Unstacked. Restacked.

Shortly after the coup began in January, I started subscribing like crazy to political analysis substacks. Many well-regarded journalists were jumping ship from their legacy media gigs and going rogue here in the stacks and it seemed like a place to find reliable information. And, in fact, I did find plenty of good analysis. I also realized, very quickly, that waking up every morning to an inbox of new substacks full of politics was really bringing me down. Even the most even-handed stuff, the thoughtful, the pragmatic—it was too much. Unlike Homer Simpson at the Frying Dutchman All-You-Can-Eat Buffet, I got full. Very full. Too full. I found myself as mentally stuffed as my inbox was virtually stuffed.

So just as quickly, I unsubscribed to almost every political substack I had just signed up for. I still scroll notes and sometimes will stop to take in a little analysis. I also still read the NYT and listen to NPR and—check it out, I also look at FoxNews to see what disinformation people who think differently than me are being fed. But more and more lately, I prefer to cut back on my news intake and instead take in that which nourishes me. (I do continue to subscribe to Jason Stanford’s excellent weekly column, The Experiment, and Dan Rather’s Steady, which is oddly borderline soothing even when Dan is reporting the latest Circle of Hell contrived by the fascists.)

This week, I wish to share with you a list of some substacks that I very much enjoy. All of these are by women. (This list is not at all comprehensive—there will be future recommendations.) What I love about these substacks is that reading them echoes the good old days when I, a lifelong practicing penpal to many, was very dedicated to my snail mail practices. I loved sending and receiving long juicy handwritten letters that might spin off in different directions, include offerings (cassette tapes, homemade art, thrift store treasures), and were conducted at a pace far less hectic and far more thoughtful than the jillions of text messages and emails everyone is zipping off all of the time.

Some of these substack offerings appear weekly, reliable in their arrival. Others show up once every month or so, or not even that frequently. Some are conversational. Some are scientific, philosophical, educational. Some are hilarious or, more often, poignant, the humor intermingling with shades of sorrow, regret, grief, relief. Always instructive. Never didactic. Always intelligent. Often wide open and raw. Zero bullshit, zero formula, zero focus on building a massive following, all more interested in sharing and connecting.

Reflecting on how much I’ve come to look forward to and enjoy these posts—as if they were letters written just for me—calls to mind the book, Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey, which compiles journal entries from more than 100 women who took the mid-19th century overland trip, starting in Missouri, with the goal of traveling 2,400 treacherous miles by covered wagon to the promise of “free” (stolen) land in Oregon and California. The book’s introduction explains that these diaries were not kept with the hope of, say, one day writing a bestselling memoir or autobiographical novel based on the entries. In many instances, recording things like the weather, the trials on the trail—being pregnant, giving birth, losing children who had to be buried along the route, their graves never to be visited again—was meant to provide a sort of guide for other women “back home” who had not yet made the journey. To help prepare them.

Even though substack is obviously all about publishing one’s thoughts, reading the posts I am most drawn to still can feel like I’m privy to someone else’s journal entries and letters. I don’t mean this regarding content and style, like the sentences are dashed off and half finished, begun in haste and abruptly interrupted. Quite the opposite—the writing is exquisite, pensive, rendered with great care. It’s the intimacy I’m talking about. I mean that I find deep resonance in the often very personal stories being shared. I also find common passions. I feel connection and hope, truly what we need most right now. I feel more prepared for my own ongoing journey.

Here you go, then. Maybe you’ll find some connection and hope among these wonderful writers, too.

Spike’s (Definitely Not Complete and Absolutely To Be Continued) List of Wonderful Substacks by Ladies

The Direction of Motion by Kathy Valentine. You might know KV as bassist for the Go-Go’s—a band that had a life-changing impact on Teen Spike (← understatement). You might not know what a brilliant writer she is. I am totally hooked on her substack and just started listening to the audio version of her memoir All I Ever Wanted, which includes a SOUNDTRACK y’all. Oh my gosh it is so great.

Mrs. Doe by Krissy Teegerstrom. Krissy and I probably met at least a decade ago, likely at a Boxing Day party hosted by a mutual friend. And we met several times after that, even at my own ranch where she has attended events. But it turns out we’re both shy (no one believes this about me but it is so true). So we never really talked. (For my part, I chalk that up to the fact that any time I am at a party, even if it is the best party ever thrown by someone I truly, all I am thinking is, “When can I leave?” I am a nervous wreck at parties.) When I first spotted KT’s substack, I was really curious what she was writing about. All sorts of things. When I first quit Amazon, I read a piece she wrote that kept me on track with that. She’s a visual artist—lots of textiles—and a gardener and a very deep thinker. Reading her posts and leaving comments feels like the conversations I failed to strike up in person. Very much like the old days of letter writing.

What I Deserve by Kelly Willis. Kelly is an old friend, an incredibly talented singer songwriter, and an absolute Austin Icon. She is such a wonderful storyteller and her substack includes some fun trips back to when she was first starting.

Tales from the Other Bearded Lady by Shen. What can I tell you about Shen? She is one of my favorite sentient beings in the universe. Her essays, short stories and poetry—all mind-blowing. She is also a super gifted visual artist and a shepherdess.

Special: A Memoir By Sondra Primeaux. Sondra started coming to my writing workshops a long, long time ago. From the first time I heard her read one of her stories aloud I knew I was lucky to be witnessing such talent. Hers has been a path with many turns—she’s inspired thousands of women with her sobriety, beautified countless clients with her upcycled one-of-a-kind slow-sew fashion pieces, and currently is writing about dealing with a Parkinson’s diagnosis AND starting a new career at 55.

The Royal Palm Review by Tracy Owens. Tracy and I met waiting tables in Knoxville, TN back in the ‘80s. I think she might be the first person I ever knew to get a book published. A real inspiration. Her substack is a fascinating deep dive into the history of Fort Meyers, Florida in the 19th century. Is that niche enough for you? I LOVE IT.

Ritual Gal By Colleen. My friend Colleen writes lovely, meditative pieces about how ritual informs our lives. She’s also the one that pointed out to me that sweet potato leaves are actually baby dragon wings.

SB Stories by Sarah Barnes. Sarah Barnes is one of my Sisters from Another Mister. We met nearly thirty years ago when I volunteered at her daughter Meredith’s preschool. Meredith has agenesis of the corpus callosum—no bridge between her left and right brains. Sarah and I both remember the glory days of journalism, when we both wrote for real newspapers and magazines! For years she wrote a column about life with Meredith for the Statesman. She also performed in nearly every presentation of The Dick Monologues that I started hosting at Hyde Park Theatre way back in 2007.

Release McCracken By Elizabeth McCracken. I remember being so stunned when I read EM’s first novel, The Giant’s House, in 1996. Not just by the story but by her profound writing. Then she moved TO AUSTIN! For her substack, she writes a wonderful ongoing series about the same exact topic every time: her swims in Barton Springs. I go to Barton Springs probably at least 200 times a year, so her essays always hit all five of my quadrants.

Placental Mammal by MK. This substack is about more than reproductive justice, although that’s a big piece of it. MK writes these really in-depth, fascinating science pieces all about reproduction from both biological and political perspectives. I always learn from this one.

Permanently Deferred by Joy Baldwin. Y’all? I’m sure she’s heard this too many times in her life, but I cannot resist saying that Joy truly lives up to her name. Her pieces are so funny—and yes, poignant and beautiful. My jaw drops every time I read one of her pieces.

The Morning Swim by Bonnie Durrance. Months ago I got a note from Bonnie explaining how we’d crossed paths in the long ago past and asking me if I might consider reading and blurbing her upcoming book. I rarely say yes to such requests (not that I get that many anymore) as my plate is super full. But something about the request moved me. I agreed. I LOVE HER BOOK. I’ll send you more details about the release date when I have them.

Crone Life As I was compiling this list, I realized I don’t think I actually know the name of the author of the Crone Life substack. Sometime ago, my friend Thomas Crone, amused by the use of his name in my substack title, decided to do a search for other substacks featuring the word Crone and he connected us all. I started following the others. This one shows up pretty regularly and even though the odds of us ever meeting in real life are about zero, I still feel like we know each other.

Ruminations d’une Ruine By Francesca Singher. Long before I got my ranch in Garfield, TX, Francesca had her own little farm out here. When I arrived, she warmly welcomed me. When she decided to marry and move to France and live in an old farmhouse, step one happened at the ranch. She had a wonderful wedding and the couple both wore matching bunny suits. Francesca’s essays are glittering, unhurried, fascinating and educational. Her writing is truly breathtaking.

And over on Medium

The Atheist Feminist Project by my friend M.R.O. This is a new series and I really like where it’s going, partly because I am a nontheistic feminist and partly because my friend M is another very deep thinker. I always come away from her pieces with broadened perspectives.

What about y’all? What substacks are you digging and why?

JOY & BEAUTY DEPARTMENT

Since I went on pretty long this week, I will (mostly) skip the captions and let these photos from my last week speak for themselves and make you smile.

Those little envelopes are free seeds from the library!

THE LAWNMOWER REPORT

NOTES:

Thanks for reading y’all. If you can swing a paid subscription, I hope you’ll consider that. For the next few weeks I am offering an annual subscription rate of $30 —that’s a whopping $20 off the regular annual rate. Such a bargain! And your support helps so much—seriously, if you subscribe it’s like YOU ARE A RANCH HAND. You can also help by sharing this with others you think will dig it.

MONDAYS through May I will be offering a FREE WRITING WORKSHOP at the San Marcos Public Library from 10 am til noon. Information Here. No need to register, you can just show up.

My FREE WRITING WORKSHOPS at Hampton Branch Library happen on the first and third Tuesdays of every month from 5:30-7:30 pm. These always fill up so please REGISTER.

Mondays in April I will be offering DONATION BASED Writing Workshops in South Austin from 1:30-3:30 This is an experiment. If it works, I’m going to keep these workshops going. Space is limited. You can REGISTER HERE.

Ranch Writing Day! The inaugural ranch writing day was this past Saturday and it was such a smashing success we are doing it again! Next one is May 3, 2025, from 10 am til 1 pm. It’s donation based. You can REGISTER FOR FREE HERE.