Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep

Our story tonight is read by Andy Richter and it's called “Crumb Meets Santa”. It’s a story about a trip into town on a December afternoon. It’s also about a chew toy in a red suit and hat, jingle bells on a collar, being surrounded by your family at the holidays, whether furry or otherwise, and letting the joy of another fill your heart. 

Andy Richter is a comedian, actor, writer, and host, best known for his many years alongside Conan O’Brien. He also happens to be part of one of those movie...

Originally presented as: Season 12, Episode 29 (November 6th, 2023)

Our story tonight is called The Middle Path, and it’s a story about a trek down an unknown trail at the park. It’s also about red berries on a vine, the fog of your breath in the late autumn air, geese crossing the sky, and making space for the beauty that lives all around you.

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Our story tonight is called Closing up for the Season, Part One and it’s a story about a day of chores at the Inn that starts off nice and slow. It’s also about fog on the lake and the view from the window seat on the second floor. Breakfast dishes and wheel barrow rides, and a time for calmly putting things away before the snow flies.

We give to a different charity each week and this week we are giving to Bees in the D. Building a Buzz for Pollinators Through Education and...

Originally presented as Season 14, Episode 43 (Oct 27, 2024)

Our story tonight is called The Secret Stair, and it’s a story about a costume party on Halloween night at the Inn. It’s also about the bonfire down by the lake, a whiskered face at the window, a mystery waiting in the library, and a reminder of what is sacred and worth your attention and what is not.

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Our story tonight is called Doug the Pug and Dory in the Village for Halloween, and it’s a story about an afternoon at the end of October in the Village Square. It’s also about catnip bats and a wagon full of pumpkins, homemade costumes, and apple turnovers, wagging tails and ruby slippers, and a new tradition made with new friends. 

We give to a different charity each week and this week we are giving to Tiny Paws Pug Rescue which is a cause that Doug, Dory, and I care a lot about. Tiny...

Our story tonight is called All Hallows’ Eve at the Inn, and it’s the third in our special Halloween series this year. It’s about the Innkeeper and her trusty sidekick Sycamore as they ready the Inn for guests on a dark October eve. It’s also about carved pumpkins that line the great staircase, a blurry face in an old photo, a bubbling cauldron of punch in the ballroom, a costume purchased from the thrift store, and a forgotten tradition brought back to life.

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Our story tonight is called The Moon and the Maker’s Mark, and it’s a story about a friendship born on an autumn day and plans made in the dark of night. It’s also about quart jars and canned pumpkin, burnished copper and baking cookies and a soft spell made by loving hands.

We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are giving to Looking Out Foundation, amplifying the impact of music by awarding grants, engaging community, and creating powerful partnerships.

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Originally presented as Season 14, Episode 39 (Oct 14, 2024)

Our story tonight is called Crows and Candles, and it is the next in this month’s special Halloween episodes. While it isn’t at all a scary story, it is meant to be a bit of balm for those that are grieving, and if that feels too heavy for tonight, that’s understandable; might I recommend The Leaf House instead tonight?

Tonight's story is about a walk on a misty day and a place at the bottom of the hill where the gate s...

Our stories tonight are some of my favorites. We’ll spend time at the Inn as the pumpkins are lit and the ballroom fills up with costumed neighbors. There will be cats in windows, a rumbling dumbwaiter, and a secret passageway that’s sat shut up for ages. We’ll wander through the alleys at the Night Market and make friends with bump in the night.

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We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are giving to Dolly P...

Originally presented as Season 12, Episode 23 (Oct 16, 2023)

Our story tonight is called The Corn Maze, or The Say Yes Club, and it’s a story about a trip out into the country as the leaves fall. It’s also about the smell of dried corn stalks, kettle corn and wood chips, and finding a group of friends to have adventures with.

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Our story tonight is called Paper Flowers, and it’s a story about a place to spend a cozy and creative afternoon. It’s also about the magic of miniature things, having something to look forward to, and the fun of learning something new.

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Originally Presented as Episode 19 of Season 10 (Oct 10, 2022)

Our story tonight is called Autumn Ride, and it’s about pedaling with friends under falling leaves. It’s also about treats from the bakery, wrapped up and ready to share, rediscovering a pure feeling of joy out on the road, and a hoodie zipped up to your chin.

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Our story tonight is called Stargazing in the Woods, and it’s a story about a few days away from everything and at the same time closer to everything. It’s also about flat stones for skipping, an old blanket spread under the night sky, and a realigned perspective to take home after the embers die.

We give to a different charity each week and this week we are giving the Detroit Creativity Project, bringing free improv programs to schools and community centers to build confidence, collaboration, and the social skills that students use dail...

Originally presented on Season 12, Episode 17 (Sept 21, 2023)

Our story tonight is about a wedding beside the lake on a soft September day. We’ll hear piano music drifting through the air and champagne corks popping as the whole Village gathers to celebrate love and savor the big and small moments before they slip away.

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Our story tonight is called Coat Check at the Supper Club, and it’s a story about a restaurant on the edge of the lake. It’s also about a quiet corridor lined with numbered hooks and cubbies, carefully set tables, matchboxes and bobby pins, and caring about giving your guests a place where they feel well taken care of, unhurried and at ease.

We give to a different charity each week and this week we are giving Haven They work to empower survivors to heal and engage all individuals and communities to address and...

Originally presented as Episode 16 of Season 12 (Sept 18, 2023)

Our story tonight is called Something Blue, and it brings us a little closer to a much-anticipated event in the Village of Nothing Much. It’s a story about autumn skies and turning leaves. It’s also about a kitten wrapped in a shawl, star anise and peppermint, and letting yourself love again after loss.

Give them meals + snacks that are actually right for where kids are developmentally - balanced, intentional and made to support real growth. Go to https://littlespoon.com/NOTHINGMUCH and enter code...

Our stories tonight are, if I do say so myself, such a treat. If you have ever wished to book a stay at the Inn of Nothing Much and watch the leaves change while sipping coffee from the back porch. If you love trains and journals and cats and trays of food sent up from the kitchen, these stories are for you.

Make your bed your favorite place to be this season with Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to quince.com/nothingmuch. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now...

Originally presented as Episode 15 of Season 12 (September 11, 2023)

Our story tonight is called Something Borrowed, and it’s the next installment in our series leading up to a special day here in the Village of Nothing Much. It’s a story about early morning at the Inn. It’s also about pretty plates brought out of the pantry cupboards... cardamom and cinnamon... and remembering that you don’t have to do everything on your own.

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Our story tonight is called Moving In, and it’s a story about a long drive in a packed car at the beginning of freshman year. It’s also about paper cups of coffee, new towels and beloved memories, turning leaves on the commons and the tender adventure of growing up and letting go.

We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are giving the True and Faithful Pet Rescue Mission. Making a difference in the lives of these resilient, loving, and devoted senior dogs and giving them the forever home...

Originally presented as Episode 14 of Season 12 (September 4, 2023) Our story tonight is called Something New, and it’s a story about stumbling upon a beautiful place on a late summer bike ride. It’s also about lily pads, an X marked on a map, and the joy of watching a friend step into a new season of their life.

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Our story tonight is called School Supplies, and it is a story about a way to mark the end of warm weather and the beginning of crisp days. It’s also about planners and paper goods, tiny scissors and which color folder for math, and treating yourself to something new just because it makes you smile.

Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to quince.com/nothingmuch. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too.

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium channel⁠⁠⁠⁠. The first month is on u...

Originally presented as Episode 13 of Season 12 (August 28, 2023)

Our story tonight is called Something Old, and it’s a story about a gift found on a treasure hunt. It’s also about taking the time to do something well, an embroidery hoop and an orange ribbon, and seeing magic in every day objects that can tell stories from the past.

Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to quince.com/nothingmuch. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. Subsc...

Our story tonight is called The Ferry Landing, Part 2, and it’s the conclusion to last Monday's episode. If you want to hear both parts, put together with an immersive soundscape made by Bob, you can listen right now on the nothing much happens app. This is a story about a trip across a river at the end of the summer, it’s also about a song playing from the jukebox, a roadside sign missing a few letters and taking a chance on love.

We give to a different charity each week and this week...

Originally presented as Episode 10 of Season 12 (August 7, 2023)

Our story tonight is called Special Delivery at Weathervane Farm, and it’s a story about getting chores done in the farmyard on a summer afternoon. It’s also about the animals having their say, a rest with the cows in their pasture, and an invitation stuck to the fridge with a heart-shaped magnet.

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Our story tonight is called The Ferry Landing, Part 1, and it’s a story about a river, and the island on the other side of it. It’s also about messages sent through the paper, a pilot house and a carpenter’s pencil, and a small summer mystery that left a mark, still present many years later.

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We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are...

Enjoy this excerpt into Kathryn’s new cozy audiobook, On the Street Where You Live. Order now ⁠here⁠.

Copyright © 2026 by Kathryn Nicolai. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio read by Kathryn Nicolai, Javier Munoz, Mara Wilson, Alma Cuervo, Holter Graham, Danny Burstein, Natalie Naudus, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Patti Murin, from the audiobook On the Street Where You Live by Kathryn Nicolai, published by Simon & Schuster Audio, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.  Used with permission from Simon & Schuster, LLC.

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Originally presented as Episode 4 of Season 6 (August 24, 2020)

Our story tonight is called Summer Feast, and it’s a story about a meal eaten on a blanket spread over the grass. It’s also about shapes spotted in the clouds, whistle weeds, and taking the time to savor some favorite flavors.

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium channel.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The first month is on us. 💙

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Our stories tonight treat us to some of the loveliest moments of late summer. They are about overflowing gardens and farmers market stalls, heavy rains and nights around the bonfire. They are also about blankets stretched out on the grass, flowering plants and old stately trees, and the sweet moments that come before the fall.

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Try Nature’s Sunshine and experience the difference with supplements that are better for you and the planet. Go to naturessunshine.com today and use the code...

Originally Aired: August 4th, 2025 (Season 16 Episode 10) Our story tonight is called Pool Day, and it’s a story about a cool dip in the water on a hot summer day. It’s also about the tiled walls of the changing rooms, broad open umbrellas, and rows of lounge chairs. A book by your side, droplets on your skin, and the heavy sleep that swallows you up after a day in the sun and water.

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Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to quince.com/noth...

Our story tonight is called Caught in the Rain, and it’s a story about a boat ride as the summer winds down. It’s also about horseshoes and fresh, clean beach towels, the quiet rocking of the waves, the space between dreams and awareness, and the rush of cool air and dim light that comes with a summer storm.

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Subscribe to our Premium channel. The first month is on us. 💙

We give to a different charity each week, and this week we are giving to...

Originally Aired: July 26th, 2020 (Season 6 Episode 2)

Our story tonight is called The Turnaround, and it’s a story about a trip down a gravel road on a summer day. It’s also about bulrushes and bonfires, family stories, and coming back to a place you know well.

Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Premium channel.⁠⁠⁠ The first month is on us. 💙

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Order Kathryn’s new book ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠On the Street Where You Live⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to our daytime show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories fr...

Our story tonight is called Off the Beaten Path, and it’s a story about a bit of summer adventuring and the delight of coming across something you never knew was there. It’s also about stalks of lavender and a copper still in a field, turkeys and treehouses, and taking a road that leads somewhere new.

Quince

Make your summer bedding feel better. Go to quince.com/nothingmuch for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

We give to a diffe...

Originally presented as Episode 8 of Season 10 (July 25, 2022)

Our story tonight is called Beach Walk, and it’s a story about meeting the morning light where the water meets the land. It’s also about the first step into the cool water, a dog chasing a stick into the waves, and a beach towel laid out neatly in the sand. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code NOTHINGMUCH at oneskin.co/NOTHINGMUCH  #oneskinpod

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Our story tonight is called WNMH, and it’s a story about a Saturday morning broadcast from the radio station in downtown Nothing Much. It’s also about the community calendar and cinnamon buns, still warm at the bakery. A blinking light on the sound board, a bouquet of flowers for someone special, and an ordinary morning that feels just right. For bonus enjoyment, I recommend you think of the character telling this story as our own Bob Wittersheim.

Whether it's a hobby, a passion, or a long-held idea, Shopify can help you bring it to life. Star...

Originally aired July 28, 2025 (Season 16, Episode 8)

Our story tonight is called Sidewalk Chalk, and it’s a story about a journey through the park on a bright day. It’s also about a cold drink from the coffee shop, a frog blinking from a pond, Alice and the Caterpillar, birch trees and drawings on the sidewalk, and paying more attention when small happy moments wash over you.

Go to AquaTru.com now for 20% off (your purifier) using promo code NOTHINGMUCH. AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee.

Subscribe to our...

Enjoy this sneak peek into Kathryn’s new cozy audiobook, On the Street Where You Live, out on July 28th. Preorder now here.

Copyright © 2026 by Kathryn Nicolai. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio read by Kathryn Nicolai, Javier Munoz, Mara Wilson, Alma Cuervo, Holter Graham, Danny Burstein, Natalie Naudus, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Patti Murin, from the audiobook On the Street Where You Live by Kathryn Nicolai, published by Simon & Schuster Audio, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.  Used with permission from Simon & Schuster, LLC.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...

Our stories tonight treat us to many sunny moments in and around the Inn. They are stories about a stately home at the end of a long drive, a lake shimmering as rowboats glide across it, coffee cake and names in a ledger and a place to rest and enjoy some of the sweetest days of summer.

Subscribe to our Premium channel. The first month is on us. 💙

Try Nature’s Sunshine and experience the difference with supplements that are better for you and the planet. Go to ⁠naturessunshine.com⁠ today and use the c...

Originally aired July 7, 2020 (Season 6, Episode 1)

Our story tonight is called In the Map Room, and it’s a story about the pleasures of looking at the world drawn out on paper. It’s also about a gasp of koi fish in a pond, a bike ride that leads somewhere surprising, and the view from the upper room of an old house.

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Quince

Make your summer bedding feel better. Go to quince.com/nothingmuch for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns...

Our story tonight is called Out and Back, and it’s a story about a calm way to cap a long summer day. It’s also about hickory trees and fresh hay in the field, katydids and kickstands, and letting your senses fill with the sights and sounds around you, being here while here is happening.

Subscribe to our Premium channel. The first month is on us. 💙

Whether it's a hobby, a passion, or a long-held idea, Shopify can help you bring it to life. Start with a free trial at ⁠⁠shopify.com/nothingmuch⁠

Originally aired July 7, 2025 (Season 16, Episode 2)

Our story tonight is called The Evening of the 4th, and it’s a story about a day-long event that ends with a picnic and a concert on the grass. It’s also about hand pies and potato salad, a busy kitchen full of aproned volunteers and the sound of the instruments tuning up on the patio. Thyme and lemon zest, and the satisfaction of sharing good times with your neighbors. Subscribe to our ⁠Premium channel⁠. The first month is on us.💙

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