Michelle Novak's Blog: Inspiredbyvenice.org

~ Greetings Friends ~
During coffee hour after church service today, I shared a thoughtful few words with someone over the importance of being in the moment, and how fast time goes.

And lately too, I’ve just been thankful. For the sanctuary of my home. For healthy food. For the simple pleasure of a good book. For rest under warm blankets. For a thousand blessings.

Let us focus a moment on what is around us. And let us be grateful for all that is good in it.

Love yourself. Love each other. Be here now. Be thankful.

~ Stay Inspired ~

Ghostly greetings ~ It’s almost time for Halloween!

I wish I could go trick-or-treating just one more time. Run like a rabbit between doorsteps and collect a pillowcase full of candies. Pour my treasures out on the floor in a heap and take inventory. And of course, any excuse to wear a costume…

I sat in the same spot at church as last week (read post here). I evidently did not learn my lesson. In another few weeks those rays will shift to another pew, I gather. Will I stick out if I wear my straw hat and beach glasses to service next week?

Over the last years, I’ve only put out one Christmas tree. They are beautiful, but the one had been a real tree and it was really more hassle than not. (And anyway, I’d rather every tree just stay planted in the ground).

Instead, I enjoy creating a bit of a celebration on my table. It makes me smile, and it makes me feel loved to see treats and cards spread out. It keeps the seasonal delight going and reminds me of those that I care about.

Don’t you love my vintage glass Pyrex piece? I need to get some cookies under there. Or better yet…a cupcake…a cupcake that will last approximately five minutes with me around.

I’ve been making greater efforts to stock my pantry. I generally don’t keep food in the cupboard – canned soups and such. But there is certainly value as the nights come earlier and chillier and you don’t want to run out when the fridge is low. And also, if you come down with those unexpected sniffles and can’t go out at all. What are your favorites to stock? I’m glad for a low sodium soup, and canned peaches for something sweet.

I’m heading out for an autumnal power walk in the fresh air. I’m going to listen to some new podcasts – get inspired and get that exercise!

Surround yourself with the love you find. Nurture your spirit. Be silly. Show your body kindness. And always…Stay Inspired!

~ Hello Dear Friends ~
It is a glorious October day! Did you have a good week? What was something nice that happened in it?

Here were my silly church wanderings this morning. I hope they make you smile!

It was such a lovely morning at church today. The choir was singing beautifully and the sun was twinkling in through the window to the right of me. It was just perfect…

I had one long pew all to myself. However, it soon seemed I’d picked just the spot when the sun began to beam directly down on me. I tried to sit still and not be shifty. I didn’t want to draw attention. But I became blinded and could hardly see the choir or the minister. I was squinting and my ring was making a sun cat on the pew ahead of me. The beam was so bright in my eyes, I wondered if it could laser off my glasses (like with a magnifying glass) and start a bible smoking? So quietly, I scooted myself a foot down the pew. But the sun followed me a few minutes later. I therefore gently moved another foot. Very soon, another. I was trying to be discreet. But I was traveling down the pew. Ultimately I did escape that very intense sun beam by moving back to my original spot, which the sun had now passed. If you’d seen me, you might have chuckled. I almost did. Musical chairs when God’s glory shines down!

As I listened to the incandescent singing in the choir, I observed two angel statues on either side of the dais. The angels appeared to be kneeling, praying. I adore those sweet statues.
As I considered them, I thought of angels in heaven, singing praises eternally. But then I thought of eternity, and how I wouldn’t be able to last one hour of singing and praising before I’d need a snack. After all, I’m just a fallible human. I can’t comprehend eternity. Nor existence without cookie breaks. I wondered if there were snacks in heaven? Certainly a thought to chide myself with. Why will my spirit need snacks!? It will be on to greater things for goodness’ sake!

After I got home from church, no closer to grasping eternity and being okay with that, I had some cookies.
Stay Inspired!

The season is changing here in Evanston; orange leaves fluttering to the ground, darkness coming earlier and earlier, and cooler temperatures in the forecast. I’m all ready – I’ve got my cozy couch, my secret stash of snacks, and my ever-present stack of books.

Okay – so my ‘secret stash’ of snacks isn’t really secret because I’m the only one here. But when I was a girl, my Grandma had a secret stash of cookies and soda in a bedroom closet, and I was in on the secret. So now, I think of it as carrying on family tradition, you know? My crunchy bites, chocolate nibbles, and fruit-punch juice-box horde are officially the secret stash.

Enough with the silly, let’s get serious. Here it is: If you don’t have a library card, you need one right now.

One would think that since I love reading so much that I’d have already earned my library hermit badge decades ago. Only somehow I’ve always had an inexhaustible pile of books in my house, from here and there. So I just never rolled into the library. Well, one of my neighbors is always ‘off to the library’. And I actually began to feel a little embarrassed of myself. “Yea, I LOVE books…but I haven’t seen the inside of a public library since High School.” Looking away bashfully and blushing.
So, I dragged myself up my library steps a few months ago on a mission to get my library card. If I at least had that library card then I could call myself a proper…I don’t know…bookworm. I just needed the card.

But then I had what one can only call a religious literary experience. I never left the library. Nope. I’ve been living in the library for two months now…

I wish! My word, how I LOVE THAT LIBRARY! I now sprint up the library steps just to longingly peruse the isles, read back covers, and hide from the chaos by disappearing into the nebulous depths of the stacks. I’m reading books as fast as I can, but I’m no speed reader. I read at a regular pace. Which means I can’t read ALL-THE-BOOKS-ALL-AT-ONCE. Because if I could pick a super-human power, it would probably be that.

I guess it’s just the access to so much knowledge. And it feels so real, beautiful, and precious in ways that are hard to describe. So many words, histories, stories, thoughts, feelings, experiences, data, research, LIFE, at my fingertips. And then there are all the incredible ways that libraries are caring for our communities (go to your local library website and check it out). Libraries are truly beacons of light. I only wish that I had lifted them up sooner.

Most of you were already way ahead of me. I know. You’ve had your library card forever and ever. Blush. But for those of you who haven’t discovered the library yet, just know that treasure awaits you. Not just in books. But in community too.

Lift your library. Read books. Stay Inspired.

Hello Dearest Friends ~ I’ve missed you…

It’s been a spell, I know. I stepped away from writing for just a little while. I took some time. I needed it – for rest and new inspiration. What have I been doing? Reading delicious library books, enjoying nature sits and walks, watching sweet movies, and appreciating the great happiness I’ve been blessed with in my present career.

But in the last days, I craved working on my stories. I wondered if that meant it was time to sharpen my pencils and start scratching again. And then this morning as I was putting on my lipstick to go to church (just as good a time as any to have an epiphany…pretty lipstick does inspire me) I suddenly knew how much I missed coming here with my eclectic this or thats, and having you there to share a laugh or thought in exchange. You have been such an important part of my writing journey.

So I thought..how about a Sunday edition. Just a once-a-week to gently drift back…and perhaps even inspire me to pen away a few words on a writing project.

But I didn’t come back to talk about ‘writing’. I’ve come back to share stories. A moment to take both you, and I, away. And to gather, with you. What do we gab about on Inspired By Venice? Inspiration…and bugs. Mostly bugs. Just kidding, not mostly. But a lot. There’s also books, nature, history, costuming, food, and myriad of other zany or inspired happenings.

For today, won’t you leave a comment to say ‘Hello’. Old and new friends alike, I’m glad that you are here, and you are very welcomed to Inspired By Venice.

Stay Inspired ~

Dressing as a character from one of my own books? An author’s heart is all in!
Who is she?

Say hello in the comments – you know I love to hear from you!

Still by Authoress Michelle Novak
Costume: Lita Lockhart (the authoress’s mama)

For a list of my works, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/author/mnovak

The Kenosha Book Festival yesterday at Studio Moonfall was an incredible event! Thank you to all the readers that came out to show your bookish love and support, with so many signed adventures from wonderful local indie authors carried away! I’m still smiling!

Happy reading! Stay inspired!

Being a part of the Evanston Farmer’s Market as one of the Home Grown Artists has been a real blessing to me these last three Saturdays. Great conversations, with so many interesting, intelligent, kind, generous people in my own community. Thank you for supporting this indie author!

Next Sunday, June 25th – I’ll be at the Kenosha Book Festival at Studio Moonfall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.! Can’t wait to see so many of my fellow indie authors, and Kenosha friends!!

A delight of setting up my books as one of the Home Grown Artists at the Evanston Farmer’s Market? Taking home fresh bread and veggies!

Radishes are one of my FAVORITE things God ever invented. I could eat radishes for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Okay, maybe not breakfast. That’s reserved for blueberry muffins. You ever spread butter on radishes?! I’ve seen that. I used to drink milk with spicy radishes (I can’t take heat…at all…and yes, some radishes have a serious kick). LOVE them!

Stay Inspired!

She’s illusive…but sometimes I catch my shadow. She doesn’t say much. The opposite of me – I like to talk. She is a good listener, though. And keeps my secrets very well. I never do see her smile. But I smile all day long. So I’ve got that covered for the both of us!

Stay Inspired!