Fresh Start

This time of year always feels a little strange to me. We're right in the middle of the summer heat, the garden is doing its best to survive, the kids are finally bored enough to actually hang out with us - and somehow, we're already rushing toward back-to-school.

Fall is absolutely my favorite season, but there's something about the slow, lazy rhythm of summer that I love even more. It's the pause before everything starts moving again.

I have to admit; I'm definitely not the mom who has it all together this time of year. The required physicals and checkups are done, but I'm still running like a chicken with its head cut off.

Did I get the right binder? Do they have enough clothes? What did I forget? And somehow, I still have to remember what's going on at work, keep the house moving, and make sure the garden doesn't completely give up on me.

This time of year, my energy feels pulled in a million different directions, and honestly, it's exhausting. I'm trying to soak up these last little bits of summer while simultaneously preparing for the chaos of another school year. I know I'm not the only mom feeling the overwhelm. I am here with you!

And since I'm being honest, my garden has seriously disappointed me this season. Part of me wants to throw caution to the wind and plant a fall garden. I know I'm running a little behind on that but there's still part of me that wants to just scratch it all, call this season a learning experience, and start fresh.

Maybe I should focus on preparing the soil for next spring, build the greenhouse I've been dreaming about, and start planning for next year. But either way, it's a lot of work - and honestly this is already such a busy time of year.

So here I am, standing somewhere between "let's just start over" and "maybe I can squeeze in one more garden."

Then I decided, you know what? I miss writing.

So I’m going to start again—and finally put some soul behind the Whiskey & Willows I’ve been dreaming about building.

I’m still going to stress about school. I’m still going to obsess over the garden. I’ll probably still run around like a chicken with its head cut off more times than I’d like to admit. But I’m going to bring you along with me. Through all of it.

The good. The bad. The beautiful. The messy. The seasons that flourish and the ones that completely disappoint me.

Because maybe life is a little more fun when you share the chaos—and definitely funnier when you don’t have to laugh at yourself alone.

So here we go. Whiskey & Willows!

Come along for the ride. I’d love to have you here.