By: Jennifer Richardson Holt Something about this time of year makes me—and I daresay a great many people—especially reminiscent. Traditions are built by pulling meaning from years of moments, and if Christmastime is anything, it is filled with tradition. And if I am anything, it is a sucker for tradition. So I have a lifetimeContinue reading “The Fragile Things We Keep 12/14/2025”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Second Breakfasts and Other Small Comforts 12/7/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt It’s a dreary grey day outside. The light rain is falling in drops so tiny they’re nearly invisible. In fact, I wasn’t even aware it was raining until I opened the door to the back patio and heard what I thought was wind in the trees. After noticing their complete lackContinue reading “Second Breakfasts and Other Small Comforts 12/7/2025”
Not Quite Ready–But Getting There 11/30/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I don’t think I’m quite ready. Every year I’m so sure that I am — that excitement is the only thing stirring in me — but this time, I’ve stumbled into new sentiments. By the time you’re reading this, Thanksgiving will already be tucked away and we’ll be well on ourContinue reading “Not Quite Ready–But Getting There 11/30/2025”
Riches, Roots and the Roads Between 11/23/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt We began our mountain vacation with a bang. That first full day brimmed with the kind of moments that stay with a family for years — long after we’re tired of scrolling through the photos and long after we’ve burned off the extra pounds from all the delectable food. Yet beneathContinue reading “Riches, Roots and the Roads Between 11/23/2025”
Under Oaks That Remember 11/16/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt It was a brisk Tennessee Sunday. The sun was doing its best to warm things, but the wind insisted on reminding us that it was, in fact, November. We kept an eye on the gathering clouds along the horizon, having heard whispers of snow in the forecast. It didn’t feel coldContinue reading “Under Oaks That Remember 11/16/2025”
The Welcome Glow 11/9/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt This is something of a disclaimer. Perhaps that isn’t the right word—maybe explanation would be more appropriate. You see, I caught a fair amount of flack this past weekend, and it wasn’t the first time either. It wasn’t particularly traumatizing, as I’ve heard the fuss before. I will say that thisContinue reading “The Welcome Glow 11/9/2025”
The Quiet Between the Peaks 11/2/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt My life is something like reading an echocardiogram. There are high hills and low valleys, with a few unremarkable flat lines in between. Now that I think about it, if I’m making that analogy, my life is probably more like an abnormal echocardiogram—patterns rather sporadic and unpredictable. I’ve always been thisContinue reading “The Quiet Between the Peaks 11/2/2025”
The Sweet Taste of Home 10/26/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I suppose, if we’re summing it up, I am a sucker for tradition. Something about a custom held tightly over long spans of time appeals to me. For me, it’s an intoxicating mix of history, affection, and sentimentality that I simply cannot overlook. I couldn’t possibly explain the feeling of warmContinue reading “The Sweet Taste of Home 10/26/2025”
Grace Over Gucci 10/19/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt This past week, I’ve been playing a dangerous game. I didn’t intend to join in, but somehow, I’ve been all in — and the effects have been deep, reaching into the core of who I am. I shouldn’t be playing this game at all, yet here I am, reaping the consequencesContinue reading “Grace Over Gucci 10/19/2025”
Cornbread and Cool Points 10/12/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I’m in the midst of doing something rather unique, and every time I mention it, I end up having to give the backstory. There’s always a long tale of how things came to be, and I can never quite tell if people are genuinely intrigued or if they secretly find theContinue reading “Cornbread and Cool Points 10/12/2025”
The Crown and the Blade 10/5/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt My daughter is an avid reader. In this, she is very much like her mother. Few things delight her more than being swept into a good story. Yet she’s still at the age where reading can sometimes feel a little too much like schoolwork, so she occasionally needs encouragement to pickContinue reading “The Crown and the Blade 10/5/2025”
Hopelessly Hospitable: Our Favorite Kind of Trouble 9/28/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt My husband and I may have a problem. We knew it was an issue early on, and yet we’ve mostly ignored it, hoping for the best. It can be a lot to manage at times. We know this, and yet we always circle back to the same pattern. No matter howContinue reading “Hopelessly Hospitable: Our Favorite Kind of Trouble 9/28/2025”
Toward the Light, Beyond the Field 9/21/2025
By Jennifer Richardson Holt After the somber mood of last week, I felt I shouldn’t fling drivel at you this time. I wanted something lighter—still meaningful, but not heavy. Not that stories about hummingbird skirmishes or my daughter’s clever quips aren’t fitting in their own right, but I knew I wasn’t quite back in thatContinue reading “Toward the Light, Beyond the Field 9/21/2025”
The Turning Point 9/14/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I do not know if it is prudent for me to write this week. My heart is brimming with emotions so strong I can scarcely hold them in, and I am unsure if letting them spill onto the page is wise. Yet here I sit, fingers on the keys, unable toContinue reading “The Turning Point 9/14/2025”
Perils of Home (and Other Lightly Exaggerated Accounts) 9/7/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt The times around my home are perilous indeed. Dangers lurk both indoors and out, and it is a wonder I am even here to write about them. Perhaps I exaggerate ever so slightly—but only slightly. Some of the goings-on truly are dangerous, or at least could be under the right circumstances.Continue reading “Perils of Home (and Other Lightly Exaggerated Accounts) 9/7/2025”
When God’s Time Became Our Forever 8/31/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt When I was a little girl imagining my future, I always saw myself getting married. Oddly enough, I didn’t give it nearly as much thought as you might expect. As someone who now delights in fawning over wedding details, you would think I’d had mine planned out well before my firstContinue reading “When God’s Time Became Our Forever 8/31/2025”
Where We Fix Our Eyes 8/24/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt One topic kept coming back to my mind this week, no matter how many distractions tried to dissuade me. Sure, there were all the nature moments that tug at my heartstrings and make me want to write. There was the smoke rising off distant pastureland, reminding me of my beloved mountains,Continue reading “Where We Fix Our Eyes 8/24/2025”
Beauty, Oddity and the Middle Ground 8/17/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt My daughter is a singularly unique soul. Actually, even that statement feels a bit too broad. Though true, I long for a word better than “unique.” “Extraordinary” comes closer—and I don’t say that merely from the bias of a mother’s heart. She truly is, in so many ways, unlike any otherContinue reading “Beauty, Oddity and the Middle Ground 8/17/2025”
Whispers on the Fence Line 8/10/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I don’t think I will ever be able to stop being amazed by the simplest things in nature. Of course, we’re all awestruck by a mountain view or a thundering waterfall—those are the easy wonders. They require no real effort to appreciate. Even someone indifferent to jewelry can’t deny the beautyContinue reading “Whispers on the Fence Line 8/10/2025”
Of Ice Cream and Sacred Simplicity 8/3/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt My daughter said I should write about ice cream. She gave me this advice one night while we were standing in the backyard, looking up at the sky. I pondered the idea and tried to see where it would take me. I ended up with a stream of consciousness that, honestly,Continue reading “Of Ice Cream and Sacred Simplicity 8/3/2025”
The In-Between Time 7/27/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I heard an analogy the other day that rang very true. This writer described the feeling of that moment when you’re in the last few minutes of a movie or maybe only have one chapter remaining of a novel and you start to worry. There is a certain anxiety that isContinue reading “The In-Between Time 7/27/2025”
Tea with Jack (Sort Of) 7/20/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt We are living in strange days. I suppose, though, if you have any dealings with the popular stories of the day, this isn’t a particularly shocking statement. In fact, I may go so far as to say it’s old news. We’ve come to expect all manner of the unexpected—to the pointContinue reading “Tea with Jack (Sort Of) 7/20/2025”
What She Wanted to Say (and What I Needed to) 7/13/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt This week has flown by, and there’s been a great deal going on. Not to mention, a topic wouldn’t come to me no matter how much random information I threw at myself, hoping something would spark a little creativity. I even came up with the idea to simply ask my daughterContinue reading “What She Wanted to Say (and What I Needed to) 7/13/2025”
Where Liberty Lived–And Still Lives for Good 7/6/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt The concept of freedom has been on my mind as of late. Yes, my nation just celebrated its Independence Day—that’s part of it, I suppose—but it isn’t merely a dose of patriotism that has stirred these thoughts. Honestly, my mind went a million different places, many of which I didn’t expect.Continue reading “Where Liberty Lived–And Still Lives for Good 7/6/2025”
So Ridiculously Much 6/29/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I saw my first truly lovely, colorful sunset yesterday—my first in ages. As I admired the pastel hues, I found myself wondering why it had been so long since I’d seen one. I’ve always been someone who eagerly seeks out a good sunset, yet, aside from yesterday, I can’t even rememberContinue reading “So Ridiculously Much 6/29/2025”
Prose and Possibilities 