27 Comments
User's avatar
Mollie Donghia's avatar

Love all these ideas, Brooke! Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund is one of my favorites...I've read it several times and it comes up in conversation so often because it's just so sweet. I'll have to check out the other one! Your 50 state adventure sounds amazing, I can see my husband and I doing something like that when the kids are all grown. Do you try to hit up a few states along the way within one single trip?

Brooke Z's avatar

Hi Mollie, THANK YOU for so faithfully reading my newsletters! Yes, I’ve read Gentle and Lowly and love it, I think Deeper is the 2nd and I think it’s a trilogy, have to look up the third one.

Yes, it all depends on time/money. We’ve been going back to get the single states we’ve missed by traveling through them and not spending more time in. But like next year, we will take a big New England trip and get 6 states, spending a night or more in each one. That’s going to be fun! They’re all fun though tbh.

Yes, this has me thinking, definitely start planning fun things like this for when the kids are out of the house. The “empty nest” gets a bad rap sometimes but we have had a BLAST! ( I think I see a future post coming!) 😉

Have a great 4th of July! 🇺🇸

Mollie Donghia's avatar

Yes I’m sure you have some great, intentional tips for thriving and enjoying the empty nester season of life! That’s a great post idea 😊

Linda Stoll's avatar

Ah Brooke, you completely had me at your luscious watercolored fruit, friend! Happy July ...

Brooke Z's avatar

Thank you, sweet Linda! 🥰

Tanya Gunderson's avatar

Love everything here, Brooke!! WV is a favorite! I lived there shortly and explored extensively: Seneca rocks, Dolly Sods, Sinks of Gandi are some of my favorites!

Let me know when you come to Kansas! We'll host!

Have a lovely summer

Brooke Z's avatar

And also making note of your WV favorites, we want to go back!

Brooke Z's avatar

Oh YOU are the sweetest! We’ve been in Kansas and appreciate the big sky, the sunflowers, the tumbleweeds and you, the people! ❤️

Tanya Gunderson's avatar

That is so great! I am glad you enjoyed it! Well, let us know if you are back!

Andrea Brown's avatar

Brooke, so much here, and I say yes to all of it!!. I love the warm, newsletter-style format, with all its glorious gems, especially the podcast 🎙️ recommendations and recipes 🍓.

Brooke Z's avatar

Aww, I’m so happy you enjoyed the “something for everyone” newsletter, Andrea! I really enjoy putting these together each month, really lets my creative side thrive! And thank you for letting me know what parts you enjoy as a reader!

Jacquelyn Cochran's avatar

What a lighthearted but meaningful newsletter!! Thanks for sharing!

Brooke Z's avatar

That is exactly what I was going for! Will be quoting you on this. 😉

Jacquelyn Cochran's avatar

Haha, quote away! We all share words here. 🙃 Read, be inspired, write, repeat!

Anne Lemmons's avatar

I did sing John Denver’s song!

I have been to Morgantown WV briefly. It is beautiful. When I was a child, I read The Golden Books and saw these farms portrayed on hills. (I had only seen farms in Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi.—flat land!

I thought, “Wow, these are the farms that go with the pictures in the Golden Books!”

Brooke Z's avatar

Oh I love this so much, Anne, thank you for sharing!

Anne Lemmons's avatar

And you’re an artist, too!

Brooke Z's avatar

Thank you, I am. 😉

Curious and Capable Kids's avatar

Thank you so much for the children's book recommendation! I was just looking for something like that 😊 Lovely July to all of us!

Brooke Z's avatar

Oh that makes me so happy, it’s delightful, you’re going to love it! 🥰

Darlene López's avatar

That strawberry and butter recipe sounds sooooo good! I might just try that, thank you… 😋🍓

Brooke Z's avatar

Thank you!! I hope you give it a try…and let me know what you think, Darlene! The butter makes it “over the top” good! 🍓

Jason Trice's avatar

Ragumuffin Gospel has been on my list for a while. Sounds like I need to bump it up to the top.

Brooke Z's avatar

In my humble opinion, you might want to, Jason. It’s one of those books/authors that stay with you. Get your highlighter ready, friend!

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Jul 3, 2025
Comment deleted
Brooke Z's avatar

Let me know what you think if you give in and make it, Cathy. 😉 🍓 And thank you for reading the July newsletter!

User's avatar
Comment deleted
Jul 3, 2025
Comment deleted
Brooke Z's avatar

I hear ya, but true! 😉