Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep

Our story tonight is called Tell the Bees, and it is a story that so many of you have asked for. I know that the podcast has seen many of you through difficult times, and often, you’ve asked for a story that might be a balm to a heavy or grieving heart, and this is my first attempt at that. If you want to avoid any heaviness tonight, that’s understandable. Marmalade and Crumb are always there for...

Originally Aired: May 15th, 2022 (Season 9 Episode 2)   Our story tonight is called "Petrichor," and it’s a story about things getting greener as the spring rain falls. It’s also about a record player with a favorite album on the turntable, deer dozing in the grass and making a habit out of enjoying yourself. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Our story tonight is called A Month of Sundays, and it’s a story about finding a way to make time for rest and enjoyment. It’s also about a tin box of recipe cards, a neatly made bed with the corner folded down, aunts and idioms, porch swings and school buses and the delight of one of the best days of the week. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to the Trio Anim...

Originally Aired: May 17th, 2020 (Season 5 Episode 10) Our story tonight is called "A Dance in the Park," and it’s a story about coming back into the world after a bit of time spent alone. It’s also about a glass of pink hibiscus tea, window shopping on a downtown street, and moving to the music on a sunny day. So get cozy and ready to sleep. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens...

Our story tonight is called Cinder and the Springtime, and it’s a story about a gift given to returning neighbors on a bright warm day. It’s also about moss and pine needles, a bicycle basket made special for a friend, practical magic and gratitude for the ones we share our space with. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to Hot Mess Express. A women-led nonprofit...

Originally Aired: May 25th, 2018 (Season 1 Episode 6) Our story tonight is called "Three Good Things," and it’s about reminding yourself of some of the simple, happy moments that happen during the day. Sometimes, good stuff slips through our brains without leaving much of a trace, while scary, upsetting stuff gets stuck in there. So it helps to notice and highlight sweetness when it shows up, even...

Our story tonight is called First Mow of the Year, and it’s a story about a day of yard work as spring arrives in full. It’s also about pinecones and ladybugs, a glass of water enjoyed on the porch step, the sun on the back of your neck, and the shared experiences that connect us. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition...

Originally Aired: April 18th, 2021 (Season 7 Episode 8) Our story tonight is called The Tulip Farm, and it’s a story about a bright spring day among beds of flowers. It’s also about a gift left at dawn, redwing blackbirds, and soft moments that take your breath away. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad...

Our story tonight is called The Back Stairs, and it’s a story about a bit of spring cleaning at the Inn by the lake. It’s also about the special features and details in old houses, clever engineering, the honesty of patina and a space where imperfection is welcome. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to World Central Kitchen provides meals in response to humanita...

Originally Aired: April 27th, 2018 (Season 1 Episode 1) Our story tonight is called A Block From Home, and it’s a story about the feeling of coming home after a long day and finding a quiet place to rest. It’s also about the feeling of being on your own time and having the space to do something or to do nothing at all. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens See omnystudio.com/liste...

Our story tonight is called Piano Lessons, and it’s a story about a well-loved upright and the boy who plays it. It’s also about a little cottage where ivy grows up the bricks, middle C, lesson books and metronomes, and finding the things that feel like they were always meant for you. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to Save the Music Foundation. Helping kids,...

Originally Aired: April 7th, 2019 (Season 3 Episode 6) Our story tonight is called “In the Bakery” and it’s a story about a weekend morning among bagels and breads. It’s also about old cookbooks full of notes, being proud of what you do, and a secret ingredient handed down from baker to baker. Subscribe for ad-free, bonus, and extra-long episodes now, as well as ad-free and early episodes of Stori...

Our story tonight is called New Friends at Weathervane Farm, and it’s a story about a busy Spring morning at the sanctuary. It’s also about branches full of singing birds, fresh straw, and rubber boots, new babies born in the stalls of the barn and helping each other out along the way. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to Agia Marina Donkey Rescue. There, no do...

Our story tonight is called Sunrise at the Cabin, and it’s a story about welcoming the coming day with a friend at your side. It’s also about dry leaves left over from Autumn crunching under your feet, the beauty of imperfect things, changing light, a coffee cup steaming in the morning air, and the gift of an early start.   We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to...

Originally Aired: March 20th, 2022 (Season 9 Episode 12) Our story tonight is called Begin Again, and it’s a story about a reset scheduled for the equinox. It’s also about sunrise watched from an open hatchback on a road outside of town, birds and squirrels ringing in the spring, and making your own rituals to mark a moment. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens See omnystudio.com...

Our story tonight is called On the Rooftop, and it’s a story about the giddy first flush of real spring weather. It’s also about baseball cards tucked into bike spokes, the benefits of small talk, barbecue grills lighting up for the first time in months and the joy of seeing the world from a new perspective. We give to a different charity each week, and as a proud Flintstone, I’m glad that this we...

Originally Aired: March 27th, 2022 (Season 9 Episode 13) Our story tonight is called “The Pantry,” and it’s a story about a chore that becomes a sort of meditation. It’s also about neat rows of cans with their labels all turned the same way, the satisfaction of a job well done, and taking care of little you, even once you’re all grown up. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens See...

Our story tonight is called Out Like a Lamb, and it’s a story about the changeable month of March and a day spent enjoying a bit of both winter and spring. It’s also about a book read in the bath, the luxury of a slow start to the day, sunlight warming the floorboards, a pot of pansies dusted with snow, and making peace with a bit of chaos, in and out. We give to a different charity each week, and...

Originally Aired: March 21st, 2021 (Season 7 Episode 6) Our story tonight is called “Sugar Snow,” and it’s a story about shifting seasons. It’s also about pots of pansies, breakfast for dinner, and the people and places that teach us to play. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

Our story tonight is called Mud Larking on the River, Part 2, and it’s a story about a search for ordinary treasures in the sand on a bright spring morning. It’s also about a coin with a hole through its center, the red and white pole of a barber shop, forsythia stems and curiosity and imagination and seeing the things around us with new eyes. We give to a different charity each week, and this wee...

Originally Aired: March 24th, 2019 (Season 3 Episode 5) Our story tonight is called First This, Then That, and it’s a story about a bit of Spring cleaning on a sunny day. It’s also about watching birds at their feeder, sharing things with your neighbors, and the joy of finding something forgotten in an old coat pocket. So get cozy and ready to sleep. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-...

Our story tonight is called Mudlarking on the River, Part 1, and it’s a story about a sunny morning in early spring that inspires a walk along sandy banks. It’s also about ordering your usual at the bakery counter, Canada geese and garden gloves, being gentle with yourself, and hidden treasure waiting to be unearthed. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are giving to Direct...

Originally Aired: February 21st, 2021 (Season 7 Episode 4) Our story tonight is called People Watching and the Coffee Shop, and it’s a story about the view from a table in the back corner; it’s also about found family, a neatly shoveled sidewalk, and simple ways to feel connected. Originally from Season 7, Episode 4. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-Happens See omnystudio.com/listene...

Our story tonight is called The Bridge in the Woods, and it’s a story about a break in the cold weather and the boost that comes from warm sunlight on your face. It’s also about woodpeckers and spring melt flowing fast, the wonders of libraries, and the kindness of people who you might never meet but have cleared a path for you. We give to a different charity each week, and this week, we are givin...

Originally Aired: February 6th, 2022 (Season 9 Episode 6) Our story tonight is called Mixtape, and it’s a story about a box of memories tangled up with songs. It’s also about the messages we send with the tracks we pick out, new batteries in an old Walkman, and finding the music that helps you find yourself. This episode is from Season 9, Episode 6. Purchase Our Book: https://bit.ly/Nothing-Much-H...