Good morning from Bald Head Island…finally.

I arrived yesterday afternoon after a rather harrowing experience getting onto the ferry with two dogs. My arm is torn up and hurting because Archie decided to lose his little doggie mind over another dog and ripped the leash right across the side of my arm. As I’ve gotten older, my skin has become very thin, so I now have a pretty awful-looking bruise along with a couple of scrapes to go with it.

I really felt as if I had made it without incident when we arrived at the ferry landing, but clearly I was wrong.

Amos has a training collar that saves me from having to worry about him, but I had always thought Archie was too small for one. After this little episode, I’ve changed my mind. The collar delivers just a tiny zap (I tried it on myself) that’s activated when they pull. It’s not painful, but it immediately gets a dog’s attention. It has been an absolute lifesaver with Amos, who weighs almost as much as I do, and now I’m going to try one for Archie.

Getting to Bald Head Island is always a bit of an ordeal, but the moment you arrive, it’s completely worth it.

And there is much more to this story…but I’ll save that for another day because it’s not actually the reason for today’s post.

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This morning I realized that I’m currently reading quite an eclectic mix of books, and I thought I’d tell you about them and why I picked them up. One is a page turner I can’t put down, another has the potential to change the way I live my life, and the third has sent me down a fascinating rabbit hole that I can’t stop thinking about.

I almost always have more than one book going at a time, but never more than one of the same genre. For example, I wouldn’t read two fiction books at once. I like each one to serve a different purpose.

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The first book is The Story of Marceau Miller by Marceau Miller. I’ve already mentioned this one, but it’s not a typical choice for me. In an effort to step outside my comfort zone…in many ways…I decided to give it a try.

It was recommended by Heather Clawson, who writes the Substack Habitually Chic. I’ve followed Heather for years and have always trusted her recommendations, whether it’s books, travel, or design.

I started reading it last week while sitting by the pool, and it immediately pulled me in. The suspense starts right from the beginning, and I’m planning to take it to the pool again this afternoon. I have a feeling I’ll finish it this week.

So far…it gets a definite thumbs up from me.

(Below I’ve included the publisher’s description from Amazon.)

In the beautiful and dangerous landscape of Lake Geneva, in the shadow of the Swiss Alps, renowned writer Marceau Miller is found dead. In the wake of the tragedy, his wife, Sarah, discovers a manuscript he’s left behind, entitled The Story of Marceau Miller.

With the support of close friends, Sarah struggles to hold herself together while caring for her two children and coping with the mounting questions surrounding her famous husband’s death. Was it an accident or part of some darker game?

Compelled to find the truth, Sarah unravels secrets that make her question everything–and everyone–around her. Who can she possibly trust? Her journey from grief to revelation captures the nuance of marriage to a man who remains an enigma. Who is Marceau Miller, really?

One of the year’s most addictive thrillers, The Story of Marceau Miller marks the debut of a gifted new author–Marceau Miller–who may or may not be the man at the center of the novel itself.

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The second book came from one of those Instagram recommendations that somehow seems to meant exactly for you. I was scrolling when I stopped to listen to a young woman who had moved with her family to Europe. She said it had been a lifelong dream, and that reading this book changed her in a way so that she was able to make it happen.

That’s quite a statement, so I immediately ordered The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer.

I think I briefly mentioned it in Sunday’s post, but at that point I had only just started reading. Now that I’m about halfway through, I can honestly say it’s turning out to be one of those books that makes you stop and think about why your live is the way it is. This book has been around for a while so I’m sure some you have read it, but here’s my take so far.

Like all of us, I’ve been through difficult seasons in my life. There are certain things that can still trigger me and send me down a road I’d rather not travel. This book offers a different way of looking at those moments. The basic premise is that we don’t have to become our thoughts. We can observe them, acknowledge them, and let them pass instead of allowing them to continue influencing our lives.

Of course, there’s much more to it than that, but that’s the part that’s really stayed with me.

I’m about halfway through and very much in contemplation mode. As my family begins arriving this week, I’m sure I’ll have the opportunities to see how well I can actually put these ideas into practice…if you know what I mean!

I will say this…if you’ve never really explored personal development or spirituality, parts of the book might feel a little overwhelming at first because it assumes you already understand some of those concepts. But at the same time, much of what he’s saying really does feel like common sense once you slow down and think about it.

If you’re interested in living with a little more peace and a little less control from the triggers and past experiences we all carry around, I think it’s absolutely worth reading.

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The third book is The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South by John T. Edge.

I think this book could qualify as the rabbit hole, but it’s a very interesting one!

The combination of being from the South and loving to cook has made me interested in the history of Southern food. Years ago, I read another book – Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History by John Egerton. It was first published in 1987 and is considered one of the definitive books on the history of Southern cuisine. It’s the book that explores why the South is the only region in the country to have its own cuisine because of its unique history. The influences of Native Americans, European settlers, and enslaved Africans, combined with years of relative isolation after the Civil War, created a culinary tradition unlike any other in America.

Ever since reading that book, I’ve been fascinated by how Southern food continues to evolve while still honoring those roots. I’m actually doing a little research so that I can write a Substack post on the influence of Latino cuisine on Southern food today. All of this started because of a food truck we’ve been frequenting just down the street from where we live (the best churos ever). Stay tuned for that Substack…I think you’ll enjoy it.

Anyway, so far, The Potlikker Papers has been fascinating because it’s really about the modern South, tracing its story from the Civil Rights Movement to the present day. I’ve lived through much of that history, which makes it even more interesting to read.

If you’re interested in Southern food and Southern history, I highly recommend this book. Even though it’s nonfiction, it’s so engaging and easy to read that I think you’ll fly through it while gaining a much deeper appreciation for the food we enjoy here in the South.

And if you think all Southern food is deep fried…you just need a plate of cornbread with some potlikker.

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A few things I’m loving while I read…

As I was writing this post, I realized that while I love fashion, beautiful homes, decorating, cooking, and all of the things that make life feel a little more beautiful, what really fascinates me is the why behind them. Why did the bohemian style emerge in the 1960s? Why were homes in the South built the way they were? Why does one region of the country cook so differently from another? The more I learn, the more I realize that fashion, architecture, food, and even the way we entertain are really stories about people. They tell us where we’ve been, who we are, and how our traditions continue to evolve. That’s the rabbit hole I’ll happily keep disappearing down. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself, it’s that I’ll always be curious enough to keep asking why?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post…now I’m off to walk the dogs and read those books! Please let me know what you think of what I’ve written in the comments. It really helps to know your thoughts!

Have a wonderful day!

~XOXO Suzanne