Happy new year, friends! I have been on “vacation” these past 2 weeks, and it has been so wonderfully restful, I feel like a new witch… or, at least, a witch who doesn’t have such dark circles under her eyes. Before I bolster myself to return to work on Monday, I’m happy to share my moon-thly roundup of things I’ve enjoyed this past moon cycle, including…
What I’m reading
In December I shared a roundup of my favorite (and least favorite) reads in 2025. Unfortunately, I wrote the list before reading Katabasis, which was absolutely brilliant, and so folks can expect a #spellbooksaturday tomorrow, singing the praises of R.F. Kuang. I’ve also recently appreciated…
“The Husband Stitch” by Carmen Maria Machado
Absolutely brilliant writing.
“There’s a Reason Women Aren’t Swooning Over AI Like Men Are” by Katie Jgln
“Women, it turns out, are more likely than men to avoid the various AI tools increasingly populating (or polluting) our world.”
“Anti-Abortion Surveillance as Fascism” by Kate Manne and Soraya Chemaly
“When men’s freedoms are threatened—by surveillance, censorship, or state violence—we call it fascism. But when women are controlled through forced birth, criminalized for their trauma and survival, or stripped of autonomy, it’s ‘bad men,’ ‘culture,’ ‘personal tragedy,’ or crickets.”
“Debating Away Our Humanity” by Jessica Valenti
“…to participate would be accepting the premise that our rights and humanity are up for debate. Once you concede that it’s reasonable to ask whether women’s rights are a good thing, you’ve already lost.”
What I’m watching
November and December were so busy, and I cannot express how much I’ve appreciated a few snowed-in days of being an absolute couch potato— we’ve stayed in our pajamas, gorged ourselves on holiday leftovers (Garun really is a wonderful cook!), and watched a lot of movies and shows. For movie reviews, check out Hedge Witch on Letterboxd! Visit…
What I’m listening to
The fire— there’s something so primal and mesmerizing about a fire! (This one could also be “what I’m watching,” but whatever.) This is the first home I’ve ever had where we’re heating primarily though a woodstove, though even when I lived alone in a tiny studio apartment, I would occasionally leave my TV on something like…
What I’m doing
Two things about me: I am a huge proponent of mutual aid and I like to knit. I believe in the importance of the former for many reasons, most of which can be distilled to the concept that “the center will not hold” and so we have to take care of each other; and I appreciate the latter because I like to keep my hands busy when we watch movies, etc., but mostly because of the pleasure inherent in making something yourself. For the past few years I have been gifting my knit goodies to people experiencing homelessness and hardship— scarves are the most versatile, but this knit cap pattern is simple and can be completed relatively quickly (note: when I reach the crown and begin reducing, I skip the SSK and continue to K2, P2, as I didn’t find that the slips made any difference in the final product).
