There’s nothing like being taken out with a bad cold in the first week of December to humble and hobble one’s best-laid holiday plans, is there? And even before I started getting the sniffles on December 1, I had the nagging feeling I was already behind.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit meaganfrancis.substack.comIt's finally December, and my hands are itchy to make things. How about you? Today, Im settling in with a cozy journal episode all about making (which includes, of co

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit meaganfrancis.substack.comThis time of year brings with it a certain tension: we want to soak up every last moment of the waning warmer weather, while also preparing to turn inward for the cold

The history and tradition of tea is so much richer than indicated by that little row of boxes on the supermarket shelf. In this episode Im taking you behind the scenes of the process Im undergoing to become a Certified Tea Sommelier: what the program is

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit meaganfrancis.substack.comAfter spending nearly three weeks living in our RV in the Upper Peninsula, Im back home and settling in, and in this months Journal - exclusively for paying members

Have you ever wondered about the different paths available to becoming a historian - and how historians choose the topic areas that fuel their passions? In this episode I chat with author and consumer historian Jan Whitaker to explore a fascinating corner

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit meaganfrancis.substack.comThe idea of prepping often elicits eye-rolls. But you dont have to be awaiting the apocalypse to find value in stocking your shelves. The truth is, a little pantry

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit meaganfrancis.substack.comAfter a sad and stressful start to the month, I came home to a full house, stuffed fridge, bursting container garden, and some seriously disrupted routines. And while

Hi friends. I usually publish my monthly Journal episode on the first of the month, but in the wake of a devastating loss in our family, Im instead putting up a short (and, warning, hastily edited!) episode in the public feed. My sister-in-law, Jen, died

Ever cringe at how much of your monthly budget goes to restaurants? Yeah, been there - and so has CJ, creator of the food and book blog, A Well-Read Tart and a self-described former restaurant rover and takeout queen. While CJ and I both know how easy i