12.06.2016

this week....and my memories attached to it...

Christmas is officially less than 3 weeks away and I must say I have been feeling the joy that goes along with this time of year, but also the sadness that accompanies the holidays when you are missing someone special. I guess this week will forever be the tough one for me because it marks my first (and only) visit to Vegas, where I got to have some much needed quality daddy daughter time. My dad loved this city and had been quite a few times. We had so many good conversations in this short trip. He stayed in the Paris hotel across the street from where I was staying - The Bellagio. I packed a coffee maker in my luggage, because I am frugal like that ;) , and would wake up early and walk a hot cup of coffee across the street and up to his room the three mornings we were both there. We were always so much alike - we had a very hot and cold relationship. We had pretty hot tempers and were both hard-headed as hell, and knew whatever it was we were talking about, I was always right - and so was he! ha! Anyway, in that trip, we actually had some major breakthrough in our relationship and without even speaking of our normal butting of heads, we got over ourselves. We accepted each other as we were and embraced all the good and normal human qualities that we each had.

The next year, we spoke to each other more than we ever had in my adult life. I spent Fathers Day that year taking goofy selfies with him, and our conversations were so good. I also purchased my farm that year and he was so excited and called or texted every single day during the process to see how things were going. The summer of 2014, he even talked to me about taking in his wild Rose. Rose was his pasture ornament, and she was never broken, just a free girl that he enjoyed having on his property in his golden years. I was terrified of horses, so of course, declined to take her in....but the universe had other plans...

The next January (2015) my dad was gone in an instant. A car crash. Worlds turned upside down for me, my brother, and younger sister. If you follow pretty regularly here, there are several posts about the changes that took place after his death, so I won't go into it again. BUT let me just share with you how grateful I am for that spontaneous Vegas get-together was. That was a real turning point for me and my dad and had we not had that time together, his loss would have been even more detrimental than it already was, but because of that time in Vegas, we were able to build a better relationship than we had ever had since I was an adult. Of course I wish we wouldn't have been so hard-headed, and he and I could have been this way our whole lives, but again, the universe had other plans, and I wouldn't have cherished the Vegas time as much as I do.

I am happy to report that the three of us (my sis, bro, and I) are closer and tighter than we ever have been, and this Father's Day, this is what we were able to give him. Last year this was not the case. Time does not only heal all wounds, but gives you the time to see other perspectives. To grieve properly, and to give each other what we needed, which I learned it really is impossible to help others if you have not properly given yourself what you need first...

I leave this post with some songs that my dad loved, that when I hear them they always remind me of him, and also some pics from our time in Vegas and then the goofy selfie from his last Father's Day here with us. Christmas was never really a big holiday for me and my dad - I always spent it with my mama at her house, and he had his own little Christmas at his slice of heaven with my sister, so I don't have the emptiness that so many have from the empty chair at Christmas, but my emptiness is more from this certain week, and how for the rest of my life I will cherish these memories and this opportunity to grow closer. <3

breakfast at the Bellagio..... he was texting my little sis - ha! <3
 burgers at Gordon Ramsay's place....
 daddy took this pic while he was showing me this city he loved....
 I snapped this in the Paris Hotel elevator as I was delivering his hot coffee...
 All decked out with my sharp dressed daddy!

 Our last and best Father's Day!

12.02.2016

december ?!?!?!

Yesterday was the first day of December....a few things I love about this time of year:



It also happens to mean that my favorite time of year is here! Every December since I turned 30, I have hosted a Christmas dance/ karaoke party that benefited a local charity. I would dress as an elf or something wearing bloomers, bodysuits, and elf ears and dj a crazy dance party. That whole djing gig was only meant to be something to celebrate me and my best friend's 30th year (which turned into a decade of celebrating being in my 30s - ha!), and one day maybe I will share that whole story, because it is a good one...
here is our very first flyer for our Christmas party back from 2006:

But this year, that same friend and I decided to class it up a little and still be involved in a charitable cause by participating in a group - a network of women - mostly rural living women, all across the country, called Fox and the Forest. I have become a little more involved than originally planned in this network, mainly because of my love for natural skincare products...annnnnnd 10% of all of their internet sales are donated to a certified wildlife rehabber! 

(this pic has nothing to do with this post other than it states a fact - ha!)

If you have been following me here long, I am sure you have read about my weird beauty regimen and love of tallow on my face (yes, tallow! ha!), and so that actually led me to formulating the skincare line for Fox and the Forest called 'the potion'. I have been supplying my friends and family with it for years, but just never really had the platform to get it out there. That has all changed, and with the added expertise of an aromatherapist/herbologist (who is also in the network of Fox and the Forest, but out of Maine), I was able to perfect these 'potions' and now they are sold and shipped all over the country under the name 'the potion' by Fox and the Forest - how cool?!?

So, here I have been, making potions, salves, soaps, and tallow balm on my little farm when not working at the office or outside with the critters. It has been a whole lotta fun AND really cool to be a part of the Christmas markets and fairs this year. It has also been a bit overwhelming at times, just because of Christmas and keeping inventory, as well as keeping up with the fairs. I am really happy to be involved, but am also looking forward to it slowing down a bit...

annnnnnd now, since it IS officially Christmas season, I present to you the traditional AND non-traditional Christmas songs that I LOVE to keep on rotation...



11.24.2016

thankful.

It is Thanksgiving Day. For the original occupants of this land, the Native Americans, it means something different, and that we have to remember also... For the rest of us, we were raised from babies to acknowledge what we are thankful for on this day. Family. Friends. The roof over our head, the food that nourishes our body, and the love that surrounds us. I try to be mindful of it all, and I am thankful for the ability to be self aware. To be able to look at things I've said and done, sometimes hurtful to others, most of the time, not, and to move forward and learn from the good and the bad. I wish to start this post with my personal thanks, and then I will share what has been happening in my world since I last posted (it has been a while!)...

I am thankful for the love and support from my family every single day I have been in this world. My mom has always been my number one fan, no matter what it was I was pursuing. My brother has been the sweetest, and most loyal brother any gal could ask for and always hands me the truth (sometimes it is not what I want to hear, but nonetheless it helps me grow). He was my rock last year after our dad passed away, and together we were able to rise from the ashes of a very difficult year and form a closer relationship with our little sister, and now the three of us are closer than we ever were. I learned last year what growth was all about. It requires discomfort. It requires you to look past differences. It ain't easy, but nothing worth having ever is. Anyway, I am thankful for the pain; it helped me feel more alive than I ever have felt. I am thankful for the tears, because they allowed me to take advantage of the support and love that family, friends, and even strangers had to offer. I am thankful for the darkness, because I came through it and was able to see the beautiful light. I am thankful for the unconditional love that those around me extend every single day....and last but certainly not least, I am so very thankful for the man that makes my heart swell every day. My Christian. This week marks our 17th year together, and I am thankful for the growth, love, and perspective I have gained from sharing life with him all these years. <3

....annnnnd now, the catch up:

It has been a while, yes, and a lot has been happening behind the scenes.... I will start with the not-so-great things that have happened since I last posted:

Eddie had a bout of some stomach issues, but this morning as I type, he has been back to normal for about a week now! We have been in a drought for MONTHS and the hay shortage has been causing a little bit of anxiety, but luckily I have managed to keep enough to keep all the farm critters fed, but hay is an expense I have not really had in the past because of all the land I have, so the cost of feeding the animals this year has been a little painful to my wallet... then, yesterday I had to have the septic tank pumped... ahhhh... and then the last bit of news from the farm is that I spotted the skunk! It apparently lives right next door to the fox den! Speaking of the fox, that thing has some major control OR Pancha and the fox have some kind of agreement because Pancha STILL hangs out solo right next to the fox den now for the last two years.... My sweet little one-eyed oblivious Pancha girl....

Now, I wanna share some of the good stuff!
I have put my etsy store on vacation, and will be having a lot of really cool things this weekend and next weekend at the 'fox and the forest' holiday market booths in both Arnoldsville, GA and at the Indie South Holiday Hoorah in Athens (the weekend of Dec. 3rd)! I will be alongside other ladies from the 'fox and the forest' collective of female camaraderie and support! If you want to come out and find gifts for pretty much any lady in your life, I will be at the booth with a little bit of everything! Vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, locally blended & small batch teas, handmade organic, fair trade skincare products, small batch chocolates, and even locally made pickled heavenly goodness!!

I am probably gonna slowly start clearing out the vintage clothing store and then start working on my own closet. I have too much stuff and it has completely taken over my creative space. As most of you know, Christian and I live in a pretty small house, and lucky for me, he hasn't really minded all of my creative ventures spilling over into pretty much every empty corner of our 900 square foot house! He is more patient than I would have been able to be...ha! So anyway, in ridding my space of clutter, I will be able to have our living space be for just that, and the loft will once again be mine for playing, creating, and sewing!

I may try to list a few things here for local pickup, but will also pull some of the best things this weekend to have at the Indie South fair...

I hope everyone has a delightful time with family and friends today. I am having lunch at my grandma's house with my family, then heading over to a local community center to help out with a Thanksgiving dinner for locals with no family. Think about that before you go picking a fight today with family (or friends) over anything EVER - not just today, but everyday! If you are lucky enough to have family, then realize that, and think about all those that do not. I have been a sh!# stirrer myself about certain things (and I am really trying hard to better myself in this department), but if we only surround ourselves with those that agree with us, when do we ever grow? Seriously. Stand up for each other. Love one another, even when that isn't what you are receiving. This is how love spreads. Be thankful for what you do have.

xoxo
-s

11.06.2016

Weekend Snapshots...

 What a beautiful and much needed weekend escape to the beach! It all started with a Friday night run to the feed store to get all the essentials.....
 ...then the instructions for feeding while I was away.... Yeah, I am a little OCD about the animals routines, but this little detail, I learned a few weeks ago from a friend while I was tending to their animals in their absence... pretty neat!
 ...and then off to the beach it was! All set with a matching set of cheap sunglasses and off we go!
 I am so lucky to have THE BEST sister-in-law!! The three of us hadn't been together on the beach in SIX YEARS - and my brother drove us all down, so napping and laughing and no attention to the road was really nice!
 ..and how could we resist a little photoshoot in the midst of this beauty?!?!?


 I also got to snag about an hour with my beach bunny bestie.... This time last year mom and I were at the same beach attending her wedding!
 ...then we took a little tour of this place....
 Read all about the history HERE
 I was in awe so much that after the first few pics, I didn't take anymore.. bummer. But the history here is CRAZY!!
 ...then after a short and fun getaway.....
 I was back home to reality. Coming home to a sunset like this wasn't too shabby, either ;)
 They were all glad to have me back and said Christian did a great job tending to them while I was gone!

 ...and of course, my Eddie Bear couldn't get enough attention upon my return.... Well, I am off to bed - Hello, new week!
xoxo
-s

11.02.2016

catch up snapshots....

I mentioned yesterday when doing the catchup 'sweet stuff' post, that I had been involved in a few projects which has kept me a little busier than normal.... well, later this week, I will update you all on that. For now, here are a few snapshots from the last week and weekend:

 new dress from Indie South store in Normaltown!



 ...nature finds...
 ....and then there was this last minute idea to dress up for Halloween.... Doralee Rhodes showed up to work ... Bahahaha!







 ....and just LOOK AT CHAMP!! He hit the senior pup lotto with his new family!!
 ...fortunes....
 Here is Pancha.... Always hanging out right next to the fox's den. She worries me by doing this, but the fox has had it's den over there for two years and counting. I am assuming they have an agreement by now, because with her limited sight (having just one eye and all), and the fact that she is still around AND walking so close to it's home, it really is a miracle she's still around.