Hello, friends!
How are you doing? How is your summer coming along? Are you taking time to enjoy the season & soak up these gorgeous, long days?
I wanted to check in with you & share a handful of things/lifestyle changes/home routines I am currently loving. I personally love reading suggestions from others so I hope you enjoy this little update.
Loving Lately List…
– Harvesting fresh flowers from the garden… As a little girl, I dreamed of having my own secret garden brimming with blooms. Now every morning or evening that I harvest a fresh bouquet for our neighbors, friends & little shop, I am overcome with thankfulness for this life.
I’ve been sharing my flower farming journey over on Instagram with the hashtag #freckledhenblooms if you’d like to follow along!
– Mornings & evenings on the patio… We’ve spent years cultivating this cozy little space on our patio & we love it so much. We spend many nights out here eating dinner & many mornings sipping our coffee.
– Finishing books… I finally finished The Underground Railroad. It was a difficult yet important read. I am so grateful to have space for reading in the evening once again. I’m trying out a new book club & excited to start digging deep into When Breath Becomes Air. I’ll let you know what I think!
– Podcasts… I may very well be the very last person to have heard about this specific podcast, Happier by Gretchen Rubin, but I am loving it! I have read all of her books & have thoroughly enjoyed them so it’s such a gift to listen in on her tips & thoughts regarding habits & our overall happiness.
On the topic of podcasts, I’m also giddy to share that there is a new season of Elise Gets Crafty & I am a guest once again! Elise interviewed me in 2014 so it’s exciting to be back on to share an update about our farm & the business! Click here to listen.
– Dinners from the garden… Once the abundance of the garden has been harvested & washed, I often have a tough time finding creative ways to use it all within our weekly meal plan. This summer I am making an honest effort to use our farm fresh vegetables. Last night I made egg roll bowls with our homegrown cabbage & onions. I also plan to make broccoli & cheese soup later in the week. What creative ideas do you have for using up the abundance of vegetables from the garden during the summer months?
– Fermentations… Tis the season for fermenting! Luke is working on a batch of sauerkraut as I type this (using our amazing kraut lid – I’d highly recommend this tool if you’re a gardener or fermenter!) for adding to brats on buns with a garden salad for dinners. I’m giddy to also be taking a kombucha class this month, too! We’ve made kombucha in the past, but I’ve always struggled with bottling. I’m excited to glean some tips from the experts.
– Natural Deodorant… We had a bit of a scare within my family a couple of weeks ago, which left me re-evaluating all of the products I use in my body care routine. One product I have found & love is Schmidt’s natural deodorant stick (I like the lavender scent!). I’ve been telling all of my friends, but I thought I would tell you, too, ha! It doesn’t completely eliminate sweat like the other weird brands, but I still feel fresh hours later. So far I’ve gardened & went to the river with this deodorant on & I love it. You can find it at most stores now (I think I even saw it at Target!), but here’s a link to Grove Collaborative, which is where I buy mine. You get a whole bunch of freebies when you sign up so that’s fun! YAY for making conscious decisions, y’all.
– Hammock season… We hung the hammock & opened the pool for the season! I love spending so much time outside during the summer months. I see many naps in this cozy spot under the tree in my future!
What are you loving lately? Share in the comments!
love,
natalie
I am happy to say we have finally found our rhythm within the home since opening our shop. I knew I wanted to get back to a full night’s rest, home-cooked meals & regular exercise. But I also wanted to add in some simple practices that were much needed even before the shop’s opening.
I’ve been experimenting for a few weeks & I am finding that certain, simple practices are finding their place within our days. I thought I’d share some of those daily habits with you…
1. Putting up our dishes first thing every morning: I would get so frustrated every day around lunchtime when I would wash my plate & go to put it in the dishwasher, only to find it was full of clean dishes. I know, first world problems. Now, every morning with coffee in hand, I put up all of the dishes. It makes for a smoother afternoon & an empty sink throughout the day.
– Drinking more water: Truthfully, I struggle to drink water. Even in the heat of an Arkansas summer, I’ll grab an iced coffee over a bottle of water any day. But I am slowly working on this habit. In order to motivate myself, I have been filling up a pretty glass pitcher (a thrifted find, vintage Pyrex) with water & ice. I’ll add in fresh lemon, lime, herbs & fruit for a pop of flavor. Somedays I do well & other days I fail, but the reminder of that pitcher on the countertop sure does help.
– Putting away clothing immediately: Do you have that chair in your bedroom that serves as your chair to hold the mound of clean clothes not yet put up? Yes, us too. And it drove me nuts! The time to put up all. of. those. clothes each week was ridiculous. So I decided to set a rule for myself. Every time I was finished with a piece of clothing that wasn’t quite ready for the wash or a piece I decided not to wear that day, I had to take two seconds to fold or hang it up. This has been HUGE. A simple practice that keeps our bedroom clean & puts my mind at ease. Yes.
– Slowly settling down at night: The evening hours are sacred within our home. They’re oftentimes the only hours of the day when we’re both together. So I’ve been working to protect those hours. For an hour or so, just before bedtime & after the completion of chores for the day, you’ll find us by the wood burning stove with a book in hand (currently reading the Underground Railroad & loving it!). We make a cup of tea & savor the quiet for just a few moments before settling into bed. I apply essential oils & fall into my pillow for a deep night’s rest.
What simple practices are you adding to your day? How are you falling into a healthy daily rhythm? I’d love to read your thoughts & suggestions in the comments!
love,
natalie
In 2013, I chose Joy.
In 2014, I lived out Quality.
In 2015, my one word was Pursuit.
In 2016, I chose Present but the word Provision chose me (perhaps more on that later..).
In 2017, I will live out Peace.
I believe choosing one word each year has such power over our days ahead. It’s an anchor for the way we can live out our days, months & year. It allows our yearly goals to be measured while also allowing for that freedom to grow within that particular time.
It’s always such a surprise to look back on my year & note that – yes – that word lived & breathed through me. Perhaps it’s lived out in bigger ways some years than others, but there’s always a mark of that chosen word – small as it may be – on my time.
Over & over again, the word Peace kept coming to me as my intention for 2017. Perhaps it’s the unrest we feel as a community at large or the conflict I’ve felt in my own personal life. Whatever the reason may be, I am choosing Peace in 2017 & I pray it has a profound impact on my heart & year.
By peace, I don’t mean avoiding the noise or quieting my voice (although at times, that might just be what’s needed).
I had an amazing conversation with a customer in Tulsa just before Christmas. We were talking about words for the new year and I mentioned mine. She began sharing her thoughts on peace, reflecting on what it could look like in the midst of chaos.
It hit me. She was right.
How can I live out Peace in chaos? Friends, how can we be peace amid the crazy?
In 2017, I will choose Peace.
In how I treat my neighbor on our road, in my community, around the globe. In the choices we make for our business. In the decisions we make as a family. In the ways I speak & in the ways I act.
I look forward to the hard work, the noise, the successes & the mistakes of 2017. How can I be light in darkness & peace in chaos? I look forward to sharing these thoughts in the year ahead!
Do you choose a word for your year? Share your 2017 word in the comments below!
love,
natalie