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  Scrolling through social media at the beginning of this year, I’ve seen several friends post what is going be their “best month”, a phrase to best describe their new  year, etc.  I find these entertaining to read, even if I’m unlikely to take a quiz to identify my own “best month”.   But the idea of a phrase or word to guide your year ahead stayed with me. If you could think of a word to describe your goals for the next year, what would you choose?     This idea came to me while talking with a friend who...

As I start to ask for “Christmas Lists” I am torn about buying gifts that may not reflect my commitment to sustainable living and the quest to not buy more while still giving gifts that are enjoyed.   I have come up with a solution that makes me happy ... I will support small batch artisans that I follow on social media and find at local craft fairs by purchasing their goods.  I am impressed with the quality of products that these small businesses are producing and selling.  I may spend a little more money, but will feel good about...

  As I watch my garden start greening up with the flowers and bushes that I have planted over the years, I realized that I love perennials for their ability to rebloom each year.  The peony bush sprouts are starting to push through the mulch and rose bush stems are starting to turn green and the buds are coming out.  After a long (or short) winter, these signs of spring are exciting.  The early green shoots are so vibrant and new!  I find myself itching to get out and dig … but I know I need to wait a little...

I grew up in an old farmhouse and when we were househunting many years ago, we focused on older houses. One of the reasons I was so excited to move into our “new” house was that it was built in 1908 ... and it had a front porch with a swing! Historic homes have abundant character and charm. They also have old plumbing and windows, inconsistent heating, sloping floors, etc... but these quirks are part of the personality of a vintage home.  And there are many upsides too. Walkable established neighborhoods, reusing existing housing stock for many generations (very green!), and just...

Coffee Aromatherapy. I love working with coffee sacks for several reasons. One being that when I pick up a new batch of coffee sacks, my car is filled with the rich fragrance of freshly brewed coffee. It often lingers for several days, allowing me a whiff of this wonderful aroma each time I get into the car. I actually think the car feels warmer (great on cold days) and cozier when there is a rich coffee fragrance trapped inside. I have read about the benefits of coffee aromatherapy and coffee oils and most of them point to the energizing attributes of this aroma.  However,...