Living rurally for the past month has felt both relaxing and lonely. For most of my adult life, I’ve lived in apartment buildings in the city, surrounded by the gentle coming and goings of nearby neighbours, quietly witnessing each other’s routines. Here, in the country, where the landscape feels wider, slower, human connection takes a lot more effort. Especially now, that I’m no longer part of the dog club, meeting people around the neighborhood feels kind of impossible. If we don’t get in our car and drive somewhere, I hardly see anyone!

But there’s one thing the country does better than anywhere else, though, and that’s pie. We stopped in to pick up some treats at Betty’s Pies & Tarts and walked out with one of the best peach pies I’ve ever had. Is there anything better than a summer peach pie? She transformed half her farmhouse into a little bakery, and it’s every bit as charming as you might imagine.

weekly mementos

• wearing Timeless Floral by Wyld Notes. Such a pretty summer scent.

• playing Tiny Bookshop. I’m in love with this game. So cozy.

• I miss Muskoka. I miss making zines. I miss my printer. I miss folding zines on my kitchen table while listening to a podcast, and seeing Muskoka sleeping soundly on the couch. I miss my apartment, my things, my records, my treasured zine collection. I miss my bed, my bathtub, the view outside my bedroom window. I miss my plants, my journals, my neighbours, the corner coffee shop. I miss the little life I had on Bayview Ave.

🐦‍⬛

heart-ons

• I’m a pansy, and i love paper

• The Lucky Duck Mail Club

• A repository for the Paper Worm Club. Such beautiful paper treasures. I love paper gems like this so much. Sad that it’s gone.

• Ray Johnson Estate. Mail art & ephemera.

• ‘26 summer zine mixtape by Zine Machine.

I’m off to see a few apartments today in Toronto, and maybe catch a baseball game later tonight. K has the next three weeks off, and we have some camping and drives to Kingston, ON on the agenda. Looking forward to some adventures ⛺️