The Theme: Friday the 13th
Date: Friday, March 13, 2026

Introduction to the Theme

There is something quietly fascinating about the number thirteen.

Twelve has always felt tidy. Twelve months. Twelve hours. Twelve at the table. It fits. It resolves.

Then thirteen shows up. The extra chair. The unexpected guest. The well - now what?

Friday already had its own reputation long before the two collided. A day when things didn’t go smoothly. Not disasters. Just small things. The trip delayed. The deal postponed. The bread not rising. The weather turning. Someone saying the wrong thing at the wrong moment.

Eventually someone looked at the calendar and thought: maybe let’s not schedule anything important that day. And the idea stuck.

But here’s what I find most human about all of it. Instead of simply hiding indoors forever, people did what people have always done. They made tiny rituals. Not because they truly believed disaster was waiting around the corner. But because small actions make big uncertainty feel a little friendlier.

Cross your fingers. Carry a coin. Throw salt over your shoulder. Knock on wood.

This gathering wasn’t about bad luck. It was about the comforting truth that whenever life feels unpredictable, we instinctively reach for small magic to meet it.

Pull up a chair. I’ll take you through the menu, step by step.

Appetizer

Table Touch

Folklore We Carry

Every culture has small rituals. I share a few of my favourites.

Feathers. Across many cultures, feathers have been seen as small messages from the natural world. Because birds move between earth and sky, people believed feathers carried a sense of connection. Finding one unexpectedly was taken as a sign of protection, guidance, or quiet reassurance. Even without the stories, a feather holds something gently magical. It is something the wind has carried. Something that has journeyed. And when it lands at your feet, you can’t help but wonder if it arrived by chance… or for a reason.

Tossing Salt Over Your Shoulder. Salt used to be almost as precious as money. Spilling it meant loss. Folklore said that when salt spilled, spirits might gather behind you. Tossing a pinch over your left shoulder was meant to throw it into their eyes and chase them away. Today people still do it, a small playful ritual to undo a moment of bad luck.

Knocking on Wood. This one goes back even further. In ancient Europe, many believed spirits and protective forces lived in trees. When someone said something hopeful, they might touch the wood to ask for continued protection. Later it simply became a way of not tempting fate. I’ve been healthy all winter… knock on wood.

Blowing Out Candles. In ancient traditions, smoke carried prayers and wishes upward. When a candle was blown out, the rising smoke was thought to carry a person’s intention along with it. This eventually became part of birthday celebrations. If you blew them all out in a single breath, folklore said your wish might come true. But like many small rituals, the meaning may be simpler and more human than magical. Blowing out a candle gives us a moment to pause. To name a hope. And send it gently into the unknown.

“Did your family have any little rituals or sayings growing up?”

The ritual I shared that night was remembering birthdays as a child. My mom would wrap nickels in waxed paper and bake them in the birthday cake. If you found one in your cake, it was such a happy surprise and was even thought to bring good luck and prosperity to the person finding it.

Main Course

Storybowl is truly the heart of the evening.

Each gathering, I reach into a bowl and draw out questions. One by one. And the women at the table answer. Not with quick replies, but with real stories. The kind that take a breath before they begin.

It is where we begin to truly know one another. Each woman told a story that allowed her to be known just a little more.

Simply download the questions for this theme, cut along the dotted line, and place them in a bowl.

Storybowl Friday The 13th

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Side Dish

The Shared Luck Jar

This gathering includes a creative activity to engage with.

Gather a small jar or container and a handful of objects from around you. Nothing precious. Just what is nearby.

The tutorial walks you through each placement and the quiet intention behind it. Not a spell. Simply a way of placing a gentle hope somewhere real.

Either way, this is simply an invitation to begin.

Shared Luck Jar Tutorial

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Dessert

I hope this changed the way you think about Friday the 13th, even just a little.

Warmly, Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

The Theme: Reservation for One
Date: Friday, April 10, 2026

This idea of a “reservation for one” is inspired by a phrase connected to Matthew McConaughey and his journaling companion to the book Greenlights. It’s really a gentle metaphor, an invitation to intentionally spend time in your own company, to reconnect with yourself.

For some, that might look like
a quiet cup of coffee in the morning,
a solo walk,
or an hour softly set aside just for you.

And for others…
it might be something a little more spacious.
A day away.
An overnight.
Even a retreat that’s been quietly calling your name.

What matters isn’t how big or small it is.
It’s the intention behind it.
A moment, or a space
where you choose to be with yourself…
and notice what’s been waiting there.

As always, we come together with such a beautiful range of experiences.
Some of us are single, widowed, or partnered.
Some have deeply nourishing experiences of time alone.
Some may be longing for a solo adventure.
And some may simply be craving a few quiet moments to themselves.

And there may be those quietly thinking,
I spend a lot of time on my own already.

All of that belongs here.

There’s a richness in these different perspectives,
and I have a feeling they’ll open the door to some meaningful conversation tonight.

Wherever you find yourself
whether this feels natural, unfamiliar,
or even a little out of reach,
you are so welcome here.

Pull up a chair. I’ll take you through the menu, step by step.

Appetizer

Guests arrived with a gentle breath.

Before we begin, let’s just take one breath together.

Wherever you are sitting, let your hands rest in your lap. Feel the weight of the chair beneath you.

Breathe in slowly. And out.

(pause)

If you brought a candle, you can light it now.

Let this be the moment you arrive.

A meditation followed. Take a few minutes to listen if you like. Then come back.

Table Touch

After the candle was lit and the theme was shared, I offered our Table Touch. A special detail brought to the table each gathering. This gathering, a poem…

Main Course

Storybowl is truly the heart of the evening.

Each gathering, I reach into a bowl and draw out questions. One by one. And the women at the table answer. Not with quick replies, but with real stories. The kind that take a breath before they begin.

It is where we begin to truly know one another. Each woman told a story that allowed her to be known just a little more.

Simply download the questions for this theme, cut along the dotted line, and place them in a bowl.

Storybowl Reservation For One

4.16KB ∙ PDF file

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Side Dish

This gathering includes a creative invitation to plan a Reservation for One for yourself.

The printable is yours to fill in at your own pace. Print it out and tuck it somewhere you’ll return to. Or open your journal and let the questions find you there.

The tutorial walks you through each step, including a gentle cheerleading practice if you’re doing this with a group. There’s also a link to a YouTube video worth playing while you settle in.

Either way, this is simply an invitation to begin.

Reservation For One Tutorial

4KB ∙ PDF file

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Reservation For One Worksheet

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Keeping the Reservation

Before we close, I’d like to invite you into one final quiet moment.

Return to your reservation.

And gently ask yourself:

What is one small way I could begin this?

Not the whole thing.
Not the full plan.

Just the beginning.

A first step.
A small honoring.

Something you can carry with you beyond tonight.

Dessert

Closing Blessing

As we close tonight,
may you remember
that you are worthy of your own time.

May you find small moments
to sit in your own company…
without rushing away.

May the spaces you create for yourself
be gentle,
and nourishing,
and enough.

And may you carry this knowing with you -

that even a small reservation for one
can open something new within you.

(pause)

When you’re ready,
you might blow out your candle.

I hope you enjoyed this taster of another amazing Kitchen Table gathering.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

What are Taster Notes? They highlight the details of a gathering. A little taster for you at home. My hope is that you’ll escape, even for just a moment, and that it will feel like you were there with us.

On Friday evening, June 12, a small circle of women came together around the Kitchen Table. It was the first gathering held in the newly remodelled Hummingbird Nest, and it felt like a beginning.

I want to bring you into that space with us.

Imagine knocking at the door and being greeted by a warmly lit room. The hostess welcomes you and invites you to pull up a chair. It’s your time to slow down.

Candles and wildflowers. A linen runner in warm, earthy tones.

Immediately, as so often happens when women gather, a hum of conversation begins.

The hostess presents the menu. Tonight’s gathering has a shape to it. An appetizer to ease us in. A table touch. A main course. A side dish, a dessert, and something sweet to carry home.

Before the gathering, new members receive something called The Kitchen Table Truths. Not rules. More like a quiet understanding of how we hold one another here.

Appetizer

To arrive and settle in, the hostess offers a small blessing before we light our candles together.

And then, from different rooms and different corners of the world, we lit our candles together.

Our theme for the evening was Taking Flight.

I shared how this theme arrived through a short video. I’m happy to offer it to you here as well.

Table Touch

After the candle was lit and the theme was shared, I offered our Table Touch. A special detail brought to the table each gathering. This night, a quote…

I love this quote because it speaks to the truth of taking flight. It changes us. Once we have known what it feels like to soar, even briefly, even quietly, we carry that knowledge forever. We walk differently. We look up more. We know what is possible.

I wondered if that was true for each of the women at the table that night.

I think it was.

Main Course

Before we moved into our Story Bowl conversation, I offered a meditation. A way to arrive more fully. To set down whatever the day had been and be present at the table.

Take a few minutes to listen if you like. Then come back.

Storybowls is truly the heart of the evening.

Each gathering, I reach into a bowl and draw out questions. One by one. And the women at the table answer. Not with quick replies, but with real stories. The kind that take a breath before they begin.

It is where we begin to truly know one another.

The questions for Taking Flight were drawn from three places: looking back, looking within, and looking forward. I won’t share them all here. Some things belong to the table. But I will tell you this.

Each woman told a story that allowed her to be known just a little more.

Side Dish

Before we closed the evening, we made something together.

Wings & Words is a simple creative practice. Two colours for the page. Five lines for the heart.

Each woman chose two colours and let them move across the page first. No plan. No right way. Just colour and instinct. Then five lines, beginning wherever the colour took her.

There is something about putting colour down first. The hand finds things the mind hasn’t caught up to yet.

One of the women in our circle gave me permission to share what arrived for her. She painted a sunshiney sky and ocean blue, then wrote her way into it.

I am standing on the edge of a new life.
I am holding peace in my body.
I am releasing expectations.
I am reaching for the sunlight.
Waiting in the air surrounding me is knowing.

If you’d like to try Wings & Words yourself, the tutorial is included below.

Wing & Word Creative Practice

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Dessert

We ended as we began. With our candles.

As we extinguished them together, I offered this blessing.

As we extinguish our candles and return to our lives, may we carry with us the stories we have shared, the wisdom we have received, and the connections we have strengthened. May we leave this table encouraged, inspired, and reminded that we never journey alone. May we trust the next step, however small it may be. And may we continue to gather courage, one twig at a time.

After-Dinner Mint

We ended the gathering with a brief walk together through The Hummingbird Nest. The Garden. The Creativity Studio. The Kitchen Table. I’ll be sharing a full tour with all of you very soon.

July at The Kitchen Table

I arrived at July’s theme in a very unusual way. Let me explain…

There’s a place at the table with your name on it. We’d love to have you join us!

Register for July's Kitchen Table

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Our theme of Simplicity invited space.
And space left room for wonder.

No pressure. No rush.
Just slow joy, unfolding…

Throughout the month, I explored simplicity, not as a goal to achieve, but as a rhythm to return to—a rhythm found in still moments, in quiet creativity, and in honest conversations shared around the Kitchen Table.

🍽️ At the Kitchen Table

This month’s gathering was filled with creativity and connection.

Each month, our conversation begins with the Story Bowl.
The bowl is different each time -
but the intention is always the same.

This is where we explore the month’s theme - together.

I ask questions.
Sometimes thoughtful and deep,
sometimes simple.

And in answering them,
we get to know each other a little better.

We laugh.
We reflect.
We learn from one another.

We share stories that have shaped who we are -
and in doing so,
we find threads of connection
woven gently between us.

Simplicity revealed herself through our questions -
shaped by the answers shared in our Story Bowl.

Together, these reflections form a collective definition of simplicity.
I’m delighted to share what emerged from our voices -
gathered here, in a collection of poems.

I’ll share a few here -
the rest are tucked inside a little booklet called Poems About Simplicity from the Kitchen Table where you can find the full collection.

Poems About Simplicity

20.9MB ∙ PDF file

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Simplicity.
Unscheduled time away.
Every day simple,
unfolding as it was meant to.

Feeling completely unrushed.
Time in the countryside.
A return to nature.

Feeling recharged.
At peace.

I bring it back with me.
I hold it.
I can imagine
ways to recreate it.

Simplicity.
The sound,
the scent,
the texture.

Cold winter days
by the fire.

Sitting.
Reading.
Sipping a cup of tea.

Listening
to the fire crackle.

Our Creative Project: Flower Pounding

This month, we made something simple—and quietly joyful: flower pounding.

Flower pounding is a natural art technique where you gently hammer fresh flowers or leaves onto fabric or paper. With each tap, the plant’s natural pigments are released, leaving behind delicate, one-of-a-kind botanical imprints.

This meditative craft invites us to slow down, connect with nature, and create something beautiful with our hands. No two pieces are ever the same.

You can use your imprints to make heartfelt cards, meaningful wall art, or simple keepsakes. All you need are a few blooms, some paper or fabric, and something to gently tap with.

We welcomed a little color and calm into our day. I love what we created.

🌿 A Meditation: “In Praise of Simplicity”

This month also brought a new offering: a guided meditation.

This meditation is an invitation to pause, to soften, and to return to the quiet rhythm of simplicity.

It was inspired by the stories and reflections shared during our Kitchen Table gathering, where simplicity revealed itself in ordinary moments—moments of presence, of letting go, of choosing ease over expectation.

You don’t need anything special to begin—just a few minutes and the willingness to slow down.

Let this be a space where you can come home to yourself.

Looking Ahead: August’s Theme: Noticing

As we step into August, our new theme invites us to take what we’ve learned from simplicity… and look a little closer.

Noticing is the art of paying attention.
It’s where stillness meets awareness,
and where creativity is born.

We’ll explore what it means to notice with presence—through the senses, through art-making, and through reflection.

✨ Stay tuned for gentle practices to help you return to noticing throughout the month and your invitation to The Kitchen Table. More details will follow soon.

Warmly,
Kathy

What are Taster Notes? They highlight the details of a gathering—a little taster for you at home. My hope is that you’ll escape, even for just a moment, and that it will feel like you were there with us in person.

There’s something sacred about gathering around a table—whether in a cozy kitchen, a sunlit cafe, or a quiet corner of the world where kindred spirits meet. On Friday, February 21st, a small circle of women came together for the very first Kitchen Table gathering curated around the theme of Connection. Today, I want to bring you into that space with us.

Imagine knocking at the door and being greeted by a warmly lit room. The hostess welcomes you and invites you to pull up a chair at the table. It’s your time to slow down, to savor the moment. At the center of the table, an altar adorned with a candle, a plant, and a wooden sign that says Inspire sits atop a beautiful, earthy-toned quilted tablecloth.

Immediately, as so often happens when women gather, a hum of conversation begins—gentle, curious, open.

The table is set and the menu presented. The hostess reviews what’s being served including the Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, and Dessert.

Appetizer: To create a safe space for sharing, and to hold space for one another, the hostess reads aloud The Kitchen Table Truths - guiding principles that serve as shared agreements rather than rules.

Guests then participate in an opening ritual. Taking a deep breath to fully arrive in the space, leaving behind the busyness of the day, each person sets an intention by choosing a word that represents what connection means to them in that moment.

Taking a quiet pause to reflect on words, knowing that throughout the gathering, guests are creating something meaningful both in conversation and through creativity - candles are lit together.

Main Course: Sharing an item that symbolizes connection, introductions were made and conversation took place as guests shared what their item was, why it represented connection to them and how this kind of connection shaped their lives.

Side Dish: Reminiscent of pioneer day quilting bees, where women gathered around the kitchen table to create quilts for warmth for their families, to share stories, resources and support one another, we each created a quilt square representing connection to add to our collective virtual quilt. Creativity flowed, and between quiet pauses, moments of laughter and thoughtful exchanges were shared in a game called Story Bowls.

I love the uniqueness of each square and the powerful sense of connection reflected through images and words like Tao, Belonging, Roots, Family, Joy, Love, and Ease.

Dessert: We closed our time together by sharing the words we chose in the opening ritual and held up our quilt squares in show-and-tell fashion for a group photo. As we blew out our candles together, we imagined our words being carried forward, lighting the way for deeper connection in the days ahead.

I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing women and am grateful for their kind words:

Thank you so much for last night! It was truly special. I could spend a lot of time at your kitchen table!

I totally enjoyed tonight. I want to be part of any group you’re pulling together.

Thanks again for all you do to create, prepare and deliver a wonderfully connecting space.

Thank you Kathy for bringing us all together in such a creative, fun and meaningful way.

I look forward to the next gathering. I hope you’ll pull up a chair and join us at The Kitchen Table, scheduled for Friday, March 21st, 6:00-7:30 pm MST.

Register Here

Our March theme is:

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Warmly,
Kathy

Hello friends,

Some of the best conversations happen around the kitchen table, where stories unfold, laughter flows, and connection deepens. That’s the spirit behind The Kitchen Table, a monthly virtual gathering designed to bring women together in a meaningful and creative way. It’s a space to slow down, share, and be nourished, not just by food, but by conversation, inspiration, and community.

What to Expect:

Each one-and-a-half-hour gathering is a blend of conversation and creativity, offering a space to reflect, connect, and engage in a simple, hands-on activity. Whether you’re sipping tea at home or lighting a candle to set the mood, you’ll find yourself in the company of like-minded women who are also on a journey of self-discovery and renewal.

A Taste of What’s to Come: Your Kitchen Table Menu

Before each gathering, you’ll receive a Kitchen Table Menu, your guide to the evening’s experience. Just like a beautifully prepared meal, each gathering will have a thoughtful flow:

🥣 Appetizer: A gentle arrival practice to set the tone.
🍽️ Main Course: A guided conversation on a meaningful theme.
🍷 Side Dish: A creative activity or reflective prompt to engage with.
🍰 Dessert: A closing moment to savor and take with you.

Join the First Gathering!

Our first Kitchen Table gathering is happening via Zoom on Friday, February 21, 2025, beginning at 5:00 pm PST. It’s FREE to attend and you’re invited to pull up a chair! Whether you’re craving connection, inspiration, or just an hour to pause and be present, this is for you.

🌟 Here’s What Others Are Saying:

📅 Save your chair by registering below.

Save me a chair at the table!

I can’t wait to gather with you. Let’s make this space a nourishing one, together.

Warmly,
Kathy

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