THE CLEARING WITH KATHERINE MAY
Kathryn Nicolai’s mysterious houses of Lake Michigan
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Hello,
This week’s guest is someone I have wanted on The Clearing since the very beginning. Sleep whisperer and ‘architect of coziness’, Kathryn Nicolai is the talent behind one of my very favourite podcasts - Nothing Much Happens. Described as ‘bedtime stories for everyone’ it’s a show that combines Kathryn’s skill for storytelling with one of the most soothing voices in the business. The result is the aural equivalent of being rocked to sleep.
Our conversation meanders gently as we explore the craft behind the podcast. Kathryn’s childhood of wanting to feel safe, her ability to lift the cognitive load of those attending her yoga classes, and her skill in observing small moments in everyday life all led to the creation of her shows. That and an understanding that it’s not just children who need safety and to be held, but adults too. And no more than now.
Kathryn also imagines a brilliantly dreamlike and mischievous getaway, that once again involves the idea of rummaging through other people’s belongings, and delights me no end. The only thing to do is sit back and relax. If you’re lucky you will achieve Kathryn’s peak state of ‘so much time and nothing to accomplish’
Links from the episode:
Kathryn’s website
Kathryn’s podcast, Nothing Much Happens
Kathryn’s book, On the Street Where You Live
Nothing Much Happens Instagram
The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend
Ulysses by James Joyce
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
One Summer: America 1927 by Bill Bryson
The Land and its People by David Sedaris
Find out more about the Petoskey stone
Production Credits
Guest Booker and Admin Support - Meghan Hutchins
Substack Manager - Rebecca Armstrong
Producer - Alice Lloyd
Music - The Leaf Library theleaflibrary
Click here to listen in your favourite app, or paid subscribers can listen to an ad-free version here in this post.
Transcript:
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