March Recommendations

Books, Hacks & More

Mar 27, 2026

Can you believe we’re at the end of March already? It’s Spring! The cherry blossoms outside my front door and all around Seattle are in peak bloom this week and the sun is shining today.

Here’s the monthly round-up for March. I’d love to hear from you — what have you been reading, watching, enjoying this month?

Books

THE SOUND OF A WILD SNAIL EATING by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

This book is so lovely. And short. It’s a very small book. Elisabeth Tova Bailey is bedridden with a mysterious illness and becomes captivated by a snail that sneaks into her house in a pot of violets. She studies the snail and finds solace and wonder in its company.

Image for The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

I should add that I 100% percent want a snail now. I even looked longingly at terrariums on Tuesday at the local nursery.

THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans

I listened to the audio version of this one and it was such an enjoyable story. I don’t know the last time I read a book that featured a protagonist in her seventies and after reading this, I think we need more!

The Correspondent: A Novel - Kindle edition by Evans, Virginia. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

THE NAMES by Florence Knapp

What a fascinating premise for a book. This story has three threads running concurrently. In each thread, the son is given a different name and the reader gets to see how the story changes based on that one difference. I’ve always found names and naming a fascinating topic and I enjoyed this one quite a bit.

The Names -- Florence Knapp - Picture 1 of 1

Hacks

WRITING / WORK
The Tea Trick

I use this for writing but it could be used for any task that comes with a lot of resistance. If, say, I sit down at my desk intending to write but instead I check email, instagram, read that one New York Times article I’ve had open in a tab for two weeks, or otherwise procrastinate, I get up and put water on to boil for tea. Sometimes I skip the entire procrastinating preamble and just start by putting the kettle on.

Teacup, notebook and pen sitting on wooden desk, suggesting upcoming writing session 61901126 Stock Photo at Vecteezy

I return to my desk with tea in hand and commit to writing while I drink my tea. Once the cup is drained, I am free to do whatever I want. The hardest part with any task is in the starting, so this almost always works to get me going. Really it’s just a pomodoro but with tea. Inevitably, though, once I’ve started, I usually continue long past the last sip. When my cup is empty, I’ve done at least a little writing and I’m hydrated (also mildly caffeinated) so it’s a win on all fronts.

LIFE
The 6-minute reset

In the winter I like to read in bed with a heat pack under the covers. Just one of those homemade rice things, nothing fancy. After I brush my teeth, I come downstairs and stick it in the microwave for 3 minutes.

This year my husband fell on the ski slopes, dislocating and fracturing his shoulder and tearing his labrum, so I’ve been heating a second one as well, so he can use it on his shoulder before sleeping. Two heat packs = six minutes in the kitchen. At first this seemed endless when I was tired and just wanted to fall in bed.

17 Spring-Cleaning Kitchen Tips, According to Experts

Haha, that’s ^ not my kitchen. That’s from Martha Stewart. But here’s what I discovered: I can do a LOT in six minutes! It’s enough time to empty the dishwasher, tidy the living room, wipe the counters, fill the dog bowls, whatever. I basically complete a full reset every night and it feels amazing. I really like coming down in the morning to a clean kitchen and tidy space. So much so that I’m already thinking I’ll keep up the 6 minute reset during the summer months, minus the heat packs.

Bonus

I just got one of these lights for my writing desk. It allowed me to remove my bulky desk lamp and now I have more space on my desk for flowers and books. And work space.

The light pivots, it’s super easy to install and it has 3 different color settings + 3 brightness levels. This pic is my actual desk.

For the record, I’m not a sponsor of these lights! Just sharing what’s working for me this month.