30 Books, Songs and Podcasts for the Long Winter
As the leaves finish falling and the frosts come rolling in, I start craving exercise of the mind. I want to curl up with a good book or put on a good song and ignore the news or anything eluding to politics. I want to be challenged and think, but nothing controversial please! This winter, I've put together a list of the top 100 books, song and podcasts that I have fallen in love with or that I would like to try. Care to join me?
Note that links to books in particular take you to Amazon through my affiliate link. If you click through and end up purchasing anything on Amazon (say Christmas presents or your monthly order of toilet paper), I will get a small kickback. Thanks in advance!
I am going to start with podcasts -- my ever present buddy for mindless chores like laundry, dishes and weeding. I listen all summer long while gardening, but once winter rolls in, I look for a different kind of podcast. Summer is more true crime, history and mystery type podcasts, but in winter I want very light or very deep podcasts. Here are my personal favorites:
1. Popcast Bible Binge - You might already know about the popcast and enjoy the light-hearted banter, but I am loving the new Bible Binges. Knox and Jaime are both from Christian backgrounds, but this is not a full-on sermon, Bible podcast. It is more about examining Bible stories in the context of modern day pop culture and I am finding it fascinating so far. Note that the Popcast itself is free, but the Bible Binge segments are for $3 Patreon subscribers. This is the VERY FIRST time I have made a Patreon donation to a podcast. #worthit
2. The Liturgists - Again, from a Bible background, this podcast dives deep into psychology, history and philosophy on a host of subjects. Again, NOT a Bible podcast per se, but there are religious and spiritual themes throughout. I listened to the "Names" podcast while painting the bricks in my kitchen and it still resonates weeks later when I see those bricks. Great "thinky" podcast :)
3. Typology - I had taken the Enneagram a few years ago, but my sister-in-law reintroduced me recently. I am a bit obsessed now and this podcast is fueling the obsession. My absolute favorite so far is the "Skeptic" podcast with Matt Carter. I "typed" him very early on because his motivations were dead on my husband's.
4. The Ennegram also led me to the Sleeping At Last podcast, where musician Ryan O'Neal has started releasing songs based upon the Ennegram types. I did not realize that I would be introduced to a deep, deep rabbit hole of interesting music and thought....but not Sleeping at Last music is peppering my Christmas List.
13. The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder is a new publication that goes in depth into the locations (And plants!) from the Little House books.
14. In the same thread, A Wilder Rose is another look at the Little House books. Written from Laura's daughter Rose's point of view, it is a fascinating twist on what we thought we knew about the classic children's books. If you are an Ingall's fan, both of these books are worth a read.
15. I finally gave in and bought Simply Tuesday, one of Emily P. Freeman's books. I could never find it at the library and the idea of making simple "everyday" days worthwhile resonates with me.
16. The Humane Gardener and 17. The Garden Awakening are two sides of the same coin. The latter leans deeply into new age mysticism, but both offer practical ideas for giving back to the soil and building up gardens that will last and last. I don't know that either will make it into my "keep" collection of books, but they were both interesting reads for these chilly days when gardening is nothing more than planning seed starting arrangements and planting the last few bulbs.
Since gardening is not much of an option right now, I have been focusing more on the kitchen. From healthy THM meals to big "man" meals for the boys and comfort food basics, I have been revisiting old cookbooks and trying out new ones. Here are some of the highlights:
18. Nourish and 19. Love Welcome Serve are both new releases meant to nurture. Nourish focuses on nurturing yourself. encouragement to first pursue health at a heart level, bringing lasting change that comes from the inside out. In Love Welcome Serve, the focus is outward. Amy encourages people to open their homes and their hearts, connecting with folks over food; and she offers home cooks simple, crowd-pleasing, comfort recipes, meals that can be prepared for whatever the hospitality affair. I am especially looking forward to THIS:
I have also been revisiting 20. Mad Hungry and the 21. Original Pioneer Woman Cookbook for hearty meals and revisiting my 22. THM Cookbook and 23. PlanBook for MY menus.
There is a new 24. Mad Hungry FAMILY that I want to check out as well as a new 25. THM Table book that I already have reserved at the library.
Not a book, but as far as food goes, I have been making THIS SOUP on a weekly basis for lunch - heavy on the ginger and poblano. YUM.
I always envision myself making bread from scratch, learning how to knit by the fire and weaving intricate designs out of willow all winter long. While I HAVE been experimenting with making my own sourdough from scratch, I fear the knitting and weaving is just a pipe dream. It doesn't stop me from reading fictional knitting books and slowly flipping through 26. Earth Basketry dreaming of future projects.
Note that links to books in particular take you to Amazon through my affiliate link. If you click through and end up purchasing anything on Amazon (say Christmas presents or your monthly order of toilet paper), I will get a small kickback. Thanks in advance!
I am going to start with podcasts -- my ever present buddy for mindless chores like laundry, dishes and weeding. I listen all summer long while gardening, but once winter rolls in, I look for a different kind of podcast. Summer is more true crime, history and mystery type podcasts, but in winter I want very light or very deep podcasts. Here are my personal favorites:
1. Popcast Bible Binge - You might already know about the popcast and enjoy the light-hearted banter, but I am loving the new Bible Binges. Knox and Jaime are both from Christian backgrounds, but this is not a full-on sermon, Bible podcast. It is more about examining Bible stories in the context of modern day pop culture and I am finding it fascinating so far. Note that the Popcast itself is free, but the Bible Binge segments are for $3 Patreon subscribers. This is the VERY FIRST time I have made a Patreon donation to a podcast. #worthit
2. The Liturgists - Again, from a Bible background, this podcast dives deep into psychology, history and philosophy on a host of subjects. Again, NOT a Bible podcast per se, but there are religious and spiritual themes throughout. I listened to the "Names" podcast while painting the bricks in my kitchen and it still resonates weeks later when I see those bricks. Great "thinky" podcast :)
All Painted!
3. Typology - I had taken the Enneagram a few years ago, but my sister-in-law reintroduced me recently. I am a bit obsessed now and this podcast is fueling the obsession. My absolute favorite so far is the "Skeptic" podcast with Matt Carter. I "typed" him very early on because his motivations were dead on my husband's.
4. The Ennegram also led me to the Sleeping At Last podcast, where musician Ryan O'Neal has started releasing songs based upon the Ennegram types. I did not realize that I would be introduced to a deep, deep rabbit hole of interesting music and thought....but not Sleeping at Last music is peppering my Christmas List.
...which brings us to MUSIC:
5. Another huge shout out to Sleeping at Last has to start us off here. Particularly starting a Pandora channel with Sleeping at Last and seeing where it leads. ...or just start with Atlas 1...
...which leads us to...
6. Pandora in general. We listen to several channels over and over and over again. I start with a favorite song, movie or artist and then thumbs up or thumbs down for awhile until our channels are *perfectly* us. My favorites for winter:
7. TROLLS Movie Soundtrack - Yes, I know it sounds weird, but every song is fantastic and my 4 year old daughter and I love this channel equally.
8. Max Richter - The composer behind The Leftovers music, as well as movies such as Shutter Island and Morgan, is a fantastic place to start for a chill and haunting Pandora station.
9. Glee Cast Radio - Start with Glee and give thumbs up and down until you get the perfect Pandora mix of a capella music and fun covers. For the days when you want to dance and SING at the top of your lungs!
10. Joey and Rory Christmas - This Pandora search will lead you to country Christmas both modern and classic. Perfect for the lead up to Christmas!
11. Norah Jones Radio - a FAVE for laidback afternoons and calm Saturday mornings.
12. SONOS - So this is not a song OR podcast, but it is my favorite way to listen to them. Yes, SONOS is expensive, but I would spend the money again in a heartbeat. The speakers can fill the house with banging dance music for afternoon dance parties, wake children up with our favorite annoying kids song, or play chill music that threads through the house like an interweaving web of sound. It is a tool I use almost every day, on the same level as my dishwasher, washer/dryer, ipad. It would make an EXCELLENT Christmas gift.
Onto BOOKS!
14. In the same thread, A Wilder Rose is another look at the Little House books. Written from Laura's daughter Rose's point of view, it is a fascinating twist on what we thought we knew about the classic children's books. If you are an Ingall's fan, both of these books are worth a read.
15. I finally gave in and bought Simply Tuesday, one of Emily P. Freeman's books. I could never find it at the library and the idea of making simple "everyday" days worthwhile resonates with me.
16. The Humane Gardener and 17. The Garden Awakening are two sides of the same coin. The latter leans deeply into new age mysticism, but both offer practical ideas for giving back to the soil and building up gardens that will last and last. I don't know that either will make it into my "keep" collection of books, but they were both interesting reads for these chilly days when gardening is nothing more than planning seed starting arrangements and planting the last few bulbs.
Since gardening is not much of an option right now, I have been focusing more on the kitchen. From healthy THM meals to big "man" meals for the boys and comfort food basics, I have been revisiting old cookbooks and trying out new ones. Here are some of the highlights:
18. Nourish and 19. Love Welcome Serve are both new releases meant to nurture. Nourish focuses on nurturing yourself. encouragement to first pursue health at a heart level, bringing lasting change that comes from the inside out. In Love Welcome Serve, the focus is outward. Amy encourages people to open their homes and their hearts, connecting with folks over food; and she offers home cooks simple, crowd-pleasing, comfort recipes, meals that can be prepared for whatever the hospitality affair. I am especially looking forward to THIS:
OH, and these too please:
I have also been revisiting 20. Mad Hungry and the 21. Original Pioneer Woman Cookbook for hearty meals and revisiting my 22. THM Cookbook and 23. PlanBook for MY menus.
There is a new 24. Mad Hungry FAMILY that I want to check out as well as a new 25. THM Table book that I already have reserved at the library.
Not a book, but as far as food goes, I have been making THIS SOUP on a weekly basis for lunch - heavy on the ginger and poblano. YUM.
I always envision myself making bread from scratch, learning how to knit by the fire and weaving intricate designs out of willow all winter long. While I HAVE been experimenting with making my own sourdough from scratch, I fear the knitting and weaving is just a pipe dream. It doesn't stop me from reading fictional knitting books and slowly flipping through 26. Earth Basketry dreaming of future projects.
Fiction rounds out my last four:
Onward to the chilling, long days of winter! I am prepared!
