5 Things You Might Like
If you're into wandering women, Italian home renovations, interior design and speaking your mind.
At the end of July I published the first ever Wandering Roots newsletter. I was concerned. Maybe it was a bit long for the average 21st century attention span? So I refrained from adding my recommendations at the bottom.
Instead, I’ve given them their own special post.
Here are some things I’ve been enjoying recently. You might enjoy some of them too.
1. A Woman Who Wanders in Japan
Seeing as you’re here, I’m going to guess you have an interest in the stories of Women Who Wander? If that’s the case, you might enjoy Behind Shoji Doors.
The author,
, recounts her experience of moving from Australia to Japan and then living as one of six people in a house meant for two. If you want to start at the beginning like I am, this is the first instalment:
2. A Community for Renovators in Italy (and Those Who Live Vicariously Through Them)
I’ve realised there are hoards of people out there with the dream of moving to Italy for a simpler life. If you’re one of them you might be interested in Renovating Italy, a site I discovered last week. They’re @renovating.italy on Instagram.
It’s the creation of an Australian couple who have caught the Italian renovation bug and built a full-time career around it, including an online community. If you're a fan of before and after pics the Facebook group is great!
3. Interior Design Gold
If you’re happy where you are, but you fancy some great interior design advice, I highly recommend
’s writing. You can find her on Substack here.
She writes in an incredibly down-to-earth way that makes interior design feel accessible, whether you’re working on your dream forever home or just making a rented bedroom work better. I recently finished her book Mad About The House and if a mother of a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old tells you she finished a book, you know it’s good.
P.S. She’s also renovated an Italian home and is running a couple of interior design retreats there in a few months.
4. A Vocal Woman Spouting Controversial Opinions
Talking of finishing books, I read Portal: The Art of Choosing Orgasmic, Pain-Free, Blissful Birth by
the whole way through earlier this year.
In case you don't know, Yolande Norris-Clark (@bauhauswife on Instagram) is one of the most well-known figures in the free birth movement. She speaks frankly, with courage, and receives plenty of hate for her opinions, beliefs and choices. She's currently renouncing feminism, wholeheartedly embracing the patriarchy and converting to Orthodox Christianity so you can see why some people might be a bit ruffled.
She speaks the truth as she sees it and I feel braver when I hear her words, or read her writing.
She's kind of a love/hate flavour (like licorice), and despite not always reaching the same conclusions as she does, I'm a fan. (I love licorice too).
In this book, she preaches radical self-responsibility and the power of choice. It's all discussed through the lens of pregnancy and birth but really, it's just about how we choose to live. Anybody could benefit from it.
It was a challenging and, quite frankly, perspective-shifting read. It's recently become available to purchase again after some publishing dramas.
5. A Quote to Remind Us; We Can’t Control The Uncontrollable.
Are you familiar with The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron? I managed to work through the entire 12-week process about 5 years ago because I did it with a group of friends. We’ve just reunited to work through her book Walking in This World.
I have to share this paragraph from the Week 2 chapter as it’s such an important reminder…
“Art is not linear. Neither is the artist’s life, but we forget that. We try to “plan” our life and “plan” our career— as if we could. We also try to plan our growth. This means transformation catches us by surprise. The notion that we can control our path is pushed on us by advertisements and by books and by experts who promise us we can learn to control the uncontrollable. “Empower yourself” magazine headlines trumpet. Seminars and whole expos promise the same illusory goal. And yet, experience teaches that life, especially in the arts, is as much about mystery as it is about mastery. To be successful we must learn to follow not the leader but our own inner leadings, the “inspiration” artists have acknowledged through the centuries. “Something” is telling us to make art. We must trust that something.”
There you have it. Five things you might like. Did any of them tickle your fancy?
Keep wandering, in body, heart or mind 💚
I have two of Julia Cameron's books. A friend of mine gifted me the Artist's Way back when I decided I wanted to be a "writer." Back then, I didn't see myself as an artist, because I mostly blogged. But now that I am writing a memoir and learning how arduous the process is, I'm learning to embrace that writing is an art. I still don't do those Morning Pages though :) Do you?
A huge thank you for mentioning Renovating Italy among your list. I'm feeling very honored!!!
lisa xx