I love my job.  It doesn't even feel right calling it a job.  Having a little shop is something I never knew I always wanted to do!  My sweet Momma is the one that gets the credit for its beginning.  In 2004 my husband and I purchased a crummy old building in town.  It was a great space to store the boat, jet ski, tractor and all of the stuff we just didn't have room for.  It was built in 1924 as a car dealership.   The City of Council Grove had been using it as a firestation when we bought it.  There were garage doors on the front and back of the building with a huge open space in the middle.  My Mom said it looked like a perfect place to have a garage sale to sell her collection of antiques.  So we loaded up a trailer and on a sunny Saturday morning we opened up the front garage door and had a sale.  We had so much fun we did it again the next Saturday!  Then it turned into every Saturday that summer.  Well, her antiques eventually dwindled but my passion for setting up vignettes and finding new homes for all of the lovely pieces grew.  So one day I stopped in a local shop and asked where on earth they got their stuff to sell!  I can't believe I had never wondered that before.   They sweetly explained to me what Market was and how it worked.  Let me tell you, my first day at Market I just felt "home".  It is still my favorite thing I do.  We have since taken off the garage door and replaced it with a real storefront. It is a beautiful space that I love spending time in.  So, thank you to my Mom for planting the seed.  Thank you to Deb & Angie Schwerdtfeger for teaching me about Market.  And the biggest thank you goes to my husband for believing in me so much that it made me believe in myself.     

When I was growing up we moved alot.  I went to a total of 8 schools in 3 states.  It was really hard to establish friendships.  Not to mention my lack of confidence and security.  During the Elementary years it was fun being the new girl!  Everyone wanted to be the one to take me to the lunchroom or show me where the bathroom was.  I loved it!  But, around Junior High it wasn't much fun.  Girls were just plain mean!  They had all been together since Grade School and had already formed little "clicks" that I was not a part of and had a hard time trying to find one to fit into.  Each school I went to I did find at least one person to be friends with and I've thought of them often and imagined if I had stayed there that we would probably be inseparable, life long friends.  Happily, one day I found one of them on Facebook.  I did a Friend request and was so excited when she accepted.  My bubble was quicly burst when she sent me a message asking me who I was!  When I told her, she still had no recollection of me.  She hasn't Unfriended me so I guess that's a plus :)  This has all gotten me to thinking of the friends I have made as an adult.  I don't have a Lucy/Ethel thing going on yet (something I've always longed for!) but the friends I do have, I cherish very much.  They have all made an impact on me.  Inside, I still feel like that 12 year old girl that was laughed at or shunned and it makes me cautious.  So, my goal is to be a better friend to the ones I have and to be more open to making new ones.  There's nothing better than a nice long visit with someone that makes you feel happy.  Whether they know it or not.

Yoga.  A practice that clears the mind and makes the body more flexible.  It has been around for centuries and I am still amazed at the number of people that have not tried it.  The first time I tried it I was 8 years old.  We were living in Tulsa, Oklahoma and two young, groovy neighbors moved in next door.  They were pretty blond girls from California named Panda and Pheobe.  My Mom became friends with them and they introduced her to YOGA.  They suggested Richard Hittleman's 28 Day Yoga Plan.  A book that I still have to this day.  Through the years I have had an on again/off again relationship with Yoga.  Right now I am in the "almost on again" phase.  My youngest daughter, Kaitee has embraced yoga with a passion.  She sends me pictures of her feats and  I am so inspired by her can-do spirit.  She has mastered poses that I thought were only possible by the most advanced guru's.  I marvel at her success and think to myself that I wish I could do that.  Yesterday she sent me a picture with a fairly easy pose that simply said DO MORE YOGA.  Then it clicked.  So I dusted off my mat and did it!  As I near the age of 50 (WHAT!?) I am realizing my body has limitations that I had never noticed before.  How I wish I had never stopped my yoga practice.  I could be like Bette Calman, the 83 year old pictured above (click on her photo to read her story)!  But, I have great news!  Today is a new day and it's filled with 1440 minutes.  Surely I can use just 30 of those minutes to do something that makes me feel calm, empowered and strong.  I hope you can too. 

This has been one of the most cold Springs I can remember.  I really have a hard time when I'm cold.  All I want to do is cuddle up with my little Yorkie, Bitsy, and take a nap.  But, today the sun is shining, the birds are happily chirping and I am determined to make it a great day!

My latest obsession is Lemon Curd.  I started making this golden  bliss about a month ago.  In the beginning I was trying to find all sorts of things that I could eat with it.  Angel food cake, berries, cheesecake.  Now I just enjoy it with a spoon!  I knew I had a problem when I was in D.C. with my husband for a few days.  I kept dreaming of the day I could be home and eat this lucious stuff.  I have been making a dairy free version and have just now made Batch #4 which replaces the white sugar with honey.   Below is my version of several recipes I mushed together.  Enjoy!





LEMON CURD BATCH #3

3 to 6 Lemons
1.5 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
5 Egg yolks
3/4 Cup Lemon juice
Dash Pink Himalayan Salt

Zest 3 lemons and mix with sugar in a Vitamix until you have Lemon Sugar.  Add Coconut Oil blending well.  Add eggs one at a time until mix through.  Add Lemon juice and salt.  Mix until combined.

In medium saucepan cook over med/low heat to 180* or until mixture coats the back of spoon.

Strain mixture through a seive to remove zest pieces.  Pour into jars.  Chill in refrigerator.

Jars can stay in refigerator up to 3 days or can be frozen for several months.  Mine never last that long :)