What's Coming Up In April

Exploring Ideas, Sharing Creativity, and Growing Together

Dear friends,

"May what I do flow from me like a river, no forcing and no holding back, the way it is with children." — Rainer Maria Rilke

I’m writing this at the end of March, just before we turn the clocks forward an hour to join our friends in the States for daylight savings. It’s Mothering Sunday tomorrow, and today Dave and I took both sets of parents out to one of our favourite bakeries for delicious pastries and coffee. The sun was shining, and we even sat outside – a wool coat and sunglasses kind of day, my absolute favourite. It’s amazing what a simple, intentional plan on a Saturday morning can create – a beautiful memory with family.

In the UK, Mothering Sunday has its roots in the Christian tradition, where it was originally a day for people to return to their "mother church" – the main church or cathedral in their area. Over time, the day became a celebration of mothers and motherhood, particularly in the 16th century. Traditionally, it was observed on the fourth Sunday of Lent, and children, especially those working away from home, would return to visit their mothers, often bringing flowers or small gifts. The day evolved into a wider celebration of mothers, much like Mother's Day in the US, but the UK still observes it during Lent.

I’ve recently recorded both Angel Orphan and Chronicles of Wonder for the audiobooks. The great thing about the audio version is that you get to make any tiny tweaks that may pop up in the print version – meaning you definitely should buy the audio version too, as it has the right intonation, cadence, and emphasis that sometimes only comes out when the author reads them aloud. I’ll keep you posted as to when they’ll be available, but in the meantime, please don’t forget to leave a review of the books if you’ve already read them. It’s so incredibly helpful for an author – really does “feed the beast” and helps others find the series for their children. Thank you in advance.

“I have loved Leah’s writings for educators and mothers and I was so excited to see her step into this new sphere! I was not disappointed. She brings Charlotte to life for a younger generation in a whimsical and tangible way. I look forward to more of these biographies!”
— Anne-Marie E

What’s Coming Up on The Collective - April

If you haven’t signed up yet, The Collective is a growing global community of women hanging out here on Substack, gathering around the ideas of Charlotte Mason – learning about her educational philosophy and methods, reading books and poetry together, lingering over art, and coming together in a virtual space a few times a month, where we can quietly immerse ourselves in the work we love or the tasks we need to accomplish: The Brontë Room.

• Here’s what’s coming up in April:

  • The Charlotte Mason Unboxed Course LIVE: 8th April, 8pm UK

  • The Parent’s Review Society: 14th April, 8pm UK
    We’ll be discussing "The Reading Habit and A Wide Curriculum" by Miss C. M. Mason.

  • The Guest Room: 23rd April, 8pm UK

  • The All Booked Book Club: 28th April, 8pm UK
    We’ll be discussing the whole book: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

  • The Brontë Room
    Check our shared Google Calendar to see when The Brontë Room is open and join us for some quiet, productive time together.

  • The Collective Collaboration
    If you’re a member and would like to share your work – whether it’s a writing piece or a poem – with The Collective, I’d love to collaborate with you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, and we can discuss how to feature your creation with the group!

I hope you’ll join us – we’ve been waiting for you.

Leah x