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 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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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

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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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

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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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

The Innkeeper's Blanket (Encore)

Our story tonight is called The Innkeeper’s Blanket, and it’s a story about a favorite hobby rediscovered in the quiet of winter. It’s also about a simmering pot in the kitchen, geese gathering before they fly, and making something by hand that is perfectly imperfect.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Lemongrass and Ginger

Our story tonight is called Lemongrass and Ginger, and it’s a story about fresh flavors and aromas enjoyed in a cozy kitchen. It’s also about a cache of cookbooks discovered in the basement, the winter sun warming your face, a softer way to look at mistakes when you make them, and a quiet, clean house on a snowy day.

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

Winter Walk (Encore)

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. 

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Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai Season 13 Kathryn Nicolai

The Sleeper Car

Our story tonight is called The Sleeper Car, and it’s a story about a trip where the mode of travel is more important than the destination. It’s also about crisp ironed linens, a little notebook that fits perfectly into your pocket, the mystery of strangers across the dining car, and waking up to a snowy sunrise. 

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Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai

Skating In The Park (Encore)

A story about revisiting a yearly tradition. It’s also about a thermos of coffee waiting to warm you up, thick socks, and the kind of friends who, even after a while apart, can pick right back up where they left off.

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Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai

Christmas Eve (Encore)

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.

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Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai

The Tree Farm

Our story tonight is called The Tree Farm, and it’s a story about one of the last trees of the season finding its home. It’s also about steam from a thermos rising into the evening air, memories tied to the fresh scent of pine, a good deed passed to a stranger and the reminder that we are made of stars.

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Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai

Under the Tree (Encore)

A story about a day of decorating around the house. It’s also about a bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon and apples, a box of ornaments wrapped in paper, and the things that connect us to where we come from.

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Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai

Fresh Snow (Encore)

A story about time spent outside as the flakes fall. It’s also about a late-night bath, a peppermint stick in a cup of hot chocolate, and the easy comfort of long-held friends.

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Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai Season 12 Kathryn Nicolai

Snow and Street Lights

A story about an afternoon at the bookshop on the edge of winter. It’s also about a bell jingling on a dog’s collar, the soft buffer of the first snowfall, a door held open by a stranger, and a pack of paper stars.

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