into a copper portal in the sky. There are a lot of shifts happening above us right now – a lunar eclipse, planets lining up, and the symbolic energy of the recent Year of the Fire Horse. These inform us of a pivot in the cosmos. Whether you see it through a scientific lens or a more poetic one, these cosmic events remind us that we are part of something so much larger than we understand. But all of these events together suggest a page is turning in our universe.

For much of human history, the sky served as guidance. Ancient cultures studied the moon, stars, and planetary movements as a living calendar that shaped daily life. Structures like Stonehenge were aligned with the sun and moon so communities could track seasons, plant crops, hold ceremonies, and navigate the world. With no light pollution, the night sky was incredibly vivid – thousands of stars visible at once – and people built stories and constellations to make sense of it all. The cosmos wasn’t separate from life; it was their map.

Today, many of us live under skies that glow more from streetlights than starlight. We rarely have cloud cover here in Los Angeles, but I can barely make out a constellation. It is easy to forget those rhythms in the sky when we can’t see them. Moments like this eclipse invite us to look up again – to remember the cycles that ancient people trusted and that our own bodies still follow. Maybe the shift we’re feeling isn’t the universe changing before our eyes, but us remembering how to pay attention again. To look inside ourselves. To feel our own rhythms again.

Our theme this month is Shifts in the Universe.

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Welcome to Looking for the Magic✨: A Nature Almanac

It is March – the month in which the cold begins to subside, and people begin to dream of spring. Where I live in Southern California, we have been oscillating between torrential rains and weather that feels like a summer day.

I find myself so fascinated by how other creatures are wired to survive in the wild. How their very DNA affords them what feels like supernatural abilities to thrive in dire elements. If we had to live in a cave for four months, we might stumble out a bit broken, if at all. But not the bears. The bears have magical powers. ✨

Things included this month:

• Creature Feature: The Bears

• The Blood Worm Moon: March 3rd (A must-see total lunar eclipse!)

• Creative Prompts: Plant seeds for spring

When I first found out that frogs freeze solid in the winter, then wake up in the spring, it sent me on a road of discovery. What other magical powers do animals have? It made me wonder about the bears. The whole hibernation thing is quite fascinating. Bears typically hibernate for 3 to 7 months, depending on species, age, and climate. This means no food, water, or bathroom breaks. How?

Here are the most wonder-filled facts about bears as they transition from the sleepy bears to the lumbering giants of the forest.

Their magical alchemy
Bears recycle their own waste. While humans would suffer from kidney failure within days if they didn’t go, bears can hold it for months. Their system breaks down urea into nitrogen and uses it to rebuild protein. They literally turn waste into muscle while they sleep. Might we turn this into a pill for humans?

Bears hold the secret to help treat osteoporosis in humans
A bear emerges in March with its bone density and muscle mass almost entirely intact. Bears have a unique biological signaling system that prevents bone reabsorption. Scientists are still trying to unlock this secret formula to help treat osteoporosis in humans.

Bears stumble around in walking hibernation
When a bear leaves the den in March, they walk around in a bit of a daze for two to three weeks. They have deemed it “walking hibernation.” They are super groggy as their metabolism slowly speeds back up. They wander around eating very little until their systems fully awaken.

Mother bears for the win
Mother bears are called sows, and they do not get the most restful sleep. They give birth in the dead of winter (usually January) while in a state of semi-consciousness. Newborns only weigh about 1 pound - smaller than a can of soda. The blind, hairless cubs rest in their mother’s fur and nurse on super-rich milk as she sleeps. They gain up to two pounds a week and emerge as furry little bear toddlers.

They may be asleep, but they are alert
During the deepest cold of winter, a bear’s heart rate can drop to as low as 8 to 19 beats per minute. A human heart beats 60 -100 times per minute at rest. Yet, if a predator approaches the den, they can spring into action. Bears have the amazing ability to rapidly increase their heart rate and defend themselves at a moment’s notice.

So there you have it, bears are magic. Have you ever watched a bear cam on YouTube? When they wake up, they go to the river to catch salmon. Sometimes you see a huge bear stroll in, and it is mesmerizing. It is a little early for those cams, but here is a link to a little video of past footage. Be aware. Sometimes you stumble into a rabbit hole of delight and lose an hour - but it is the good kind of scroll.

☽✶ The full moon names featured each month are rooted in a mix of Native American, Colonial American, and European traditions. In earlier times, these names described the entire lunar month, not only the night when the moon appeared full.☽✶

This Tuesday is a big deal. Not only is it a Full Moon, but a total lunar eclipse. When these happen on the same night, it’s known as a Blood Worm Moon. The eclipse will be fully visible across the United States (and many other parts of the world), so it’s worth checking the timing in your area.

Here in California, totality happens at 3:33 a.m. You can bet I’ll be setting my alarm and stumbling outside in my pajamas. I hope you do too.

In astrology, an eclipse is like a supercharged full moon. Full moons are traditionally a time for releasing, while eclipses are said to bring fated shifts. Historically, the red moon has been seen as a threshold – a clearing of old energy to make room for growth. It invites us to shed old patterns and step into what’s next.

The March Full Moon is traditionally called the Worm Moon, marking the time when earthworms begin to reappear in thawing soil, and beetles emerge from tree bark –early signs that spring growth will begin.

A Blood Moon happens during a total lunar eclipse. Instead of disappearing, the Moon turns a deep coppery red as it passes through Earth’s shadow. This phenomenon is called Rayleigh scattering. As Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon, our atmosphere filters out blue light while bending red and orange light toward the Moon. In a way, you’re seeing the glow of every sunrise and sunset on Earth projected onto the Moon at once.

It is just the kind of magic we need in our lives right now. Let’s collectively feel a shift in this universe. Let’s invite new beginnings. Let’s clear out the old and make room for the new. Because I truly believe that if we all collectively believe that things will change, we will act in ways that will foster that change.

🪱 🌕 The Blood Worm Moon Meditation

It is more important than ever to get back to nature and listen to our instincts. I don’t think one’s internal voice will ever mislead them.

Sometimes when you break your routine and step outside in the middle of the night, something shifts. You surprise yourself. You become this wild, instinctive version of yourself – the one that doesn’t need rules. The one that remembers there is a whole universe moving around you.

So here is what you are going to do.

Decide what you want to shift in your life.
On Monday evening, take a little time for yourself. Make a cup of tea, light a candle, and grab a piece of paper. Tear the paper into small strips. On each one, write something you’re ready to release from your life.

Look up the time of peak totality in your area.
This is the moment when the moon turns completely red. I like to go outside about five minutes before it happens – just in time to watch the transformation.

Set out your coat and shoes.
Make it easy on yourself. When the time comes, you can simply wake up, slip them on, and walk outside. Place the folded pieces of paper in a pocket.

Step outside.
The alarm goes off. Now it’s time to stand beneath the Blood Worm Moon.

There is something about the middle of the night – the quiet, the stillness – that makes the world feel different, almost as if you are the only person awake. Let yourself be in that silence. Breathe deeply. Take in every little sound around you.

As the red moon appears above you, imagine it as a kind of portal – an open doorway in the universe. You are invited to release what you no longer want to carry. You are also welcome to ask for what you need.

The small papers.
When you feel ready, take out the folded pieces of paper.

Depending on your surroundings and what feels right:

• bury them in the soil, or

• burn them safely with a candle inside

Either way, they are no longer yours.
You are releasing them back into the universe.

And you are making space for what comes next.

✦ The Blood Worm Moon Meditation (listed above)
The morning after the Blood Worm Moon, sit down with some new paper. This time, we will fill the paper with what we want to take up space in our lives. We have just cleared the decks for new things to come into our lives. Let’s make a little card full of dreams and doodles. Put it somewhere you can see it daily.

✦ Plant some seeds inside
Time to think about what you would like to plant this spring. While the ground thaws, you can begin to consider what you would like to bloom there. Have you ever gotten some dirt and started seedlings in little cups inside? It kind of makes you feel like a kid again - in a very good way. You can even doodle a map of your spring garden.

✦ A Me Day
Many people plan trips for Spring Break. But what about a day for yourself with no obligations? You can plan a day to do a bunch of little things that delight you. Get a coffee with a book. Bring your sketchbook to the botanical garden. Go to your favorite nursery and buy new plants. It is all those little things that fill us up. Or maybe you just want to stay in your jammies at home. You do you. For an entire day.

Until Next Time✨,
Kim

P.S. If you enjoyed this, please give it a like. It helps others discover it as well. 🤗

Share Looking for the Magic ☽✨

Do you ever look up at the night sky and ask, “Where is the moon?” Because it is not in the same spot it was yesterday? Well, the moon is not on the same path nightly. And if you live in a place with mountain ranges, it can get a little tricky knowing when and where to look. Did you know you can download an app that shows you the path of the moon in the sky above where you live? At any hour, it traces its path for you. I downloaded Moon Tracker on my phone. I love to use it during the full moons because I can look at the map and see when the moon is coming over the mountain range - the perfect viewing time. So, for all you moon chasers out there, this may delight you.

I heard a rumor that this happens. I just never expected to discover it in my own neighborhood.

Just as we headed down the road to go out for the afternoon, I looked up and saw a cluster of white dots scattered across the hillside. “Goats! It’s goats! Turn around!”

I was admittedly a little over-excited. My husband, squinting at the hill, was skeptical: “I don’t see any goats?” For a second, I wondered if I’d hallucinated the whole thing out of pure wishful thinking. Instagram had told us they had been in our park... but days ago. I was sure I’d missed them. But I did not.

I felt like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music as I looked up at those hills. There they were: hundreds of sheep and goats feasting on the overgrowth. They’re enlisted for fire prevention, clearing the brush that has exploded after all our recent rain. We’re expecting a superbloom soon – that rare botanical magic where dormant seeds wake up and bloom in places we never expected.

They were beautiful sheep and goats delighting in their own eat-all-you-can buffet. It’s funny how far we’ve drifted from enjoying these simple things. Watching an animal eat is a bit mesmerizing. Maybe it’s just the sight of something so natural – the overgrown grass, the wide-eyed kids, and a bunch of neighbors standing together, sharing silly smiles over a herd of animals that appeared so unexpectedly. No AI here - it’s the real kind of magic you can only stumble upon in nature.

Tell me, what was your tiny thing this week? Share yours in the comments. I love a list of delights.

Until Next Time✨🌙
Kim

If you are not sure where to find the chat, I will send the first one via email so you can find it! Hope you are all having a wonderful …

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Human Rewilding: The practice of shedding what no longer serves you and returning to your instinct, intuition, and truest nature.

I ended up doing a little sketch with the words “feral” and “free.” There is no …

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Today welcomes in the Chinese Lunar New Year. I wanted to share some Fire Horse magic with you today.

I talk a lot here about getting back to ourselves. We need to get quiet, listen to our intuition, and find that place in the sun for ourselves. That means something different to each of us. But the thing we do share, is the desire to live our most authentic versions of ourselves.

I’m hoping you find a bit of inspiration in The Fire Horse. It just might be our next theme in The Field Guide to You! If you are interested, I’m also going to be sharing my 100 Day Project inside for my paid members. I’m hoping people will join in and we can be accountable to each other in the chat! It’s so fun. I dare you to try it!

Until Next Time - harness your inner Fire Horse!
Kim

If you want a fire horse art print to inspire you all year, I am offering a 15% discount to all my subscribers! Just enter: firehorse at checkout

Last year, my 100 Day Project became my creative fuel. One hundred days of noticing tiny things and documenting them on small 4 x 4 cards. (Yes – this is where Tiny Things on Substack began.)

So what is it?

The #The100DayProject is a free, annual, global art challenge where you commit to one self-chosen creative act every day for 100 consecutive days. It began as a design assignment at Yale University and has grown into a worldwide movement.

It’s about process over product. Showing up over perfection.

Many participants share their work on Instagram using #The100DayProject, and there’s even a newsletter on Substack you can follow.

I’ve completed two of these challenges. Both reignited my creativity, unearthed ideas I didn’t know I had, and gave me a deep sense of accomplishment.

Have you ever shown up for something you wanted to do – every day – for 100 days? If not, you need to do this.

We give so much of ourselves away. We work to feel safe. To earn enough. To care for the people we love.

But we rarely tend to our own curiosity. We rarely give ourselves uninterrupted time to explore.

I’m getting my cards today. Preparing. My supplies are out. I already know what I’m doing – and I’m excited.

I want you to consider joining.

It doesn’t have to be grand. You don’t need to finish a painting a day. It can be tiny. Simple. Small. But consistent.

Here are a few sparks:

1. 100 Days of Blooms
   Sketch, photograph, or paint one floral a day.

2. 100 Tiny Nature Treasures
   Document small found objects – seed pods, feathers, bark, shells.

3. 100 Days of Bird Watching
   Sketch or journal a bird each day.

4. 100 Quotes
   Collect a quote a day that speaks to you. Write about it.

5. 100 One-Minute Sketches
   Set a timer. Done is better than perfect.

6. 100 Days of Neighborhood Walks
   Capture one new detail each day in a sketchbook.

7. 100 Days of Tiny Poems
   A few lines with your morning coffee.

8. 100 Pages of Book Ideas
   If you dream of writing one – begin one page a day.

9. 100 Days of Painting
   Just mix a color and play.

You get the idea.

Now you choose. And start to prepare.

I keep a stack of small cards on my desk. Supplies within reach. No barriers. All I have to do is sit down.

Make it easy for yourself.
Schedule the time.
Let it become a ritual.

So tell me – are you in?

It begins next Sunday, February 22nd.

Until next time✨,
Kim

P.S. For more inspiration, here is my post from last year about the 100 Day Project.

There’s something powerful about accountability. About knowing someone else is showing up, too.

I don’t share much of my daily 100 Day work publicly. I want this to feel like inner work. Some days I want to toss the card. I don’t want to feel any presure to produce something of value to share.

But I do love sharing the experience – the resistance, the small wins, the unexpected ideas. As well as some of the art.

So this year, I’m inviting you into the chat to cheer each other on.

It’s a welcoming check-in space. A place to stay accountable, to ask questions, to share progress (if you want to), and to cheer each other on. No pressure. Just support.

The chat lives inside my paid community. I’ve kept it there intentionally – so it feels private, welcoming, and safe as we explore The Field Guide to You together.

As for me? I’m indulging a long-held dream: creating a Tarot deck.

Each day, I’ll pull a card and draw an element of it or maybe an entire card. How do I translate my love of nature into a non-traditional deck? I’m not entirely sure. But I have a feeling that if I sit with it for 100 days… something will emerge.

If you’d like to join us, it’s $5 a month. You’ll also have full access to The Field Guide to You series.

It’s not about perfection.
It’s about showing up – together.

I thought it would be helpful to keep an index of all the Field Guide posts. Just in case you just joined or missed one along the way. Here are all the previous posts in chronological order. It is okay to go at your own pace. But if you are anything like me, you lose track of emails and forget where you left off. 😊

The Field Guide to You…

Intro: What is

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My Tiny Thing this week was sitting in my backyard at the crack of dawn, listening to the birds sing. I discovered new ones that don’t usually visit my yard. And this morning, it will actually help scientists with bird research. You only need 15 minutes to join in.

Okay, this is the Merlin app, and I’m addicted. You download it, hit record, and it tells you the name of each bird singing. It even highlights the bird as you hear it. It is amazing. And free. You can even click on the bird and learn about it. You’re so welcome. 😊

Each year, birders around the world take part in something quite magical: The Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 13-16th). For a few days, people step outside, look around, and notice the birds in their backyard.

These observations help scientists track where different species live and breed – all that good, important stuff that helps us protect them.

Want to join in? It’s easy. You will need two things:
1. Download the eBird app to report on the birds you hear.

2. Download the Merlin Bird ID app to identify birdsongs. (It will be your new favorite app!)

It is a wonderful thing to enjoy on a Friday (and on Valentine’s Day weekend). Hope you take time to listen to the birds!

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨

Kim

Share Looking for the Magic ☽✨

I got up early this Sunday morning to walk the botanical gardens. As I drove up the street, I heard a click-click as the tire hit the pavement. I pulled over to find a huge bold embedded in the treads. There was a time when this would have unhinged me.

I went back home, and here I sit on my couch. The window is open, and the sound of bird chatter echoes through my living room. I open the window so Midge can smell the fresh air and feel the sun on her face.

Outside my door, a lizard has commandeered my doormat. Each morning, when I open the door, I find him stretched out, sunbathing. Midge lunges at him the way a cat would. He darts behind my jasmine plant, but when we return, he’s right back in his warm spot, as if nothing happened.

We have had 80-degree weather for a week now, and it made my jasmine bloom early. Have you ever smelled jasmine in bloom? It is one of the best smells in the world.

I also have two flourishing Golden Pothos plants on my porch. A friend of mine gave me a few stalks with roots and told me she propagated them at home. This was ten years ago, before I knew how to keep a plant alive. It was the first plant I learned to grow.

The Golden Pothos vines frame my doorways inside and out. On my porch, it has harbored bird nests, crickets, spiders, and even a mouse. Today, it houses baby snails.

I have been finding baby snails every day: in my birdfeeder, on my front door, in the camellia blooms. I have this urge to take them and put them in my terrarium. I want to watch them closely. I want to see a snail eat their breakfast. But the thought of removing them from this beautiful world, capturing them, caging them, makes me too sad.

It makes me think of going to the mall on a Sunday: the frustration of finding a parking spot, being packed in a slow-moving crowd, standing in line to spend money on things I don’t even really want. It makes me never want to waste another moment doing things that waste my precious time.

I love sitting here listening to the birds sing. I want to take a new route on my walk today, not knowing what I will discover. I’ve been stumbling into the tiniest little goldfinch - and they feel like magic. I have a spark of an idea for my next art piece, and I cannot wait to begin.

The secret to the universe. It was always right outside my door. Sometimes I feel sad that I walked right past it for so long. I spent so much time searching, so much time feeling like better things are waiting for me. And all along, there they were, right outside my front door.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. Please leave a Tiny Thing below!

Each year, birders around the world take part in something quietly magical: The Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 13-16th). For a few days, people step outside, look around, and notice the birds sharing their neighborhoods.

Those simple observations help scientists track where different species are living and breeding – all that good, important stuff that helps protect them.

Want to join in? It’s easy. Just download the eBird app and start noticing.

And if you’re thinking, “But I don’t know the names of birds…” — let me introduce you to the free, truly magical Merlin Bird ID app. You can listen to a bird’s song, and Merlin will tell you exactly who’s singing. It feels like having a tiny bird whisperer in your pocket.

Honestly, it’s one of the most delightful things ever. It’s taught me the names and songs of so many birds right here in my own neighborhood – and once you start noticing them, you can’t stop. 🐦✨

Share Looking for the Magic ☽✨