This post is remarkable for me because for the first time in at least a year, I haven't really had a book on my plate; yes, War and Peace is still taking up space on my nightstand, and I've got a few things on my Kindle that still need to be wrapped up (Hausfrau, Kindred, more Elena Ferrante), but I've taken a long and enjoyable break from really engaging with literature.

It's weird for me to say I've enjoyed it, because there is almost nothing I enjoy more than reading, but the weather has warmed up dramatically in the past few weeks and I've used every spare moment to be outside in my garden., which is a very new hobby for me. I suppose in the long-term I'm just trying to create an elaborate outdoor reading space, but there is a lot of labor involved. I also enjoyed a week-long vacation in Iceland, and although the Kindle made the journey with me, I barely picked it up. We camped several nights and by the time we snuggled into our sleeping bags I was exhausted and reading held no appeal.

Now that I'm home, however, and my flowering trees are in full bloom, I'm very ready to get back into it -- War and Peace will be finished, even if it takes me until December, and I'm ready to make a new stack of TBR books to litter the floor.