I’m going to start this post with a public service announcement for all my fellow snail enthusiasts.

It’s called tap, release, move.

If you ever need to move a snail out of harm’s way, give its shell a wee tap first. The snail will retreat safely into its shell, and then you can carefully pick it up and move it to a safer spot.

The other morning I watched a man walk up, yank a snail right off the sidewalk, and set it in the grass. I might have gasped. While his intentions were good, the snail’s delicate body may be irreparably damaged. I told myself to keep quiet. Then I walked up to him and kindly suggested the tap-release-move method, but he gave me a blank stare. He didn’t speak English.

I was a little sad, to be honest. I had just snapped a photo of this snail. Snails are my spirit animal. When I walked home, I had a thought. Maybe I should share this online. It will send a tiny ripple through the universe as they tell everyone they know. This could save countless snails.

One must always seek a ray of light in the darkness.

Now onto this month’s page.

The July theme for The Field Guide to You is Signs.

I have quite a list of signs, if I’m being honest. But today I will share my story of the snails with you. And how it became one of my most beloved signs.

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Here are some of my favorite summertime reads…

Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures
by Katherine Rundell

This is the kind of book that leaves you looking at the natural world with awe. Each short chapter introduces an endangered creature and reveals something astonishing about its life. I found myself slowing down to indulge each one, and when I reached the final page, I was a bit sad.

As I read, I kept wanting to paint every creature and share its story. It’s a beautiful reminder of just how much there is left to discover about the world around us—and that magic is often hiding in places all around us.

When I finished the book, I found myself thinking about all the nature-inspired books that have stayed with me over the years. I started pulling them back off my shelves, revisiting favorite passages and rediscovering why I loved them in the first place.

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl
I have a feeling Margaret Renkl and I would happily lose an entire morning over coffee on her porch. In this beautiful book, she invites us into her own backyard, where even the smallest lives matter. She carefully places little fences around mother rabbits and their babies to keep them safe in the tall grass.

I first experienced The Comfort of Crows as an audiobook, and hearing Renkl read it in her gentle Southern accent made me love it even more. By the end, I felt as though I’d found a kindred spirit—someone who delights in the creatures and wonders of the natural world. She reminds us that extraordinary stories are unfolding just beyond our back doors.

Wild and Precious: A Celebration of Mary Oliver
In her popular poem The Summer Day, Mary Oliver asks a question that has punctured the hearts of many humans: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” It hits.

Her words have been saved, shared in journals, passed between friends, and woven throughout the internet. But it is more than a single famous line that endures. Mary Oliver had a remarkable gift for reminding us to slow down, step outside, and truly notice the living world. Through her poetry, an ordinary grasshopper, a pond, or a handful of wildflowers becomes an invitation to pay closer attention.

This isn't a collection of her poetry, but a celebration of the woman behind the words. Through essays, personal stories, and reflections from those who knew her or were deeply moved by her work, the book paints a portrait of Mary Oliver's life and the profound impact her poetry continues to have on readers around the world.

Night Magic by Leigh Ann Henion

If you’ve ever wondered what happens after the sun goes down, this book is pure delight. Each chapter celebrates the hidden world of the night—from moths and owls to bats, moon gardens, and other nocturnal wonders that quietly come alive after dusk.

It’s the kind of book that happily geeks out over the magic of the nighttime world, filling every page with fascinating facts and beautiful discoveries. Reading it made me want to step outside after dark and pay closer attention. If you love learning about the creatures and plants that share our world (and if you’re here, I have a feeling you do), you’ll absolutely enjoy this one.

Now it is your turn! What are your favorite summer reads? I’m open to all kinds of books. Share what you are reading, or your favorite all-time book? I would love more recommendations! Please put them in the comments.

Hope you are enjoying your summer! 🌞

Kim

I was walking up my front steps the other morning when I heard an unfamiliar bird sound high in the trees.

I opened my Merlin app to find out what it was.

A woodpecker.

As I was trying to get a better look, it flew down and landed right in front of me.

When people subscribe to this newsletter, I send them a little gift—a phone screensaver with a woodpecker on it.

I’ve never told you the story behind that illustration.

Two summers ago, I was floating down the river in Yosemite National Park.

I was about two years into making art for myself.

Many of my old design clients had quietly disappeared. I didn’t mind. It gave me more time to do art.

The only problem was my paycheck.

I kept hearing the same anxious thought:

How will you ever make enough money doing this?

And every time it surfaced, another voice answered:

Just make the art.

I’d carry on.

But those fears would creep in.

And I would think: How is this going to work out?

And again, I would hear: Just make the art.

That afternoon, drifting beneath the pines, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

Looking up at that wide blue sky, floating on the cold river, I suddenly knew everything was going to work out.

I wasn’t going to look for more clients.

I wasn’t taking on work that pulled me away from what I was building.

There was no Plan B.

A woodpecker landed on a tree just a few feet away.

I’d never noticed one before.

A dragonfly landed on my knee.

A deer wandered over and licked the tree.

We were all at peace together in this little part of the universe.

As if it were all written in the stars.

We just had to listen to our instincts to know what was next.

Every time I see a woodpecker now, I think of that afternoon.

And every time one appears unexpectedly—like the one on my front steps this week—it feels like a message from the universe.

Just keep making the art.

The theme for July is: Signs

✨🌙 The Field Guide to You is a workshop for paid subscribers. Each month, we have a theme and prompts to workshop in our Field Guides. If this speaks to you, join us anytime. You can learn more about it here.

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If you’re new here, welcome! I’m always looking for magic hidden in everyday life. I call them Tiny Things. ✨🌙

On Monday morning, I dropped my daughter off at her summer internship. Instead of heading straight home, I brought a cup of coffee and stopped by the botanical gardens for an early-morning walk.

Every time I go, I tell myself that I’ll only stay an hour.

I never do.

In fact, I went back again today.

This time of year, the gardens are overflowing with blooms. But what keeps drawing me back this week is the forest. The moment I step beneath the trees, I don’t want to leave.

Have you ever heard of forest bathing?

Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, began in Japan in the 1980s as a simple invitation to slow down and immerse yourself in the forest. Rather than hiking to a destination, the goal is to awaken your senses: smell the scent of pine, hear the birdsong, notice the texture of tree bark, and discover all the magical creatures.

I don’t have any big vacations planned this summer. Instead, I’m embracing a staycation.

And at the very top of my list? Forest bathing.

And to think, I could have just stayed home and gotten to work. Work will always be waiting for me.

I come home filled with inspiration. And I’ll probably go again tomorrow. It might be hot out, but the mornings are just right. Gotta catch it while you can.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. What is on your summer list? Have you noticed any Tiny Things this week? Please share in the comments!

P.S. I have been playing with making little videos. This one is my favorite. It is the vibe I wish to covet this summer.

Welcome to Looking for the Magic✨: A Nature Almanac
✨ Sea Creatures ✨

When I look out over the ocean, it feels infinite. The rhythm of the waves drowns out the noise of the world. I love scrambling over rocks to investigate the tidepools. I seek out tiny shells, sea glass, and pieces of driftwood—little treasures to bring a bit of the sea home with me.

Hawaiʻi is my favorite place to wander the shoreline. I’m endlessly amazed by the magical creatures that call its waters home. When I slip on a scuba mask and drift above the reef, I get a view into a magical world. A school of tropical fish flashes by, an octopus melts into the coral, and suddenly a gentle sea turtle glides alongside me as if we belong here.

I imagine being underwater is like floating in outer space. It is a vast, mysterious realm that I will never fully understand—equal parts awe-inspiring and a little bit frightening. Every time I see photographs of a strange creature rising from the darkest depths of the ocean, I’m reminded of how much we don’t know. How endlessly we could explore this planet and discover a new bit of wonder each day.

Welcome to summer! This month, let’s talk about magical sea creatures!

Things included this month:

• Creature Feature: The Humpback Whale & The Octopus

• The Buck Moon: Arrives July 29th

• July Creative Prompts

Whales hold a space in my heart. They used to sing my daughter to sleep. She lived in the NICU for the first month of her life while recovering from open-heart surgery. We were gifted a stuffed lamb that played a series of lullabies and sounds. Our favorite was the whale song.

There are many unwelcome sounds in the hospital—beeps and alarms are constantly lending more anxiety to an already anxious situation. We sat next to her bed all day, waiting for the chance to hold and feed her. When we cradled her in our arms, we would play whale song as she drifted to sleep.

Each evening, we were asked to leave at the end of visiting hours. We would instruct the night nurse to play it every time she woke up, because we were not there to hold her. The whale’s song would remind her of us. This gave us comfort that was hard to find in those days. I owe the whales a lot.

Their beautiful songs ripple through the ocean

Male humpback whales create one of the most beautiful and haunting sounds in the ocean. Their echoing melodies, known as whale songs, can travel for hundreds of miles underwater. For centuries, these mysterious sounds have captivated sailors, storytellers, and scientists.

Researchers believe these songs play an important role in communication, especially during the breeding season, yet it is not fully understood. A single song can last for hours—sometimes even an entire day.

Long before marine biologists studied whale vocalizations, sailors imagined the haunting sounds drifting through the night belonged to sea spirits, mermaids, or enchanted creatures.

Imagine lying awake aboard a wooden ship, hearing a whale sing through the hull beneath you. Without knowing its source, it might have felt quite otherworldly.

In folklore, whales were often seen as beings that could move between worlds. They vanished into the unseen depths, then returned to the surface to leap through the air. Their songs were imagined as messages carried between the sea and the spirit world. They were carried through the water long before humans were around to hear them.

Interesting Whale Facts:

✧ They carry an invisible map across the sea
Humpback whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal, traveling up to 5,000 miles or more each way between cold feeding waters and warm tropical breeding grounds.

✧ Every tail is unique
The black-and-white pattern on the underside of a humpback’s tail, called its fluke, is unique to that individual, like a fingerprint. Scientists use photographs of these patterns to identify and track whales over many years.

✧ Together, they create circles of bubbles that become underwater nets
Some humpbacks use a remarkable hunting technique called bubble-net feeding. A group of whales swims in a circle while blowing bubbles, creating a rising “net” that traps fish. Then they swim upward together with their mouths open to feed.

✧ They are very acrobatic
Despite weighing up to 40 tons, humpback whales often leap completely out of the water in a behavior called breaching. Scientists aren’t entirely sure why they do it. It may be for communication, removing parasites, play, or a combination of reasons.

✧ Mothers and calves share a remarkable bond
A humpback calf drinks rich milk and stays close to its mother for many months, learning the migration route and the skills it needs to survive.

✧ Whales nourish the ocean
Whales play an important role in marine ecosystems. Their waste brings nutrients toward the ocean’s surface, helping support the growth of tiny marine plants called phytoplankton. Those microscopic organisms are the beginning of the food chain for ocean creatures.

So basically, whales hold the cycle of life within them. They also hold the secrets of the sea.

I think we get so used to being human, we forget how other creatures operate in completely fascinating ways. And when we witness this, it fills us with such wonder. It makes us push beyond the boring boundaries of our so familiar existence.

Octopuses are one of those creatures, so full of magic tricks, they will enchant you.

They also go in that category of Possible aliens on Earth for me.

They could also go in the category of Superheroes. They can transform their shape, become invisible, and have 7 brains and 3 hearts.

Interesting Octopus Facts:

✧ Octopuses have three hearts
Two hearts pump blood to the gills, while the third pumps it to the rest of the body. When they swim, their main heart actually stops beating, which is one reason they prefer crawling to swimming—it preserves their energy.

✧ They can change color and texture instantly
Octopuses can transform their skin to match rocks, coral, sand, or even ripple like seaweed in the current. They can magically camouflage themselves before your eyes in seconds.

✧ Their arms think for themselves
Each arm of the octopus is said to have a “mini brain.” Most of their neurons are in their arms, not their brain. Each arm can taste, touch, and explore independently of the other.

✧ They are escape artists
Octopuses can squeeze through any opening larger than their beak (the only hard parrot-like part of their body, located in the center of their arms). If their beak fits, they can fit. They have no bones.

There are documented cases of them escaping aquariums, crawling across floors, and returning to the ocean or nearby tanks.

✧ They are mostly nocturnal and deeply private
Many species hunt at night and spend their days hidden in dens they decorate with shells, rocks, and debris. They have been observed digging up special shells and dragging them back to their homes.

✧ They are highly intelligent problem-solvers
They can open jars, navigate mazes, recognize human faces, and learn by observation. Some scientists describe them as among the most intelligent invertebrates on Earth.

Add to your summer watch list
If you want to witness the magic of octopuses firsthand, I can't recommend My Octopus Teacher enough. It's more than a documentary about these fascinating sea creatures; it's the remarkable story of a man who forms an extraordinary bond with a wild octopus. By the end, you'll never look at them the same again. You will be smitten.

☽✶ This full moon name is attributed to the Algonquin Indigenous Peoples.☽✶

The Buck Moon will peak on Wednesday, July 29th at 7:36 a.m. PST. This means you can get a pretty good view on both the 28th and 29th of July.

By early spring, the deer mating season is over. The base of the buck’s antlers weakens, becomes soft, and falls off.

New ones begin to emerge quickly. Their antlers are the fastest-growing tissues in the animal kingdom.

By July, they have grown back to their full glory, covered in a velvety coating. This coating nourishes them until late summer, when the buck rubs it off, revealing the bone beneath.

The Buck Moon symbolizes a time when things come to fruition. It is trusting in one’s own becoming. We can shed what we don’t need, again and again. Then we will emerge stronger than before.

✨ 🦌 The Buck Moon Meditation:

The Buck Moon is a moon of becoming.

Just as a buck grows a new set of antlers each summer, you are growing too.

Not everything moves as quickly as we think it should.

Some of your greatest transformations are happening a little bit each day.

Ask yourself what is growing.

Make a cup of tea. Light a candle. Find a quiet place to sit.

Close your eyes for a moment and take a slow, deep breath.

Think back to who you were one year ago.

How have you grown?

Maybe you’ve become more present.

More open.

More creative.

Maybe you’ve learned to trust yourself just a little more.

Take out a journal and write down five ways you’ve grown, especially the ones no one else would notice.

Tuck this paper somewhere you can see it. Let it remind you that small things add up over time.

Then step outside.

Stand beneath the Buck Moon.

Remember that antlers don’t appear overnight.

All good things take time.

It is all the little things we do that add up.

Trust that what you’re becoming is already unfolding.

You don’t have to rush it.

Nature never does.

Let nature inspire you this month. Here are some ideas!

✦ Sea Creature Field Trip
If you live by a beach, head out to the tide pools. If not, head to the aquarium. My favorite thing to watch at the aquarium is the jellyfish. They are so very magical. It always inspires new art in me to go see what I will find. This is some art inspired by magical creatures:

✦ Moon Garden
Do you have plants in your backyard that attract moths? Buy a plant like a moonflower or evening primrose. My two favorites are night-blooming jasmine and honeysuckle. They smell so good. You won’t be sorry.

✦ Moth Inspector
So this is fun.

• Put a white sheet up in your backyard. Hang the sheet vertically between two trees, on a fence, or from a clothesline.

• Shine the light directly onto the sheet.
  (black lights work best, but any will do the trick)

• Turn off nearby outdoor lights if possible.

• Wait quietly. Moths often begin arriving within 15–30 minutes, though it depends on where you live.

Then see all the magical moths you never knew lived in your own backyard! The thing is, we don’t notice most of them in the dark. This is especially fun if you have kids or friends who geek out about nature. 🙋‍♀️

✦ Magic Hour Walks
Being outside at magic hour in the summertime is the BEST. It is that short window when the sun is about to set. Everything is cast in the most golden lighting. The heat has subsided. And the air is so warm and inviting. Make time for a lot of magic hour walks.

✦ Buy a Sketchbook
A new sketchbook for summer—totally dreamy. There is nothing like doing a little sketching and journaling outside during summer.

Until Next Time✨ 🌙,
Kim

P.S. Tell me in the comments one of your favorite things to do in the summertime!

P.S.S. If you enjoyed this, please give it a 💛 or share it with another. It helps others discover it as well. 🤗

This morning, on the eve of the Strawberry Moon, I’m sitting here with a warm mug of Double Green Matcha Strawberry tea, sweetened with a splash of oat milk and a drizzle of honey. I didn’t want this day to pass without sharing a little bit of its magic with you.

The very first full moon I ever illustrated was the Strawberry Moon. It has always felt special to me.

Maybe it’s because one of my favorite childhood dresses was a simple white cotton dress scattered with tiny strawberries. Or maybe it’s because strawberries carry the sweetness of summer itself—sun-warmed afternoons, stained fingertips, and memories that somehow stay with us long after the season has passed.

When I first heard the name Strawberry Moon, I was instantly intrigued. Strawberries and the moon? Was the moon supposed to be strawberry-colored?

It wasn’t.

So why was it called that?

I had to know more.

I discovered the name comes from the time of year when strawberries were traditionally harvested. Suddenly it wasn’t about the color of the moon at all—it was about paying attention to the seasons and celebrating what the earth was offering.

The Aloguin Indigenous Peoples named this June moon. It was inspired by all those ripe, delicious, wild strawberries.

When my daughter was little, we used to visit a farm where children could meet the animals before heading out into the strawberry fields with little baskets in hand. Every child came back with berry-stained fingers and pink smiles. I’m quite sure they sampled as many strawberries as they picked.

There’s something about summer that asks us to slow down. Sweet berries picked from plants in the earth. Long evenings filled with sunlight. The moments that disappear almost as quickly as they arrive. Summer has a way of reminding us to catch it while we can.

The Strawberry Moon rises just as those fleeting days begin to unfold. To me, it feels like an invitation to stop longing for what’s next. To stop with the long to-do lists. To look around and enjoy life as it is right now.

Take a moment. Collect them. Summer seems to hold the power to create memories that stay with us throughout time.

I’ve been reminding myself of that lately.

The past few weeks, I’ve been buried in to-do lists. I convinced myself that if I just powered through a little longer, I’d finally catch up. One more project. One more email. One more thing crossed off the list.

The first things to disappear were long daily walks or visits to the botanical gardens each morning.

Ironically, that’s the very thing that fuels my creativity.

After several long days at my desk, I clipped Midge’s leash on one evening and opened the front door.

I was greeted by a sky that looked as though someone had brushed watercolor across it – layers of glowing pinks, peaches, and gold melting into one another. The light washed over everything, making the whole neighborhood feel ethereal, as if I had slipped into a wonderland.

I could feel the heaviness leaving my body. That flow began to stir inside me. The desire rose to make something of it all.

I wondered: How many nights have I missed this?

This little bit of magic lasted only fifteen minutes, but it was enough.

It reminded me of something I sometimes forget, even though it is what I preach daily. You can’t skip nature. Not if you want to feel inspired. Not if you want to feel balanced. Not if you want to remember what it’s like to be alive in this moment.

Nature isn’t time away from your work. It is what makes your work what it is. It makes me who I am because it is so easy to lose that person in today’s world.

All it asks is that you open the door and step outside.

I hope you are somewhere will the clouds won’t obscure the view! You can still feel that moon energy.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. The July edition of The Nature Almanac drops this week. I’m feeling the sea creatures calling me!

P.S.S.

In my last post, I shared that I seem to draw The Fool card again and again. This is her.

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Last weekend, I arrived at the reservoir park to meet my Tarot group.

It’s a small patch of wildness tucked into a Los Angeles neighborhood. The locals tend it like their own backyard. They plant wildflowers, care for the habitat, and make space for birds, butterflies, and dragonflies to thrive.

When we gather in a circle on the grass, nature moves all around us. A vast species of birds fills the trees. Dragonflies stitch invisible threads through the air. Butterflies flutter along the grass.

That morning, before our gathering began, we found a mama duck standing in the open with ten brand-new ducklings clustered around her feet.

She was calling out in distress.

Above her, a red-tailed hawk traced slow circles in the sky.

Ahead of her lay a hundred feet of exposed grass. Beyond that, a wall of bushes where she and her babies could disappear into safety. Between her and the lake were fences and pathways built for humans, obstacles she would somehow have to navigate with ten tiny lives following behind her.

When she finally began her journey across the grass, the hawk noticed.

It dropped from the sky like a fighter jet.

And before anyone had time to think, my friend opened her arms. She lifted them wide like a child playing airplane and ran toward the ducks, cawing and flapping her imaginary wings.

For one brief moment, she became a bird herself. I realized how much she loves nature as much as I do. But we were born with a little too much of the feels to truly see the brutality of nature with our own two eyes.

The hawk veered. It rose back into the sky. We exhailed. And the hawk found a perch to watch.

The momma duck stood close by my friend, as if asking for help. As if recognizing this may indeed be a bird witch.

A family nearby joined in. Two children. Their parents. My friend. Together they formed a strange little procession, escorting the duck family across the lawn until they reached the shelter of the bushes.

The ducklings vanished into the green. Hidden among the brush lining the fence.

I later learned that only a small fraction of ducklings survive to adulthood. Nature asks mothers to be brave in ways I can hardly comprehend. To hatch ten, and end up with maybe two, is heartbreaking.

The world is so brutiful - the beauty and the brutality of nature intertwined.

The hawk must feed her babies. The duck must try to save hers. Both were simply following ancient instincts written long before any of us arrived.

So many people in that park stopped and silently rooted for ten tiny ducklings to make it to the other side.

For a few minutes, a handful of strangers banded together, led by their hearts.

The hawk sat on its perch.

The ducklings were hidden in the bushes.

We went home, leaving a story right where I would prefer to leave it.

Perhaps some of those feathered friends will make it. Perhaps they won’t. That is true of each creature in nature.

Still, there is something hopeful about seeing a parade of ducklings born in the middle of a city. Something that reminds us that life persists despite fences, traffic, and all the ways we have reshaped the landscape.

I found myself grateful to stumble upon such a sight – that it is still possible in this urban environment. And noticing how every person who walked by could not help but stop and indulge in this little bit of wonder on a Saturday morning.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. Please leave your Tiny Thing to share from this week. It brings joy to all who read them (me included). 🤗

Let’s play with a little bit of Tarot magic this month.

My 100 Day Project this year was an exploration of the world of Tarot. I’ve come to see the cards as a fascinating tool for creativity.

Last week, I attended a workshop at the Festival of Tarot here in Los Angeles. It was all about reading the story in the cards.

When I got home, I discovered a note I had scribbled down:

“Don’t tell fortunes. Tell stories.”

Stories are at the heart of everything. We tell ourselves stories every day. We have the power to tell our stories in ways that empower us—or in ways that keep us feeling small. Sometimes I don’t even think we realize the power we have in the telling.

Each morning, I pull a card. They have become a bit of a grounding practice. It is a way to enter each day so aware of what I want and need. But more, learning to let go and allow my intuition to guide me.

Certain cards seem to pop up often. One of those cards for me is The Fool.

The Fool is the card of the free spirit. It embodies curiosity, wonder, and the willingness to step into the unknown. It invites us to get lost, to loosen our grip, and to trust the journey. Because when we do, we often find ourselves on paths we never would have discovered otherwise.

So, in the spirit of summer, our theme this month is: Play.

When we play, we open ourselves to possibility. We stop overthinking. We become curious again. We let life surprise us.

Below, I invite you to choose a card. Which one calls you the most?

Then scroll to the end to reveal the card and its meaning. Let it serve as inspiration for your Field Guide page.

If you want to learn more about The Field Guide to You, check out here.

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Welcome to Looking for the Magic✨: A Nature Almanac

Issue 14 / June 2026

The most vivid memories of my childhood are of summers in Nebraska. From kindergarten through third grade, I was outside exploring nature and chasing creatures. Each evening, my brothers and I would switch off the backyard porch lights and wait for the fireflies to appear.

One by one, they emerged from the tall grasses of the meadow beyond our home. Tiny lanterns blinking on and off in the darkness, like a secret code. We would race outside and catch them in our cupped hands, holding our breath as their bioluminescent glow slipped through the spaces between our fingers.

Then we would retreat indoors and turn the porch lights back on.

Within minutes, the June bugs would arrive.

They came from every direction, hurling themselves toward the light. Their hard shells clicked against the windows and bounced across the concrete patio like tiny pebbles tossed from the sky. We would shriek with laughter and dare one another to step outside and stand in the middle of the storm.

Scientists estimate there are more than 200 million insects for every human on Earth (60-70 million are beetles). Tiny pollinators, recyclers, builders, and caretakers working all around us. Some glow. Some shimmer like gemstones. Some navigate by the stars.

No better time than summer to indulge in some beetle magic.

Things included this month:

• Beetles: A Tiny Wonder

• The Blue Moon: May 31st (I’m sending this out early so we don’t miss it!)

• June Creative Prompts

Beetles are tiny armored creatures carrying iridescent shells, glowing lanterns, and ancient symbolism through forests and gardens for over 270 millions years. They are so resilient, they survived the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Beetles account for about 40% off all known insects. They play a big role in our ecosystem breaking down organic matter. They were the very first pollinators - well before a butterfly or bee showed up. They are ancient magical creatures.

Yes, fireflies (also known as lightning bugs) are actually beetles.

They spend most of their lives hidden beneath leaves or underground as glowing larvae, softly lighting the forest floor at night. Some species even begin glowing as eggs long before they ever take flight. Firefly larvae are often referred to as glowworms.

Did you know that in the 1960s, some companies paid children a penny for every firefly they collected? Scientists harvested compounds called luciferin and luciferase from the insects to study bioluminescence and use it in medical and biological research. Today, these compounds can be produced synthetically, so collecting fireflies is no longer necessary.

As for those mason jars filled with fireflies on summer nights? I don’t know where that tradition began, but it’s hard to imagine a more magical childhood memory.

Some interesting facts:

✧ Their glow is one of the most energy-efficient lights in the world.

✧ Different species blink in unique patterns to attract mates.

✧ In folklore, they were sometimes seen as wandering fairies or spirit lights.

These are the gemstones of the forest. With over 15,500 species, Jewel beetles are one of the largest family of beetles. Their colors change depending on the angle you view them by.

In ancient cultures, including Egypt and parts of Asia, their iridescent wings were sometimes used in jewelry, ceremonial adornments, and embroidery. It’s even said that Cleopatra wore dresses decorated with beetle-wing embroidery that sparkled like jewels in the sun.

The next time you spot a flash of metallic green in the garden, you may be looking at one of nature's smallest treasures – a living gemstone hiding among the leaves.

Some interesting facts:

✧ Their metallic colors come from microscopic structures reflecting light.

✧ Some look emerald, copper, sapphire, or gold.

✧ Today there are ethically sourced insect farms that provide beetles for modern day jewelry makers.

These are the showstoppers of the beetle world.

With their antler-like jaws and prehistoric appearance, stag beetles look as though they wandered out of an ancient fairy tale. Those impressive “antlers” belong to the males, who use them to wrestle rivals in dramatic battles for the chance to mate.

But their most fascinating story happens out of sight.

Stag beetles can spend up to four years underground as larvae, quietly feeding and growing within decaying wood. Then, after years of waiting, they emerge as adults for just a few short weeks. Imagine that – a lifetime spent preparing for a brief moment in the sun.

They remind me that nature doesn’t measure a life by its length, but by its purpose. Sometimes even the briefest appearance can leave a lasting impression.

Some interesting facts:

✧ They help decompose forest debris and return vital nutrients to the soil.

✧ Adult stag beetles and their larvae are an important source of protein for birds, small mammals, and reptiles.

✧ Beetles like stags love rotting wood and lots of fallen folliage to live and breed in. The tidying up of our garden and urbanization has decreased their numbers.

We all love spotting a lady bug. They are pretty much the only bug you squeal in delight when you find one has landed on you - while a stag beetle might elicit a scream. Across many cultures, ladybugs have long been considered symbols of luck, protection, and good fortune.

Their name has roots in the Middle Ages, when European farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary to protect their crops from destructive aphids. When ladybugs arrived and began feasting on the pests, the grateful farmers called them "Our Lady's Beetles." Over time, the name was shortened to ladybird or ladybug. According to folklore, their bright red wings represented the Virgin's cloak, while their black spots symbolized her joys and sorrows.

A single ladybug can eat over 5,000 aphids in a lifetime. They are the original non-toxic way to protect your garden.

Tiny, hard-working, and dressed in polka dots – it’s no wonder they’ve captured our hearts for centuries.

Some interesting facts:

✧ They smell with their feet. Tiny hairs full of receptors can taste and smell.

✧ When threatened, ladybugs can secrete a foul-smelling, yellow, toxic fluid from their leg joints to deter predators.

✧ Their red shell protects them from predators. It gives off toxic vibes.

There are more than 35,000 species of scarab beetles in the world, including the familiar June bug. But today, I’d like to make a case for one of their less glamorous relatives: the Dung beetle.

Yes, it is exactly what it sounds like.

Dung beetles spend their days rolling, burying, and recycling animal waste. Not exactly the most glamorous job description. But before you skip this one, they are the only insects known to navigate using the glowing band of the Milky Way. On clear nights, they orient themselves by the stars, rolling their precious cargo across the landscape with surprising precision.

Yes, Dung beetles are guided by the Milky Way.

Ancient Egyptians were equally fascinated by these remarkable beetles. As they watched scarabs roll perfect spheres across the desert sands, it reminded them of the sun’s journey across the sky. They believed the sun god Khepri gently pushed the morning sun into each new day in much the same way. Because of this, the scarab became a sacred symbol of renewal, rebirth, and transformation.

Some interesting facts:

✧ Some dung beetles can pull over 1,000 times their own body weight.

✧ Certain species are surprisingly good parents, protecting food chambers for their larvae underground.

✧ Dung beetles are natural fertilizers in your garden.

☽✶ 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.☽✶

The Blue Moon will peak on Sunday, May 31st at 1:45 a.m. PST. I wanted to send this newsletter out before June begins, so we could take a moment to reflect on this rare moon together. Earlier this month, we welcomed the Flower Moon in the May edition, but the Blue Moon is too good to let it slip by without a mention.

A Blue Moon only occurs every 2–3 years, when two full moons fall within the same calendar month.

You know that saying, “once in a blue moon”? I’ve said it my entire life without ever really thinking about what it meant. I only knew it pointed to something rare.

The Blue Moon is often seen as a time to pause and reflect. A moment to realign yourself with what truly matters. To release what no longer fits, and step more fully into what does.

This is the kind of moon that asks you to take up space. The kind of space that has always belonged to you. The space where you stop waiting for permission and begin trusting your own inner knowing.

You are not here to shape your life around everyone else’s expectations. You are here to live the life calling gently to you beneath all the noise.

That’s the magic of Blue Moon energy. It reminds us to slow down long enough to listen.

Pay attention to what has been calling you lately. Notice what keeps returning. Notice what makes you come alive. There may be something waiting for you there.

Now you see why I couldn’t leave this moon out of a newsletter. It is quite magical.

And no worries – I’ll be creating a special post this month for the Strawberry Moon later in June.

🔵 The Blue Moon Meditation

The Blue Moon makes no apologies.

It is a moon that asks you to take up space.

It is time to declare what you want for yourself.

It is time to own it.

So here is what you are going to do.

Make a cup of tea. Light a candle. Sit somewhere quiet.

Don’t think too much. We talk ourself out of what we want.

Grab a piece of paper and do what I call, a braindump.

Take five minutes and list exactly what you want.

Don’t figure out how. Or question how it can happen. Just write.

Now fold up that paper. Put it in your pocket.

Go outside and look up at that moon.

Now it is time to declare it to the moon.

We never quite know how we will get there.

Somethings seem impossible.

You don’t have to figure it out yourself.

Somehow, the universe figures it out for you.

And it is usually better than you ever imagined.

✦ The Blue Moon Meditation & Summer Moon Observations
A blue moon only comes around once in a while – don’t miss it. Throughout June, step outside each night and notice the moon. Each phase rests in a slightly different part of the sky. Nothing about it is ever quite the same. It’s a simple, magical way to end the day.

✦ World Ocean Day / June 8th
In celebration of World Ocean Day, celebrate the sea! Do you live near the ocean? Do you have a local aquarium? And if you can’t get there in person, sink into a documentary like anything by David Attenborough or My Octopus Teacher (one of my absolute favorites). I love these quiet summer movie nights with family. Afterward, make something inspired by the sea.

✦ Summertime Magic
Summer has a way of slipping by in a blink. That’s why it helps to create small rituals to anchor it. Summer is where memories are made. the long light-filled days ask us to live a little more fully inside them. Create new rituals. Maybe it’s a weekly backyard picnic with your family. Maybe it’s a monthly beach day. Or maybe it’s just waking early, drinking coffee in the garden, watching the blooms open with the morning light. It doesn’t need to be big. It just needs to be yours.

Until Next Time✨🌙
Kim

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

Share Looking for the Magic ☽✨

If you’re new here, every month I gather up a few Tiny Things to share. Magic can be found in the most ordinary moments if we take time to notice them. ✨🌙

I’ve been wanting to share this one. Carrying it around in my back pocket, hoping I wouldn’t forget.

On Mother’s Day, I visited The Gentle Barn.

I’d only been there once before, and honestly, the original draw was the baby pigs. They had rescued a large group of them around Christmas, and I wanted to meet them.

What I didn’t expect was the pasture full of cows. Enormous cows. Truly gigantic. They had yoga balls they chased around like toys, and there was even a resident dog who had befriended a baby cow — completely inseparable. Cows, I realized, are really just oversized dogs. Somehow I had never known that until I went there.

The staff encourages everyone to hug a cow. They told us there’s nothing quite like it.

I was hesitant at first. They are so big.

Not my husband. He immediately draped himself across one of them like a child reunited with a beloved puppy. They both looked completely at ease. Instant therapy for everyone involved.

I crouched down beside one cow and slowly reached behind his large ears, rubbing gently. A deep sound came from him — somewhere between a moan and a purr — and he leaned into my chest, tipped his head back, and looked directly into my eyes.

Mine immediately filled with tears.

We all crave love.

At places like this, the animals become so safe with their caretakers that, for a moment, you become part of their world too. You’re welcomed into the fold. And in that moment, his need for comfort didn’t feel all that different from my own.

I think we spend so much time focusing on differences — separating ourselves from animals, from each other, from the natural world. But we all belong to this earth. We all carry instincts. We all long for connection.

And when those barriers soften, we can comfort one another in ways that don’t need words.

That same day, a chicken fell asleep in my arms. I scratched beneath a turkey’s wings and she stepped a little closer. An old rescue donkey — once used as a drug mule — kept following me around, asking for a few more pets.

I suppose most living things carry some kind of trauma.

And maybe healing begins the same way every time: two open hearts finding each other, even briefly, and simply being present together.

No language required. You can feel more than you can put words to.

That feeling is love.

Until Next Time 🌙 ✨
Kim

P.S. If you live in the Los Angeles or Middle Tennessee you can visit a Gentle Barn. I highly recommend it.

April theme: Tiny Whispers

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.

There are so many new people here. If you wish to learn more about The Field Guide to You, please go here. We are creating journals full of Tiny Magic! Thanks so much for being here!

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Have you ever tried to get through your workday, only to feel like you are wading through mud? You feel anxious and keep procrastinating?

You begin to daydream a little. Things like, “I wish I could just work on my art all day.” Then you make no time for art because, really, why bother? Maybe that life was just not meant for you.

Yet, you hear these tiny whispers. They tell you to pick up the sketchbook. They tell you to join that writing group. They tell you that there is so much more than this.

It takes practice to trust them. But once you do, it becomes a life skill that rescues you from a lifetime of waiting for some external force to change the trajectory of your life. It gives you in the midst of any storm. It makes you excited to wake up and get to work.

We hold the power to find that spark within ourselves.

Our theme this month: The Tiny Whispers

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Twelve hours after my daughter was born, they took her away from us. About seven hours later, a young doctor walked into my hospital room and said, “I have devastating news for you.”

Then he told us a chamber of her heart was missing.

And then he left.

It was Memorial Day weekend, and no specialists were there. So we waited.

My husband and I curled into one another in my tiny hospital bed while nurses came in through the night to take my vitals and encourage me to start pumping milk for a baby I wasn’t sure I would ever get to feed.

The first surgery took far too long because of complications. The second landed on Christmas before she was even a year old. By the third surgery, she was considered very high risk, and we had to search for a doctor willing to do it.

It taught me how to live inside a single day. No future. No past. Just this moment.

I suppose that is where Tiny Things was first born.

Day by day. Moment by moment.

And somehow, in the middle of all that fear, there lived the best moments of my life.

This month, my daughter turns 17.

She designs clothing out of trash and thrift-store finds to help the environment. She dreams of going to fashion school after graduation. Recently, I looked up Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising — one of the big fashion programs here in Los Angeles – and discovered they were hosting their graduate fashion show in May. It turns out anyone can attend.

The whole thing looked like Project Runway. Rows of white chairs lined the park. Professional models walked the students’ collections beneath the city lights.

We found our seats. The music began. The first collection stepped onto the runway.

And the very first look to turn the corner was this.

A giant anatomical heart suspended in the center of the dress.

The second it passed me, hot tears began falling uncontrollably down my face.

At the time, I couldn’t even explain why.

But that anatomical heart slayed me.

The surgeries.
The fear.
The hospital rooms.
The waiting.
The uncertainty of those early years.

And now here she was – sitting beside me.
Dreaming.
Taking photos.
Talking about her next project.

It felt like a little sign.
A tiny wink from the universe.

We made it.

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. As I was writing this, I remembered one of the outrageous “fits” (as the kids call it today) that my daughter put together when she was only 2. Remember to always look back at yourself as a child. You will find what you truly love.

Welcome to Looking for the Magic✨: A Nature Almanac
✨The First Anniversary Edition✨

We learn how to tell fact from fiction – to believe only what we can see. As children, we run through the world with bandaged knees, eager to hold bugs in our hands. But somewhere along the way, we become adults, too busy to notice. We forget what it feels like to lose track of time outside, to stumble upon something that feels like magic.

My phone is filled with tiny snails I’ve discovered, buds blooming straight from tree bark, and blurry photos of creatures I tried to capture before they disappeared. Going outside has become my daily therapy in a world that doesn’t always make sense. The things that truly light me up – the things that make me feel hopeful – aren’t found in the news or shopping mall. I have learned how to exist in the slow, silent moments of a day.

Go outside. Listen to the birds sing. Look up why those strange mushrooms appear after the rain. Watch a snail eat – I dare you. There is an invisible web that connects everything. You can see it in the spiral of a shell, echoed again in the unfolding of a flower. What even is the smell of rain? And why does it make me a touch euphoric?

What moves me most is the ephemeral beauty of it all. How each day, everything is slowly becoming or unbecoming. Everything is temporary - whether you like that or not. And maybe it does not matter. What does matter is how many moments you can collect that make you feel alive.

Over the past year, more than 4,000 of you have joined me here. I thank you for taking the time to read these newsletters. I hope they inspire you to get outside and find your own bits of wonder. And please share them in the comments when you do!

Things included this month:

• A Collection of Magical Things From The Past Year

• The Flower Moon: May 1st

• May Creative Prompts

A Few of my favorite things

I took a little walk through all my editions and pulled some of my favorite bits I’ve collected over the past year.

Painted lady butterflies complete one of the longest insect migrations in the world. They can travel thousands of miles, moving between Africa, Europe, and even reaching as far as the Arctic Circle. But no single butterfly makes the full journey – it unfolds across multiple generations, each one continuing where the last left off.

They are guided by instinct and stardust. Their migration isn’t random – they move in rhythm with rainfall and blooming plants. It’s as if they’re following a shifting map of flowers across the landscape, always seeking the next place to feed and lay eggs. They have an inner knowing that has unfolded over a million years.

It’s funny – I went through most of my life without paying much attention to snails. I can’t remember the first time I truly slowed down enough to see one. The tiny eyes perched on delicate stalks. The soft, translucent body stretches and gathers itself as it moves across the concrete. I often think: aliens.

Now I notice them everywhere – tucked into my potted plants, resting in the bark of a neighborhood tree. They seem to whisper the same quiet message: slow down. It is not how fast you go, but that your eyes are wide open and your heart is full.

Most snail shells form in a Fibonacci spiral - a perfect golden curve that also appears in sunflowers, hurricanes, and distant galaxies. It’s as if the geometry of the universe is etched into their backs. That small, intricate pattern that links us all.

Sunflowers are signposts in my memory – their wide faces rising above the fields of my youth. They were one thing that brought my brother joy, carefully planted in his garden. They were my mother-in-law’s favorite, so each February we bring them home to remember her.

Now they appear in the empty lots across Los Angeles, where homes once stood, touched by wildfire. Their golden faces turn toward the light – a sign of beauty where something was lost.

Sunflowers are healers. They can pull toxins and heavy metals from the soil - like arsenic and radiation. After Chernobyl and Fukushima, fields of sunflowers were planted to help restore the soil. They are hardy, often the first to return. Their deep roots stabilize the earth, holding it in place, and welcome the more delicate plants. Their blooms call in pollinators, gently rebuilding what was disrupted.

It feels like a kind of whimsical magic – that something so bright and beautiful can help restore the ground beneath us from which everything grows.

I found a fallen carpenter bee on the sidewalk the other day. He was pitch black, with wings that looked like they had been dipped in gold. I carefully picked him up by his furry legs.

Solitary bees do nearly 90% of the world’s pollination. Their fuzzy bodies catch and carry pollen as they move from bloom to bloom – magical work that keeps everything going. One-third of our food supply is dependent on the work of bees.

We tend to think of honeybee hives when we think of bees. But most bees live alone. They nest in soil, hollow stems, or wood, carefully crafting individual chambers lined with leaves, mud, and petals. Inside each one, they place pollen, nectar, and a single egg – like a little DIY nature nursery.

They only live a few weeks, but the nest remains. One generation follows the next, continuing the work where the last left off. Just like the butterflies.

Sometimes I wonder how they know what to do. How something so small can carry such a vast, invisible understanding. A knowing that is threaded in us all.

I’m going to be honest here, I keep my distance from squirrels. Their energy intimidates me. The thing is, they are fearless. If you get too close to their stash, they will whip those tales at you, look you in the eye, and prepare to take you down. At least that is what it appears like to me.

There are so many videos on Instagram of people befriending squirrels, I find it so endearing - it has softened me a bit. The one that hijacks my bird feeder makes me smile at his determination. The way they play and chase each other around the tree outside my window - delightful.

Squirrels spend their days collecting nuts and formidable treasures. They are smart in the fact that they don’t put all their nuts in one basket. They hide them all around. But they are rather absent-minded – they forget where they put up to 75% of their stash. It is estimated that the forgetful squirrel is responsible for planting millions of new trees each year. So remember this next time you curse yourself for having brainfog – the universe is always working in your favor.

One summer when I was about five, I was peering into a window well outside our home. There was a tiny hole in the ground, and beside it, a frog no bigger than a quarter. As I watched, more little frogs began popping out of the hole – one after another – like a wildlife slot machine.

I yelled: “It’s a miracle!”

No one was around to hear me, so I ran off to find my brothers. Instead, I found my grandmother napping on the couch. I gently placed one of the tiny frogs on her chest and whispered, “Grandma, look what I found.”

She woke up screaming. The frog disappeared down her shirt. And the story has been told at family gatherings ever since.

If your heart stopped beating, and your lungs stopped breathing, by human definition, you would be dead. But not frogs in winter. Their bodies flood with glucose, a natural antifreeze that protects their cells from ice. They freeze solid. And when the thaw comes, within days, they wake again.

Just when we think we understand how the world works, there’s always a creature that reminds us otherwise. There is so much we can’t explain. And it makes me so curious to know what else I don’t know.

It makes anything feel possible. It makes the world feel magical.

We had a lot of rain in Los Angeles earlier this year. Within days, clusters of honey mushrooms began appearing beneath the oak trees, spreading across the once-barren ground near the camellias. Mushrooms always feel a little whimsical in the forest – but I had never seen so many in the middle of a neighborhood.

Curious, I went looking for answers and stumbled upon what’s often called the “Wood Wide Web.”

These mushrooms are just the visible signposts of an intricate underground network of fungi connecting plants and trees. It is how they all talk to each other. Did you know that trees can actually send messages to one another - warning of disease or sharing vital nutrients? Mushrooms are the phone lines allowing them all to connect. When it rains, the spores spread, and the signals strengthen.

We are connected in ways we can’t always see. We rely on one another, often without realizing it – sharing resources, showing up for one another. Every species has its own language. Each creature has a knowing.

As humans, we don’t always trust ourselves. We’ve learned to quiet it, to look outward for direction, to follow what we’ve been taught. To ignore those little whispers. But our best lives live in those whispers.

We all play a part in this universe. But only we can feel where it is pulling us. It was coded into our bones by the universe. It is just waiting for you to listen.

☽✶ 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.☽✶

The Flower Moon will peak on Friday, MAY 1st at 1:23 p.m. EDT. This means you can get a pretty good view both Thursday and Friday night.

The Flower Moon got its name from the Algonquin peoples, an Indigenous tribe historically located in the Ottawa River Valley in present-day Canada. It was named for the blooms that spread across the landscape in such abundance this time of year.

Other names given to the May full moon: Moon of the Shedding Ponies (one of my favorites), Budding Moon, Leaf Budding Moon, Egg-laying Moon, Planting Moon, and Frog Moon.

The Flower Moon is positioned astrologically in Scorpio; this moon carries a deeper, more intense energy focused on shadow work and emotional alchemy. It encourages confronting hidden feelings and weeding out emotional baggage to make room for healthier growth.

Are you holding onto creative ideas? The Flower Moon invites you to get to work. By the end of the month, you could watch them bloom. It is viewed as a period of abundance. It is a good time to harvest all the seeds you have sown.

🌸 🌕 The Flower Moon Meditation

The Flower Moon arrives when the seeds can no longer hold back. Everything is blooming at once – plants, trees, and bulbs we forgot we planted last year.

There is a kind of courage in showing up. To open. To be seen. To take up space.

We spend so much time protecting ourselves – staying small, staying safe, waiting until we feel ready. Waiting for the invitation. But nature doesn’t wait. It responds. It blooms when the conditions are right.

And maybe you are closer to ready than you think.

So here is what you are going to do.

Earlier in the evening, gather a few small things from outside – a flower, a leaf, a fallen petal, even a blade of grass. Tiny things that call to you.

Make a cup of tea. Light a candle. Sit somewhere quiet.

On a piece of paper, write down what you want to grow in your life. Not what you think you should want – but what whispers to you. Something that fills you with light. Something that feels dreamy to think about.

Fold the paper and place it beneath your small collection of natural objects.

Look up the time of the full moon in your area. Step outside sometime after the sun has fallen from the sky. The Flower Moon will be waiting for you.

Stand beneath the sky.

Notice what’s around you – the scent of the air, the sound of movement, the feeling of being a golden thread in this universe.

Think of what you wrote today on that paper.

Imagine how you would feel to indulge it.

You don’t need to figure it all out.

Just like a flower doesn’t plan how it will bloom – it just knows it will when the time is right.

When you’re ready, return inside.

Place your paper somewhere you will see it again. Let it stay with you over the next few weeks - on your desk, near your bed, tucked into a book you are reading.

Let it be a reminder.

Something is growing.

And the only you and the universe know what it is.

✦ The Flower Moon Meditation
I think this meditation will inspire you. So if you only have time for one creative prompt this month, let it be this one. And then of course, come back later and indulge a little more.

✦ Spring Walk After Dark
My childhood best friend shared a story with me. Her backyard was filled with tiny holes she could never explain – what was causing them?

One night, she went outside in the dark and saw something moving across the ground. She turned on her phone light and discovered hundreds of nightcrawlers emerging from the soil, racing for cover. It was mating season.

Have you ever walked outside at night and noticed how different everything feels? What comes alive when you look closely? What might you discover? I love to take walks on full moon nights.

✦ Bugs ‘N Bloom Art Challenge
It is back again this year! I’m co-hosting an art challenge on Instagram that pairs bugs with their favorite blooms. You don’t have to be on Instagram to use these prompts to inspire you. But if you are on Instagram, please join us! It is such a fun way to meet new artists and share your work. Art challenges are one of my favorite things.

Until Next Time✨,
Kim

P.S. In celebration of one year of magical things, please share one of your own in the comments. I would LOVE it.

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

Share Looking for the Magic ☽✨

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.

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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

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