Love is Still in the Air!
A Farewell to Valentine's Month
Dear reader,
I hope you weathered the blizzard alright! I loved snowstorms in Scituate as a kid because time seemed to pause when the power went out, and our small neighborhood banded together to help each other. Now as an “adult,” enduring this nor’easter felt just as heartwarming. I woke up to a neighbor clearing snow off my car because she knows I don’t have a sturdy shovel 💙
Call me crazy, but I craved the hardy experience of winter in New England and the sheer beauty of our snowscapes during the many years I lived in California. So this winter wonderland the whole month (all 28 days!) has felt like such a gift. For weeks now I’ve marveled at the sea ice frozen on the surface of the tidal rivermoor, a sight that seems otherworldly.
Yet Valentine’s week ushered in a lot of swirling energy: President’s Day, Lunar New Year, Lent, Ramadan, the Winter Olympics. I’m still smiling at the sweetness of the Friendship Dance held at my mom’s elementary school, the only festivity I was able to enjoy this month as I was bedridden for a week with the flu and my body is slowly recovering.
If you, like me, haven’t had a chance to observe these special occasions as you would have liked, and you’re still feeling their flurry, why not book a 1:1 tarot reading to go deeper. Perhaps even set some intentions before spring really sets in.
And do get in touch if you’d like to host an International Women’s Day celebration or St. Patrick’s Day pop-up! ☘️ Tarot parties always bring good luck 😘
Cheers, Haley Smith Kingsland
P.S. In honor of Black History Month, I’m contributing 11% of my February net profit to the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
Follow me @sovereignsoulmagic! I’m in the midst of migrating this content to my website (stay tuned!), but if you scroll down you’ll see posts highlighting a snow day, Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, and the Hanged Man for Piscean season ✨
📚 STORIES TO SAVOR
Every winter animal track tells a story 👣 (From our local North and South Rivers Watershed Association.)
The Netflix rom-com A Tourist’s Guide to Love, almost entirely shot in Vietnam with a majorly Vietnamese and Vietnamese American cast, takes place during Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year).
And my favorite comedy of all time, Best in Show, in memory of Catherine O’Hara 🐕
I’m so glad I jumped on the Heart the Lover bandwagon, as I adored the first part that led me to Writers & Lovers, its sequel/prequel (surprisingly set in Boston!). Both Lily King novels resonated personally: university literary life, the flaky dating scene and transformative love, the hospital grind through terminal cancer, grief as a young adult after a beloved parent’s premature death, heightened sensitivity from dysfunctional family dynamics, the artistic devotion to one’s craft. Though each ending felt far too neat, I loved the protagonist’s quirky and wistful voice ❤️
I read 107 Days over President’s Day weekend as I’m a political junkie for presidential elections. I expected a post-mortem from Kamala Harris but it’s more like a chronological play-by-by, absolutely riveting in its own way (thanks to Geraldine Brooks, her ghostwriter). However, Kamala’s canned boilerplate talking points fell flat, and I wondered about some of the campaign strategy, though I imagine her words would sound juicy on audiobook.
Mikaela Shiffrin’s gold slalom run inspired by her late dad, Alysa Liu’s relaxed and fun gold free skate, Kaillie Humphries’ bronze monobob run after becoming a new mother through endometriosis and IVF— all incredible Olympic comebacks (among many!) … plus the cheery Starbucks Coffee Run ad featuring Team USA ☕ The tune is still ringing in my head!
And finally, the charming (and challenging!) snowy New York puzzle that took my mom and me all month to complete 🐶
💎 LOCAL GEM
I stocked up on treats before the blizzard at Three Sisters Provisions in Cohasset. Their savory mushroom soup is excellent! Not creamy, just chock full of three different kinds of finely diced mushrooms. My neighbors and I loved the vegan eggplant meatballs!
🛍️ UPCOMING EVENTS
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March 14 (Saturday), 12-4pm: Spring Sip & Stroll @ Kingston Collection
March 22 (Sunday), 1-4pm: Cohasset Health & Recreation Fair @ Deer Hill School (a prelude to the summer community market!)
March 28 (Saturday), 3-7pm: Spring Sip & Shop @ Pembroke Community Center
April 4 (Saturday), 1-5pm: Nuptials Wedding Showcase @ Kingston Collection
April 11-12 (Saturday & Sunday), 9am-5pm / 9am-4:30pm: Inspired Life! @ Quincy Marriott