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.

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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