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 donations.

 

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

Season 4 Kathryn Nicolai Season 4 Kathryn Nicolai

Summer Harvest

Our story tonight is called “Summer Harvest” and it’s a story about the result of a season’s worth of hard work and planning. It’s also about telling time like a farmer would, a red popsicle eaten under a maple tree, and rows of canned tomatoes neatly lined up in the pantry.

Read More
Season 4 Kathryn Nicolai Season 4 Kathryn Nicolai

The Dog Days of Summer

Our story tonight is called “The Dog Days of Summer” and it’s a story about a day with a best friend. It’s also about a cucumber picked from the garden, meeting friends in the park the most important lessons we learn from the animals we share our lives with.

Read More
Season 4 Kathryn Nicolai Season 4 Kathryn Nicolai

A Letter in an Envelope

Our story tonight is called “A Letter in an Envelope” and it’s a story about the everyday magic of messages sent between friends. It’s also about peanut butter spread on toast, a favorite spot on the back porch, and a lifelong habit of saving stories.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

At the Summer Fair

Our story tonight is called “At the Summer Fair” and it’s a story about a yearly tradition and how it changes in the different summers of your life. It’s also about plums taken from the icebox, a handmade cup wrapped in paper, and strolling along the river as the streetlights blink on above you.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

Someplace only we know

Our story tonight is called “Someplace only we know” and it’s a story about being drawn out on a summer night to explore and feel the evening air on your face. It’s also about a cup of lemon ice, riding down a hill on your bicycle, and remembering something sweet that you’d long ago forgotten.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

Fireflies on a summer night

Our story tonight is called “Fireflies on a summer night” and it’s a story about the magic language of lighting bugs. It’s also about the cool quiet feeling of being all by yourself in the moonlight, words that start with the letter G, and a persistent enduring belief in magic.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

Opening Up The Cottage

Our story tonight is called “Opening the cottage” and it’s a story about the first day back in a well loved familiar place. It’s also about the little traditions that make up the history of a family, a sandwich eaten on the end of a dock and the soft happy feeling of summer arriving.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

The Lilac Thief

Our story tonight is called The Lilac Thief and it’s a story about finding the forgotten places where one can, in secret acquire some spring blooms. It’s also about the curiosity we feel when we look into the windows of an old house, a cup of iced coffee drunk at a sidewalk cafe and the secret code of thieves.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

Spring at the allotment

Our story tonight is called Spring at the allotment and it’s a story about setting up a garden of herbs and vegetables with a friend. It’s also about a picnic basket full of sandwiches, turning over the soil with your hands and the pleasure of sewing seeds in neat rows on a bright sunny day.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

In the Bakery

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.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

First this, then that.

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 old coat pocket.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

Getaway

Our story tonight is called “Getaway” and it’s a story about taking a break from the cold and ice. It’s also about the feeling of falling asleep in the sun with a paperback book in your hand, the sound of the waves at night and the pleasant longing for your own bed at the end of time away.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

Fog and Light

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.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

A Little Romance

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.

Read More
Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai Season 3 Kathryn Nicolai

Winter Walk

Our story tonight is called “Winter Walk” and it’s a story about stepping through crisp layers of deep snow on a sunny cold day. It’s also about a well-made bed, a sleeping kitty, and the welcome way that nature can take your breath away.

Read More
Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai

A New Leaf

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.

Read More
Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai

Christmas Eve

Our story tonight is called "Christmas Eve" and it’s a story about being with the ones you love at a special time of year. It’s also about plates of home-baked treats, thinking back to the holidays of childhood and the everyday miracle that is dogs.

Read More
Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai

Snowed In

Our story tonight is called "Snowed In" and it’s a story about watching the snow come down from the cozy warmth of home. It’s also about treating yourself to things you usually don’t have time for, a memory of kindness and the quiet hush of deep snow.

Read More
Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai Season 2 Kathryn Nicolai

Getting the Tree

Our story tonight is called “Getting the Tree” and it’s a story about a Holiday tradition that’s been updated from childhood, it’s also about a champagne toast, sharing a quiet moment and the kindness of a stranger.

Read More