Seasons

Tolkien had names for more seasons than our usual four.  And doesn't it seem like different climates and societies deserve their own seasons reflecting that?  Maybe some do. 

While home with younger children (that are now grown and some of them home with their younger children) we would make up our own seasons. This transitioning time between the last of the leaves falling and the first snow that doesn't really seem like Autumn or Winter. We'd change our season's name at will.  And even though there are no little ones at home, I am still making up my own seasons!

This year, it seems to me to be a "Settling."  Cool enough to enjoy lighting a candle and having a hot cup of tea. Time to turn out the potted plants and set pumpkins and mums on the porch again.

 Around our part of the country we all know the snow soon will fall, the cold winds will blow and we'll be bundling up before venturing outside, some of us for the daily trip out to the wood pile.  Almost all of the trees are bare now...getting ready for their Winter rest.  This in-between season we are savoring - knowing the winter chill will be upon us.

Maybe I should rename it again - the "Savoring!"

Up North

I thought this would be all about my shop because I have so much to chat about the goings on here.  And I will.  However, after my weekend, I have to blog on in a different vein...

You have to live in Wisconsin to understand 'Up North'...its all relative.  If you drive up from Chicago, once you are just a bit past Milwaukee, you start to feel 'Up North'.  If you live in Milwaukee, you will probably be driving close to the Dells before you get that feeling.  Being settled in Beaver Dam many years now, its not until I'm a tad past Steven's Point - the air is clearer, the trees change - there are more pine and beech, less maple and oak.

Maybe its being just the necessary distance away from life's details...wherever those details reside.  We ended up in Boulder Junction.  One of the quieter burgs up there...one of the prettiest. Can't help but smile.

Next time, Jennifer

Inspired!

My sister, Monica, and I set up our 'shop'table at the Inspire Event at Old Hickory last night.  One never knows how the efforts of the hauling of the stuff and the setting up translates into good for business.  Whatever the results were going to be, we are blessed by the Inspire Magazine and the Good Ladies that create this local lady's publication and are pleased to be a part of their efforts in the Big Event!

And what a nice time we had.  Chatting with regular customers - seeing them all at once, I realized we have a LOT of regular customers!  It was encouraging to hear ladies say to their friends "Oh, you have to stop in at their shop - its always wonderful - they don't have the usual gift shop stuff you see everywhere - unusual things - interesting - the gift bags are lovely!" 

My motivation to set up may have been for this to be good advertising 'for business' - it ended up being a blessing to my soul!

 Thank you to all the lovely ladies who stopped by last night to say hi!  We hope to continue to be the shop where you can find some quiet in the busy-ness of life, gifts to bless those you love and treasures big and small to feather your own nests!

The boxes are arriving in full force...

Seems like ages ago I ordered things for Autumn and Christmas - and here are boxes and boxes arriving now!

Like when you get out last year's decorations and are surprised by something so special that you had forgotten about...when we go through these boxes and pull a wreath or garland out, I am often surprised at how pretty it is, completely forgotten I had ordered it, and its a Christmas Surprise!  Yes, a little early in the year for Christmas - but here in my little corner of the retail world - one does start early.  I am usually the last shop in town to do up Christmas, but this year we have no where to go with it so we are already putting some of the nature themed, nature colors out with the Autumn.

It is another world in the shop...a nice little world!

...and I know I STILL haven't gotten my inventory up on the website! Eventually I will stop unpacking boxes and start 'loading up' the site.  I am thrilled to be well on my way with it all.

Peace and Joy to anyone following this...Jennifer