The Joyfulicity Blog

It often gets translated as “cozy,” but hygge is really more of an experience than a definition. It’s about comfort, presence, connection, and a sense of ease. And what’s especially interesting is that this feeling isn’t just emotional or cultural—there’s real science explaining why hygge has such a positive effect on us.

Under the Tuscan Sun is a warm, sensory-rich memoir that celebrates the pleasures of slowing down, renovating a crumbling home, and building a life rooted in place. Written by poet and travel writer Frances Mayes, the book follows her experience purchasing and restoring an old villa in the Tuscan countryside, blending travel writing, memoir, and reflections on food, landscape, and belonging.