I’m sure most of the world is scraping the bottom of their usual well of content, so I thought I’d toss out some of my favorite content in case it is something that will help y’all pass the time. Sharing is caring!
THINGS TO WATCH:
A Year at Kew (YouTube)- I believe there are at least 2 season’s worth of content. Its delightfully British and follows students, arborists, directors, conservators, researchers, and event planners as they work during a year at, you guessed it, Kew. Highly recommend.
Secrets of the Museum (BBC, possibly YouTube)- a behind the scenes look at collections, conservation, and the history of the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum. Fascinating and delightful.
The Repair Shop (Netflix)- this is like the antiques version of the Great British Bake Off. Another UK export, regular folks take their beloved but damaged antiques to the specialists at the Repair Shop where they work their magic and restore said items. Its fascinating and soothing.
Gardener’s World (BritBox)- happily these are airing on the same day it airs in the UK.
Real Gardens (YouTube)- a 90’s throw back gardening show featuring the likes of Monty Don, Carole Kline, and a few others. It follows regular folks tackling large and small garden projects with the help of an expert.
Brooklyn 99 and Parks & Recreation (NBC & Hulu & Netflix)- these are our very favorite shows- workplace comedies with wry sense of humor, some slapstick, and delightful characters. Can’t recommend them enough if you need a new series to get into.
Around the World in 80 Gardens, Monty Don’s Italian Gardens, Monty Don’s French Gardens, Monty Don’s Japanese Gardens (all YouTube), Big Dreams Small Spaces (Netflix), Great British Garden Revival (YouTube), Monty Don’s American Gardens (YouTube), Love Your Garden (might be on Netflix).
THINGS TO LISTEN TO (Podcasts):
Reply All (start with “The Crime Machine, Part I”, then “The Crime Machine, Part II” and then “Feral Hogs”)
Roots, Wings & Other Things
America’s Test Kitchen (start with “Jamon, Man!”)
In The Dark
Noble Blood
THINGS TO READ:
May I first recommend Libby/Overdrive for free audio and e-book rentals from your local library. It is so easy to use and terribly handy and also, very, very free (though I would imagine wait lists are rather impressively long right now).
Obviously your mileage may vary with the types of books you like, but here are my favorite soft (fiction) reads:
“Evvie Drake Starts Over” by Linda Holmes – I really, really loved this one
“The Royal We” by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan – I have a longstanding love affair with this book and these ladies, both of whom are excellent writers
“The Gown” by Jennifer Robson
“The Summer Before the War” by Helen Simonson
“My Dear I Wanted To Tell You” by Louisa Young
And here are some more meaty non-fiction reads that I really enjoyed and learned a lot from:
“American Canopy” by Eric Rutkow- I’ve recommended it before, but I’ll happily recommend this one again
“The Drunken Botanist” by Amy Stewart
“Midnight in Chernobyl” by Adam Higginbotham
Alright, that’s enough for now. I’m in the middle of my “weekend” since I’ve got to work over the weekend and a full week after that. This new COVID-based schedule is, well, not my favorite. Nor is wearing a mask all day, oof. Much harder than I thought it would be! In any event, stay safe, wash those hands, wear those masks, and be well.
Box & Bay 
Never heard of Brooklyn 99, I’ll have to check that out. Have you ever seen Kim’s Convenience? It’s a gentle but intelligent comedy about a Korean family that owns a corner grocery in Toronto.
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Kim’s Convenience is great! I think you would like Brooklyn 99- there’s some similarities there and that same kind of kind-loving sarcasm and humor.
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We just watched the last episode of Season 4. Multiple cliffhangers!
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