From the village of nothing much

Let's get sleepy

Bedtime stories are like a soft landing spot for your mind. Rather than letting your brain race through the same thoughts you’ve been chasing all day, we are taking a detour to a calm and comfy place. We tell the story twice and go a bit slower the second time. Each week we donate to a non-profit. View past episode and charity list.

 

Unwind like never before with the Nothing Much Happens Wind-Down Box—a curated selection of Kathryn’s favorite relaxation essentials! 

Season 13 Lindsey Season 13 Lindsey

The Pantry (Encore)

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.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Out Like a Lamb

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.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Sugar Snow (Encore)

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.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Mudlarking on the River, Part 2

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, curiosity, imagination, and seeing the things around us with new eyes.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

First This, Then That (Encore)

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.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Mudlarking on the River, Part 1

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.

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The Bridge in the Woods

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.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Mixtape (Encore)

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.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Muddy Paws

Our story tonight is called Muddy Paws, and it’s a story about a walk outside with Village pups Crumb and Birdie and the inevitable aftermath. It’s also about a rubber ducky, a field full of good spots to stop and sniff, a bed laid out in the sunshine, and the feeling of being safe and content at home with family.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Quiet Celebration (Encore)

Our story tonight is called Quiet Celebration, and it’s a story about softly stepping into the next year of your life. It’s also about a good dream that lingers after waking, a glass raised with best wishes and a cake decorated with orange slices and rosettes.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

The Greenhouse

Our story tonight is called The Greenhouse, and it’s a story about flowers and vases and the deep green scent of plants in a warm space in the winter. It’s also about a silver wine bucket, music playing while you work, pine needles and mint, and the small and big ways of building the life you want.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

A Little Romance (Encore)

Our story tonight is called A Little Romance, and it’s a story about the beginnings of Spring in the city. It’s also about fond memories of young love, a picture tucked into the back of a wallet, and the sweet realization that someone somewhere is thinking of you.

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Museum Trip

Our story tonight is called Museum Trip, and it’s a story about a school bus pulling into the lot at a grand old house where local history is preserved. It’s also about welcoming rooms to explore, fires to warm yourself at, apples and popcorn, and finding yourself on the map.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Fog and Light (Encore)

Our story tonight is called Fog and Light, and it’s a story about a day of simple pleasures meant to clear out the winter blues. It’s also about a little girl in a red hat, the Latin names for rare flowers, and good advice from an old friend.

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Sycamore Settles In

Our story tonight is called Sycamore Settles In, and it’s a story about the newest resident at the Inn on the Lake. It’s also about a sunny winter day, and neighbors spotted from the window, roses and cat nip, toy mice and freshly pressed curtains, and a growing bond between two friends getting each other through the winter.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Clean Slate (Encore)

Our story tonight is called Clean Slate, and it’s a story about a room of one’s own. It’s also about a jade plant on a window sill, a bit of still useful old technology, and figuring out what’s worth keeping and what’s not.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Pass it Along

Our story tonight is called Pass it Along, and it’s a story about a good deed passed from one person to another in the Village on Nothing Much. It’s also about a cardinal on a branch, a cup of tea served up by a friend, and sharing the feeling that there are others out there eager to help.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

A New Leaf (Encore)

Our story tonight is called A New Leaf, and it’s a story about starting off the new year with a fresh book to write your plans in. It’s also about a memory of something magical, a cup of coffee on a cold day, and the pleasure of a freshly sharpened pencil.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

The Winter Quilt

Our story tonight is called The Winter Quilt, and it’s a story about a lovingly made piece of art that warms a heart and a bed. It’s also about snowflakes lit up in the headlights of a car, sparrows and bicycles and the artifacts that we hold to tell us stories from the past.

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