Happy Sunday, and to all the Australians, Happy Father’s Day!

In our family, we’ve got a rack of ribs planned, and scalloped potatoes (I have the best recipe — will share soon!), corn and quinoa salad and chocolate dipped strawberries ready for dessert. Guy food, to celebrate our favourite person. Our boys are going to love it.

But right now I’m curled up in my leather chair with the music on, thinking about rest and fallow ground.

Will you give yourself permission to rest a little today?

Introverts and extroverts rest differently, of course, but do you know how YOU rest best?

There’s buffering rest, where I’d do anything just to shut off my whirling brain — and then there’s real rest:

• planned

• healthy

• good for me

• peaceful.

We need the fallow ground before we can plant again and get growing.

I come from a family of do-ers, where rest isn’t much of a thing. We LOVE to be productive and busy, and I’m proud of being a hard worker.

But sometimes ‘productive’ turns a corner into a tired that feels bone-deep.

I popped some fresh jasmine on my desk this week, then draped it over my (repaired!) laptop so I could take a photo.

I rested, and thought about spring.

Like I wrote on Instagram, 2020 feels like a baby that WILL NOT SLEEP, a fussy baby we’re passing from one pair of arms to another, up all night, rocking.

Today, I hope you find your version of rest.

Sometimes the little things — the scent of jasmine, a perfectly poached egg, real mint tea — can deliver a little pocket of peace in this crazy world.

Enjoy your day. I’m thinking of you.

Love Catherine x

PS.

• My fun blouse from Friday — you guys are loving it!

• I’m teaching again! Did you know I was a high school English teacher in my 20s? In October I’m teaching Book Bootcamp via zoom, where new writers learn to write their NONFICTION books (sorry, not memoir). 4 Sundays / Mondays in October for 3 hours. Want to learn more?