Embracing the Rainy Springtime with a Weekend Walk

Plus, a historical fiction book review and a book club tip

Listen to me read the post above. ⬆️

Notes from a Kindred Spirit is a bi-weekly newsletter about embracing curiosity, exploring hobbies, living with chronic illness, and finding contentment in the everyday.

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Hi friends,

Just a short note from me today.

We’re having a rainy start to spring here on the west coast of Canada, but my husband and I took our dog, Chewie, for a walk last weekend and I snapped a few photos to share.

We saw the rain coming in over town, some early blossoms, and a few herons, too. The next day we left Chewie at home and braved the cold wind and rain to see sea lions with full bellies from feasting on the recent herring spawn. Unfortunately, they mostly stayed in the water to keep out of the wind, so hopefully next year we’ll catch them lazing on the rocks.

If you’re interested in mixing things up with your book club, try choosing a theme and having the members pick their own books with that theme.

Then, at your book club meeting, everyone can share about the book they chose, how it fits the theme, and whether or not they’d recommend it.

Pro tip: Remember to decide whether or not you’re allowing spoilers before the sharing begins!

(👋🏻 If you’re a book club host, check out my Book Club Hub Notion template to help you organize your book club with ease!)

Finding Flora by Elinor Florence | Historical fiction | Pub. date: April 1, 2025

I was lucky enough to be given an ARC of this book for review by Simon & Schuster Canada.

It’s 1905 when we meet Flora Craigie as she jumps from a moving train in the Alberta prairie. Recently arrived from Scotland, Flora is trying to escape her abusive new husband. With no family left in Scotland and nowhere else to go, Flora claims a homestead near other women homesteaders which comes to be known as Ladyville among the locals.

These 5 women from different backgrounds band together to help each other survive the harsh winters and meet the requirements set out by the Canadian government to farm their land and earn their land titles. But homesteading in unfavourable conditions isn’t the only threat as many locals disapprove of women being given land. Plus, the Canadian Pacific Railway’s plans have land prospectors looking to expropriate the land of Ladyville and remove its residents no matter the cost.

My Thoughts

I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy a book about homesteading, but I was wrong! You are immediately thrown into the story as Flora jumps from the train and you can’t help but root for her as she escapes her abusive husband and tries to make a life for herself even though she’s alone in the world.

I was born and raised in the Canadian prairies, so it was interesting to learn about the history of how land was divided up and sold and what life was like for the early farmers who moved to western Canada for the promise of land that could become prosperous. I enjoyed seeing this part of history through the lens of the women in the story. Nothing came easily for them, and they had to deal with a lot of prejudice and government corruption while fighting for their right to own land.

I fell in love with all five women in this story. They all came from different backgrounds and each brought something unique to the story that created a window into the lives of women in the prairies at the turn of the century. Their generosity, courage, and determination are admirable and I was sad to say goodbye to them at the end of the book. After reading, I was left with such a warm feeling and a new appreciation for prairie women of the time.

Trigger warnings: sexism, domestic abuse, physical abuse, death, violence, fire/fire injury

🫶🏻

Platonic Love

shared "10 things to do on a date with your friends"

🔮

Annie Aboulian

aka The Tarot Professor shared "5 Tips for Developing a Regular Tarot Practice"

📘 I preordered

Victoria Harrison

’s upcoming book The Solstice Yearbook: A year of rituals, festivals and ancient magic for modern life

📖 "11 Little Ways to Fall Back in Love with Reading" on self.com (You can also see a round-up of my reading tips here!)

How are you welcoming spring (or autumn, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere)? Do you have any hobbies you return to at this time of the year or any travel plans? I’d love to hear about it in the comments or you can reply to this email and let me know.

P.S. I have 3 digital products available in the Notion Marketplace!

📚 BOOK CLUB HUB for the book club host who wants to organize their club with ease so they can focus on the fun part—reading good books and chatting about them with friends! It’s perfect for small to medium virtual or in-person clubs.

📖 CURATED BOOK LISTS for the book club host or bookworm who doesn’t know what to read next.

🎁 GIFT PLANNER & TRACKER to help you organize birthday and holiday shopping and stay on budget.