Today at 10:57 a.m., we officially welcome summer. As I grow older, I have a greater appreciation of the changing seasons. I’m so happy to live in a region that experiences such obvious seasonal turns. My morning walks are validation that time moves forward and each season brings new inspiration and beauty. I have watched our woods and fields turn from dull winter grey to gentle chartreuse green to a now bright, vibrant sea of greens, yellow, whites, and purples. I am grateful for the changes and the beauty our world provides.
My morning walks inspire my ideas for our soap scents and design. As I walked along the path, The Bibbed Wonder mowed for my Heavy-B and me; I noticed a prolific bed of lilies of the valley. Although invasive, wild honeysuckle grows rampantly along the treeline and smells divine, and tiny wild strawberries are beginning to peek from the thick grass carpet that lines the perimeter of the fields. When I make my way past the old pear tree to the line of freshly gathered hay bails, I always inhale deeply. In my humble opinion, nothing smells better than newly mown hay on a cool dewy morning.
Not only do the scents around the farm inspire me, but the beautiful colors do as well. The deep greens of the fields and forest create a deep moody atmosphere. The bright yellow-white of the new hay reflects happiness. The red of the tiny wild strawberries are cheeky peeks of joy. The large red fox that I often see racing through the open fields to the protection of the woods alights a sense of fun and mystery, reminding me of the impending fall oranges and dark browns that will eventually come. A small green and orange box turtle basking in the morning sun inspires ideas for a warm, earthy soap with a hint of oak moss. I love where we live and the creatures we share our lives with inadvertently.
My walks and the scents and sights I experience have inspired my ideas for our 2024 products. It’s exciting and fun to do what we do, and I am grateful for the inspiration and freedom to create what inspires me and makes me happy. Looking out my front window over the chicken-filled lawn, past my flock of grumpy geese, and to my barn that has stood since the 1880s fills me with happiness, creativity, and excitement for what is to come.
Welcome summer with your warm breezes, happy sunshine, tickling green grass, cool ponds filled with croaking bullfrogs, and fields abuzz with bees; welcome and sit for a bit. We enjoy you and the company you bring. On this lovely summer day, stay safe, be smart, be inspired, and keep washing your hands.
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