February was a very enjoyable month for me; the weather was quite pleasant and
I really enjoyed watching endless Olympic coverage from Beijing, where the
peaceful gathering of athletes from all over the world sparked lively connections
and new friendships. If the leaders and politicians of all countries would practice
that sense of harmony within their own borders and with their neighbors, the
world would be a better place. Margaret Mead said it best: “When the power of
love is greater than the love of power, the world will be a better place”. One can
only hope.
I made some progress on my marketing efforts, trying to learn which social media might work best for my multi-faceted business. I have attended several workshops and looked over different platforms, nothing rings a bell yet. I am hoping for more clarity after a meeting next week with a member of the local Community College Small Business Center. I used to teach Adult Education at a top ranked Community College and often participated in their business training sessions. We worked with supervisors of several local companies with great success. So I know my meeting will be productive and I can add a good resource to my arsenal of support.
While watching the Olympics I continued to increase my inventory for spring and summer. My supply of baby hats and booties was quite low and I added 3 new bears, which are also available on www.heirloomtreasuresboutique.com under Play Time. Along with headbands and other accessories I am ready for a busy season.
The not so pleasant task of gathering tax information was done in February as well and my Excel worksheets are on the way to my tax preparer. After that chore I always treat myself to some creative or fun time and decided to visit an artist friend who bought a large piece of property northeast of Asheville to develop into a Bed and Breakfast sanctuary. It is in the mountains and very rural, definitely a place to restore and relax.
There will be tree house accommodations, organic gardens, chickens, goats, bees, musical venues, yoga and much more. Some wonderful ideas and designs were exchanged; I can’t wait to see her dream develop into reality through creative visualization.
On the home front I am grateful for signs of spring. My bulbs are coming up in the garden and a shade loving shrub, which was planted by 2 of my friends in Dave’s memory, seems to thrive in the back corner of the house. Bluebirds and cardinals are back in the neighborhood, sending a strong signal of spring. We even have several white squirrels which are easy to spot as they jump through the trees.
In the back of my mind I cannot help but remember the blizzard of 1993, where we had 2 – 3’ feet of snow covering all of Western Nort Carolina. We had no power for a week but the wood fireplace kept us and the pets warm and intermittent use of the generator even made cooking meals possible. It was quite an adventure, but one I can do without!
I would rather think of St. Patrick’s Day in the sunshine! We have been so lucky in this part of the country; my siblings up north are bracing for more snow and ice.
Another welcome sign of spring are the arrival dates for my demonstration times and workshop contracts for this coming year. This enabled me to start the Events page for 2022; but it is always subject to changes and additions as we go through the year. Be sure to check my schedule on the Events page and mark your calendars!
Looking back now, it was a busy month with lots of chores being completed in preparation for my busy seasons. Not that there isn’t always a “honey do” list for myself, eventually I get to it. Considering priorities, of course.
I have 2 restorations coming in early March; I love working on tablecloths because they are not as heavy in my lap as the mighty bedspreads and easier to get out from underneath! They do, however, keep me warm on those cold winter nights. Now I am looking forward to 2 dainty lace tablecloths from an estate right here in Western North Carolina.
Stay well and think green for spring and St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe get inspired to create a lovely green project this month!
“I do what I love and I love what I do”.