Encouragement Files
(9-25) Field Notes for Curious Minds
This is the 9th Edition of ‘The Encouragement Files’, fun cousin to our non-Substack newsletter Field Notes for Curious Minds. This weekly offering is a celebration of the inspiring words, publications and people that have caught our eye. Hopefully, it will prove to be an encouragement for you to shout up for the creativity that lifts your spirits and counterbalances the downbeat in a world gone mad.
Shortcuts to Good Stuff
There is SO much to discover. How do we navigate the abundant and fertile lands of Substack … we seek out guides, perhaps, folk familiar with the neighbourhood and the cool places to hang out. Here’s our equivalent to one of those ‘48 hours in …’ city guides, but for words:
We are thrilled for
and , the fiercely independent creative souls behind Kingdom Anywhere, an indie publishing house based in Paris, which has just released a limited edition volume of poetry by . From Paris to Amsterdam, and we join in a favourite library. From libraries … to books, of course. We are so wildly ill-disciplined about book-buying … don’t buy it, don’t buy it … oops, there’s ’Rough Patch’ by and it’s just arrived in the post! But as long as you read them, right? I’m embarked on a gentle project to read 25 books first published in 1965, my very own ‘year ofBeyond Substack
A R C H I T E C T U R E
The writers among us dream of ‘the perfect cabin’, away from distractions where our creativity can thrive. Plenty to choose from in this ‘top 10’ … but we are particularly taken by these Finnish holiday cabins that sit lightly on the land.
“The cabin, realm of simplification. Beneath the pines, life is reduced to vital gestures, and time spared from daily chores is spent in rest, contemplation, small pleasures. The array of tasks to be done has shrunk. Reading, drawing water, cutting wood, writing, pouring tea: such things become liturgies.”
Sylvain Tesson - ‘Consolations of the Forest’
A R T
We never used to think we were ‘cat people’ but things are changing. Cat-sitting Napoleon and Sylvie for
transformed our understanding of these mysterious creatures. Maybe this art will help even more.
A D V E N T U R E
We have waxed lyrical before about the incredible words and images in Sidetracked Magazine, stories and photography that unlock a better understanding of the world we live in. Take this piece by Melissa Schäfer.
R E A D
Ever wondered what it is like to cook in a Michelin 2* kitchen? Wonder no more, with this incredible storytelling from
We are loving the arrival of
… beautiful writing about beautiful places and why they matter to us. Places like Orcas Island.Writing that touches us, truly touches us, is raw, and messy, and human. But it is uplifting, hopeful and truthful too. This is brilliant
I have high hopes of sending out letters and postcards from our train travels through Europe this coming Autumn. A lost art?
revives it.
Last week, my Mum went to listen to Lemn Sissay read his poetry. We are fans.
Our Encouragement1 Manifesto will be 5 years old in April.
Back next week, same time, same place.
Barrie and JoJo
We know you already know … but just in case - sorry for banging on about it - we do a whole lot of encouragement here and here including mentoring sessions (for FREE)
Thank you. So glad you enjoyed the piece.
Always I find something wonderful! And, I don't think you can ever bang on enough about encouragement, much needed here at the moment! Thank you, have a great weekend - its blowing a gale here!