It's finally December, and my hands are itchy to make things. How about you?

Today, I’m settling in with a cozy journal episode all about making (which includes, of course, baking)—the creative, connected kind that feels especially grounding this time of year.

I recorded this on the last day of November, after a snowy, white-knuckled drive to drop Owen off at his roommate’s house so the two could make their way back to campus together. I came home ready to curl up with tea, knitting, and a stack of holiday magazines, and that sense of relaxed creative energy became the starting point for today’s conversation.

In this episode, I share the story of returning to knitting after more than three decades. With the help of my neighbor Sue and a beginner-friendly washcloth pattern, I’ve been slowly rebuilding my knitting “muscle memory,” making mistakes, unraveling whole evenings’ worth of work, learning tension and shaping, and loving the meditative rhythm of it all. I’m not quite ready for knitted holiday gifts this year, but I’m excited to explore simple, festive projects—maybe ornaments, garlands, or anything that makes use of this new hobby without the pressure to perform.

And of course, no holiday-season conversation about making would be complete without a conversation about baking. Last year I baked a lot; but not a lot of different things. Instead, I leaned into a small rotation of beloved recipes (cranberry-orange everything), making them again and again until they felt like (tasty) old friends.

This year, I want to expand on that same idea, leaning into a few baking themes instead of trying to make every Christmas cookie in the book. Think tea-based baked goods, pastries, and maybe a recipe pulled from the history books. I’ll be using our upcoming community Holiday Baking Bee to establish this year’s treat lineup, and in the episode I talk through the recipes I want to revisit, where I’m looking for inspiration, and even the practicalities of keeping my feet, shoulders, and neck happy during long baking sessions.

I also share details about the Baking Bee happening December 5–7, how you can participate, and a few reminders about where to find member links, resources, and event info.

Our monthly episodes are a benefit for paying members of The Kettle Community. To hear the full episode and find those helpful links, as well as links to community events like our weekly Co-Create sessions on Zoom, our private Discord chat, and more.

Click below to listen to the full episode and join our peaceful, creative little haven! Annual memberships are 60% off through December 7, so this is a great time to join.

This time of year brings with it a certain tension: we want to soak up every last moment of the waning warmer weather, while also preparing to turn inward for the colder, shorter days, and longer, cozy nights ahead. How can we ease that inner conflict to get what we need out of this liminal season while readying ourselves for the long, dark winter ahead?

In this month’s Journal - exclusively for paying members of The Kettle - I’m reflecting on the tasks and treats that are helping me feel more prepared for the colder months ahead so I’ll be happy to retreat when it’s really time. From a sampling of cozy books and warming recipes to establishing indoor movement practices, this episode is all about readying our spaces and routines for a slower, quieter winter’s pace.

Upgrade your subscription now to hear the full episode and find those helpful links, as well as links to community events like our weekly Co-Create sessions on Zoom, our private Discord chat, and more.

Click below to listen to the full episode and join our peaceful, creative little haven!

episode links:

* Holiday Baking & Books episode with CJ | A Well-Read Tart

* Vera Wong’s Guide To Snooping (On A Dead Man) by Jesse Sutanto. Laugh-out-loud funny, poignant and a little bit tense! Definitely read the first one, too.

* The Dove Pond series by Karen Hawkins. I recommend starting with The Book Charmer, but I first read (and loved) A Cup of Silver Linings.

* The Proper Place by O. Douglas. Published in 1926 and set in early 20th century Scotland, this book features class tension, cozy village scenes and characters, and a cast of lovable, spunky, and quirky characters. It somehow manages to remind me of Jane Austen’s books, Little Women, and Anne of Green Gables all at once.

* The Herbal Year by Christina Hart-Davies. More than a simple reference guide, this book’s lovely illustrations, season-by-season structure, and storytelling offer an accessible and inspiring entry point into the world of herbal medicine. This would be a lovely gift for someone who’s interested in herbs, folklore, and the natural world.

* The carrot cake I made for Will’s birthday (as I shared in the episode, I’ve upgraded my baking game over the years - but my cake-decorating skills are still stuck in 1998.)

* The warm grain salad recipe Sarah Powers turned me on to. (And, everyone, please do share your favorite warm salad/grain bowl recipes for an upcoming episode of Midlife Lady Leisure Pursuits!)

* My YouTube channel (new videos every Tuesday - the next video will be all about creating a meditative tea ritual, wherever you are.)

interested in a custom tea blend + virtual tasting workshop?

Fill out this sign-up questionnaire and I’ll be in touch. (If you want to give this as a gift or set up a group session, just email me for details.)

community events and links:

* Mark your calendars! We’ve got something in the works for December 5-7: a weekend-long community baking bee. Get ahead of your holiday baking, try out some new recipes, or just enjoy a cozy weekend in the kitchen, in the company of other members of The Kettle. This will be a lightly-guided, interactive, choose-your-own adventure experience that you can shape to suit your own goals and schedule. Keep an eye out for more information soon.

* Join The Kettle community for our weekly Co-Create Sessions on Wednesdays from 9 AM - 10:15 EST. Work on your creative project of choice in a supportive, encouraging environment! We regularly have members working on projects as diverse as scrapbooking, writing, art journaling, needlework, organizing photos, baking - but sitting and waiting for an idea to come is A-okay, too. The Zoom link is always the same, so get it on your calendar now.

* And don’t forget to check out the new Discord server, where we’re talking about upping our sourdough game, delicious N/A beverages, getting into genealogy, and more. Join us there!

Wondering how to access these exclusive Journal episodes in your favorite podcast app? Your private RSS feed is here. If you aren’t sure what to do with it, this tutorial should help. Feel free to reach out with questions!

The history and tradition of tea is so much richer than indicated by that little row of boxes on the supermarket shelf. In this episode I’m taking you behind the scenes of the process I’m undergoing to become a Certified Tea Sommelier: what the program is like, what I’m learning, and how I hope to use my newfound knowledge as I dive more deeply into this fascinating world.

episode links

Last year’s free November journal episode is a good way to get a sense of what these monthly Journal episodes (now for paying subscribers only) are like.

I’m pursuing my Tea Sommelier certification through the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada

Here’s my new kettle, plus the poll from 2023 that helped me decide (more than a year later)!

Recent podcast episodes about tea: The magic of good tea with Henrietta Lovell, the Rare Tea Lady, and 20th century tea rooms and the path to becoming a citizen historian with Jan Whitaker

Bespoke tea blends from Bevy - here’s how to work with me to create a customized tea blend, made just for you!

Email me to reserve your BevyBox.

A BevyBox is a curated, customized gift box for people who love tea and tea-adjacent things including journals, teaware, and craft supplies, completely customized starting at $75. Email me at [email protected] with your budget range plus your preferences: tea types and flavors, whether you want to include craft supplies, a journal, stationery, teaware, etc, and anything else you want to tell me about the recipient (which can, of course, be YOU!) I’ll respond with questions and we’ll create the box together.

After spending nearly three weeks living in our RV in the Upper Peninsula, I’m back home and settling in, and in this month’s Journal - exclusively for paying members of The Kettle - I’m reflecting on my routines and priorities and how they evolve with the season. From baking bread in an RV kitchen, to stepping away from social platforms, to simply claiming more screen-free time for long river rambles and reading printed books, I’ve been noticing how change, big and small, can shine a light on old habits and patterns and open up space for new ways of being.

In this episode, I share my sourdough routine at home and on the road and a fish chowder recipe I made from the huge salmon Eric caught up north, and I talk about my decision to deactivate my Instagram and Facebook account. I also share the final post I wrote before logging off. (You can hear me voice it on the episode and also read the text in the post below.)

October always feels like an especially transformational month to me, and I’m glad to be able to explore the changes happening in my life with you here. Upgrade your subscription now to hear the full episode and find those helpful links, as well as links to community events like our weekly Co-Create sessions on Zoom, our private chat area, and more. Click below to listen, as well as join our peaceful, creative little haven!

Have you ever wondered about the different paths available to becoming a historian - and how historians choose the topic areas that fuel their passions? In this episode I chat with author and consumer historian Jan Whitaker to explore a fascinating corner of American history: the rise of rural tea rooms in the early 20th century. These small, often women-run businesses offered a rare space for independence, entrepreneurship, and community during a time of rapid social change. We also take a closer look at what it takes to be a a “citizen historian”. Whether you’re curious about consumer culture, women’s history, or finding your own way into historical storytelling, this episode offers plenty to inspire. Sit down with a cup of tea and enjoy!

episode links:

* Jan’s book: Tea At The Blue Lantern Inn: A Social History of the Tea Room Craze In America

* Jan's blog and website

news:

My book, The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read: How We Let Our Kids Go And Embrace What’s Next releases in audiobook on September 23!

Most of my posts here are free, but behind the paywall you’ll find exclusive content and community events like our weekly Co-Create sessions on Zoom, our private chat area, and more. Click below to listen as well as join our peaceful, creative little haven!

The idea of “prepping” often elicits eye-rolls. But you don’t have to be awaiting the apocalypse to find value in stocking your shelves. The truth is, a little pantry planning and preserving can help us ride out price spikes, lean times, and supply-chain issues so we can live (and eat!) well even when life is bumpy - not to mention, ensure that we have …

After a sad and stressful start to the month, I came home to a full house, stuffed fridge, bursting container garden, and some seriously disrupted routines. And while I once wouldn’t have recognized my all-over-the-place, can’t-focus-or-settle-down state of mind as a symptom that something wasn’t quite right, I now understand that this is how my brain and body react when I’m feeling overwhelmed.

This podcast episode and accompanying blog post, exclusively for paying members of The Kettle, is all about overwhelm: how it shows up for me in my body and behavior, how I recognize what’s going on, and how I’ve learned to calm my nervous system and get things back on track when it’s all a little too much.

Upgrade your subscription now to listen to the episode and see photos, links, and a written list of my tips for dealing with overwhelm. It’s also where you’ll find the links to community events like our weekly Co-Create sessions on Zoom, our private chat area, and more. Click below to listen as well as join our peaceful, creative little haven!

Hi friends. I usually publish my monthly Journal episode on the first of the month, but in the wake of a devastating loss in our family, I’m instead putting up a short (and, warning, hastily edited!) episode in the public feed.

My sister-in-law, Jen, died on Tuesday, leaving behind her husband Adam (my stepbrother) and my niece and nephew Elia and Judah, just three and five.

As family and friends mourn this loss and rally around the grieving father and children, I’ve been reflecting on what it looks like to care during times of loss and grief, and how the traditions around mourning (plus natural limitations around our perceived ability to act) used to create the structure and “what to do next” for us.

Now, in a world where we are confronted with so many tragic stories and so many things we could potentially act on or advocate for, it can be hard to know where to focus our energy and what is truly “ours” to do. A death in the family is really driving home how important and impactful those small, localized, personal efforts can be.

I’ll be back later this month with my Journal episode (for paying subscribers) and am sure I will have more to say about this loss as I process. In the meanwhile, if you feel so moved, you can make a donation to this GoFundMe set up to help Adam, Judah, and Elia navigate this terrible loss and rebuild their lives.

Thank you, friends, and keep caring.

Warmly,

Meagan

Ever cringe at how much of your monthly budget goes to restaurants? Yeah, been there - and so has CJ, creator of the food and book blog, A Well-Read Tart and a self-described former “restaurant rover and takeout queen.”

While CJ and I both know how easy it is for eating out to become the default solution for everything from boredom to overwhelm to lack of planning, over the past couple of years the so-so nutritional value of many restaurant meals, a desire to keep our budgets in check, and just one too many underwhelming and overpriced eating-out experiences have helped push us both toward a new default: eating almost all of our meals at home.

In this episode, CJ shares how she and her husband transitioned away from relying on restaurants to preparing most of their own meals, how she overcame mindset hurdles, what her planning process looks like, and the small, satisfying ways she still treats herself without defaulting to a restaurant menu.

Whether you’ve been wanting to cook more at home or are just curious about making a similar shift, the tips, encouragement, and resources in this episode might just get you on your way.

Recipe site and cookbook recommendations from CJ | A Well-Read Tart:

* How Sweet Eats

* The Girl Who Ate Everything

* Pastry Chef Online

* Smitten Kitchen

* Dessert for Two

* Allrecipes.com

* Taste of Home Cookbook

* Taste of Home Website

* The classic Betty Crocker Cookbook

* The Betty Crocker website

Recipes we talked about on the show:

* Quick Chickpea Curry

* Shrimp Turmeric Curry

* Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

* Grilled Spiced Skirt Steak

* Lemon Piccata Flounder with Herbed Couscous

* Baked Flounder with Shrimp Stuffing

* Loaded Turkey Nachos (for the homemade taco seasoning we talked about!)

* Quick and Easy Black Bean Burgers With Peach Guacamole

* CJ’s Easy Homemade Fruit and Nut Granola recipe

* My “so good I eat it everyday” granola recipe

I hope you loved listening to this episode as much as I loved making it. As a reminder, while these mid-month conversations are still totally free (and ad-free), my Journal episodes - which come out on the first of each month - are a benefit for paying subscribers to The Kettle.

In future behind-the-paywall posts and episodes I’ll be sharing more tips on eating well at home as well as a peek at my experiment in small-space living - including adventures in baking sourdough bread in a tiny RV kitchen!

Upgrade your membership now to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

The July journal episode of The Kettle is all about the idea of “smallness” and what that means to me right now. In the episode I share some specific ways I’m leaning into smaller-scale efforts in my real life and the results. From working on my new book (a fiction project!) a little at a time, to the small-but-oh-so-satisfying yield from my modest-sized container garden, to the small space I’m inhabiting right now in the 30+ year old RV Eric and I are using as our home base Up North, this episode is all about the beauty of small!

Upgrade your subscription now to listen to the full episode, and see more episode photos and links, and if you’re a paying subscriber. http://meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe