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 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Comfort and Joy

Our story tonight is called Comfort and Joy and it’s a story about adding light to the dark evenings of winter. It’s also about bringing back a sweet neighborhood tradition, a rowen tree laced with lights and a paper chain to count down the days.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Holiday at Weathervane Farm

Our story tonight is called “Holiday at Weathervane Farm” and it’s a story about lighting up the farm for some winter guests. It’s also about hay rides through snowy fields, the ducks waddling back from a day at the pond, and a new calf born who will only ever know kindness.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Model Trains and Make-Believe

Our story tonight is called Model Trains and Make Believe, and it’s a story about a tiny world full of bustling streets and railroad tracks. It’s also about a red and white box of popcorn, a dining car with white table clothes, and being never too old to imagine.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Heavy Snow at the Cabin

Our story tonight is called Heavy Snow at the Cabin and it’s a story about a morning spent watching the winter arrive. It’s also about taking your time to make something delicious, woodsmoke rising from chimneys, and the contagious simple joy of dogs.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Friendsgiving, Again

Our story tonight is called Friendsgiving, Again and it’s a story about a growing tradition and the new people and places folded into it with each year. It’s also about rosemary trees, a Christmas village laid out on a piano lid, and a big old building made merry for the holiday.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Ship in a Bottle

Our story tonight is called Ship in a Bottle, and it’s a story about a crate of bequests ready to be unwrapped. It’s also about the dark bark of oak trees after a storm, garden benches waiting to be sat on, and the ordinary magic of handmade things.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Sunday Reset

Our story tonight is called Sunday Reset, and it’s a story about a day set aside to plan for a good week ahead. It’s also about sheets hung on the line, drying in the last warm rays of the autumn, a record spinning on the turntable, and a changed outlook after advice from a friend.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Behind the Curtain

Our story tonight is called Behind the Curtain, and it’s the second part of our Halloween special this season. It’s a story about two friends meeting for the first time. It’s also about a copper kettle simmering on the stove, a gentle approach to tip people toward kindness and cinnamon sticks and sliced apples.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

The Curios Shop

Our story tonight is called The Curios Shop and it’s the first in our two-part Halloween special this year. It’s a story about a little shop in downtown Nothing Much, that takes the right set of circumstances to be found. It’s also about creaky wood floors, an old book covered in velvet, and a small grey cat with yellow eyes.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

The Lookout

Our story tonight is called The Lookout, and it’s a story about a hidden place deep in the woods with a very special view. It’s also about all the different names for Juneberries, a maple leaf, and green stone, and enjoying your time when you’re alone.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Autumn Ride

Our story tonight is called Autumn Ride, and it’s about pedaling with friends under falling leaves. It’s also about treats from the bakery, wrapped up and ready to share, rediscovering a pure feeling of joy out on the road and a hoodie zipped up to your chin.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Field Trip, Part Two

Our story tonight is called “Field Trip, Part Two,” and it’s a story about a bus ride out to the pumpkin patch. It’s also about a cold glass of cider enjoyed in the autumn air, a pumpkin with a curly green stem, and making a memory that will last.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Field Trip

Our story tonight is called Field Trip, and it’s a story about a rite of passage for lots of second graders and the people in their lives who get to go along for the ride. It’s also about a bus waiting by the playground, learning to be a better listener, and a form stuck to the front of the fridge.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

The Pecan Tree

Our story tonight is called The Pecan Tree, and it’s a story about having just the right tool for the right moment. It’s also about a piano playing in a neighbor’s house, gravel paths in a garden, and an afternoon visit from a few friends at the split rail fence.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Sleeping Weather

Our story tonight is called “Sleeping Weather,” and it’s a story about a break from the heat and humidity. It’s also about the view from the porch swing at night, deer walking quietly through the corn fields and clearing your mind with paper and pen, and the end of the day.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

The Librarian

Our story tonight is called “The Librarian.” It’s a story about the quiet of the closed-up library at the end of the day. It’s also about the books that sometimes get overlooked on the top shelf, a string of lights over an outdoor table, and knowing what your next book will be.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

The Corner Store

Our story tonight is called The Corner Store and it’s a story about the aisles of the neighborhood grocery where there are always interesting things to discover. It’s also about a display of school supplies, a recipe from a neighbor and the feeling of belonging in a particular place.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Old Friends

Our story tonight is called Old Friends, and it’s a story about plans falling apart so that something even better can fall together. It’s also about a spoonful of sugar stirred into a cup of hot coffee, the ease of being with those who know you best, and a movie marathon watched from the couch while the rain comes down.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Raining Cats and Dogs

Our story tonight is called Raining Cats and Dogs, and it’s a story about a playdate for a few furry friends. It’s also about someone’s first trip to the groomers, lightning flashing through the curtains, and looking out at the rain as a kitty purrs in your arms.

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Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai Season 10 Kathryn Nicolai

Yard Sale or Another Man’s Treasure

Our story tonight is called Yard Sale or Another Man’s Treasure, and it’s a story about a neighborhood event on a summer day. It’s also about sidewalk chalk art, a collection of salt and pepper shakers, and red petunias growing in a flower box.

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