sunday

It’s late and I am already in bed… and am too tired to write much but I am so grateful I had the luxury of a three day weekend due to the snow ….

Reece and I explored the ice-kissed grounds first because Poptart was not ready to come out from under the covers. 

Poptart eventually got up and stumbled across a frozen puddle that really sparked her curiosity. 

I made plans to spend the day with a friend, but wanted to drive my ol’ Black Pearl…

….so after a little de-icing, I let her warm up a bit while I made the pups some special treats…

It’s great being in the business of dogs—as I have learned some really great hacks from other dog lovin’ individuals.

These have Greek yogurt, some peanut butter, and their normal kibble all mixed up….

…then put in a Kong….

…and then stick ‘em in the freezer until mealtime! It’s a great balanced alternative to their normal meal and it lasts much longer. 

I threw on some skinny jeans, a flannel, a thrifted coat, an old beanie, and some boots I also thrifted - woot!

Oh! And this bag made from the most beautifully screen printed fabric. 

I spent the majority of the day at my friends apartment watching tv, drinking coffee, and just hanging out….then came home and made one of my favorite comfort meals— tomato soup and grilled cheese… 

I ended the day with a fire in the wood stove while scheduling the weeks clients for the doggie bus! 

I hope you all have a lovely evening!

xoxo

-s

fragments of time: snow day….

While it is very uncommon for us to get snow here in Georgia, it is always something I get super excited about when we have even the slightest chance… Yesterday morning were supposed to get 5” according to the forecast but we only got around 2’… 

I was ready for the worst of it, planning on feeding the horses multiple times because they wouldn’t dare wear a blanket. Luckily, it was just enough to cover the farm with a nice blanket of snow - enough for Poptart to enjoy her first real snow, and it was cold enough that it stuck around all day. 

Both horses stayed out in it for most of the day - with their fluffy winter coats, they seemed to enjoy it…

…the goats are made for the snow - both are little alpine swiss mixes.

Poptart was thrilled with all the new textures and smells, and had zoomies like I rarely see her have! 

Reece loved sniffing out the field mice who were far more active, looking for food I’m guessing, to stay warm…

..one of many ferns in the forest who seem determined to make it through the winter…

I made a batch of biscuits to enjoy with my evening coffee…

..last night when I was coming back in from walking the dogs, I had to snap this… 

Poptart spent the rest of the evening cozied up in front of the wood stove…

while I would have loved for the snow to stick around a bit more, I was glad to see that the roads were clear for driving because in a bit I do need to make a grocery run. I recently learned a new little hack to use as a meal option for my darling little Poptart, so need to round up one ingredient…. stay tuned and I’ll share how much she likes it! 

stay warm and I am so glad to be back…

xoxo

-s

 

2025. new year. major shifts

… it’s been a long time since I’ve been here. 

 I’ve been itching for a very long time to do all of my segments again - the frugal fashionable Fridays, thrifting Thursdays, the sweet stuff Sundays, the ‘fragments of time’, the mixtapes, and the general farm updates, but for the last year I have been stuck…. 

A lot happened in 2024 that I had a hard time wrapping my head around and honestly I had no idea how to write about it. In January 2024, a year ago, I ended my relationship after almost 25 years. It’s sometimes hard to accept that as individuals grow older in a partnership, you can both evolve into beings who have completely different values and no longer fit together. To be honest, we had very little in common for the last several years of our relationship. This ‘end’ involved many variables and there are many parts to the story that are not mine to tell, but it is what it is and I’ve been figuring out life in a new way for the last several months.

It is easy to cling to the familiar, to a life we’re not ready to part with. But sometimes, it's essential to genuinely see ourselves and where we envision ourselves going. If I am gonna be honest here, I tend to primarily share the good stuff here - it’s a self-soothing thing I assume, especially when reality becomes too overwhelming. It’s a unique perspective, living on the other side of the dream—eyes wide open—walking the tightrope between reality and imagination, intertwining the world in front of us with the one our minds create. But still, I remind myself that there is truth in both places.

In this shift, I’ve found an opening to fall back in love with this old farm, even with the lingering memories of a failed relationship. This farm is a place where weeds sometimes grow out of control, and dust settles everywhere from the dirt road - it can be chaotic at times, just like me. I'm thin-skinned, yet tough as nails. Life is too short to be anything other than what you truly are.

The last several months,  I feel more content and less anxious about the future. I went through some very dark periods, but I found my way back to me. I sat with the loss, the sadness, the hurt, and the truth that the future I’d envisioned for years was long gone and it was time to create a different one. I cried about it and I accepted my part in it, and I let it all go. Through this change, I realize that being alone is profoundly different from feeling lonely—something I was very familiar with in my relationship— and there lies a beautiful strength in solitude. 

…the truth is … I still have so much to learn and figure out about this life…

So here’s to 2025 and the unexpected roads, the spontaneous friendships, and the beautifully complex layers of love. 

xo,

-s

february 1.

 

Good morning! I cannot believe it is February already. I have so much to do before Spring here on the farm and in the vintage shop - eeek! I usually take off the month of January from the Fox and the Forest shop because December wears my a$$ out with all the sales and markets; however January was my busiest month to date for the dog-walking and pet-sitting. So although I did close the shop for a bit, I didn’t really get a break to work on the farm…. but ya know what?? I have never been happier in my entire life. 

2024 is uncharted territory for me - it’s exciting and new and fresh and all mine. Even though I left my 20 year office job behind in October of 2021, I started out both 2022 & 2023 putting all my time and energy into a project that was emotionally taxing, but needed to be done and ultimately paid off in a big way and made those home renovations last year possible, so this year is the first year I’m feeling that freedom… woot!

This very moment actually, I’m sitting on our couch watching the fake Netflix fireplace ;) while blogging, eating waffles, soaking one foot in epsom salts (that story later), and drinking coffee (yes we still have our tree up, but it comes down tomorrow!).

 I’ve got five dog-walking appointments set up for today and in between those I am making plans for various clothing that needs to be listed in the shop this month. Tomorrow I have the luxury of being able to work all day at home, on the farm - either working the land or working in the shop - essentially the plan is to not leave the property all day !! Fingers crossed that actually happens :)

So, happy February to you all and I hope so far your year has been everything you’d hoped for!

I really joyed last week’s mix tape, so gonna make another one in the same style because that’s my mood lately… a little junior boys, a little LCD Soundsystem, a little girl pop, and a little dancing… 

xoxo

-s