There’s something about a garden that holds space for all of it, joy, growth, failure, and yes… loss.

You don’t have to explain yourself to the dirt.  You can plant seeds with tears in your eyes and still get tomatoes by summer.  You can bury something in grief and find something new growing beside it by fall.

The garden knows what we sometimes forget: love and loss live right next to each other.

Grief Comes in Seasons

Loss doesn’t run on a schedule.  It doesn’t care if it’s planting time or harvest time.  It shows up when it wants, and it lingers like a late frost.

Just like the weather, grief moves in seasons.  There are days when everything feels heavy and raw.  There are days when you feel numb.  Then, one morning, you notice the daffodils pushing up through last year’s decay, and something inside you stirs.

Not because the grief is gone; it’s because life refuses to stop growing.

The Garden is a Living Memory

Every gardener knows, there are plants tied to people.  A rose bush from your grandmother’s yard.  Sunflowers your child picked out in the seed catalog.  The lilac your partner planted before they passed.

These plants become living altars.  They don’t just grow, they carry memories.  You tend them with care, even when it hurts, because they help you remember that love doesn’t leave, it just roots deeper.

We Dig, Even When It Hurts

There’s something sacred about digging when your heart is broken.  When you can’t control anything else, you can still put your hands in the dirt.  You can pull weeds, water roots, talk to the plants.

You don’t need to have the right words.  You don’t need to feel strong.  You just show up.  And in the showing up, something begins to shift.

Maybe it’s the rhythm of nature.  Maybe it’s the sun on your back.  Maybe it’s just that a garden is a safe place to be silent.  To cry.  To be messy and human.

Love Lives On in What We Grow

Loss is a thief, and love? Love is a farmer.

Love keeps planting.  Love saves seeds from last year’s fruit.  Love shows up with a watering can when you’re too tired to move.  Love whispers, “Keep going,” even when the rows are crooked and the weeds are thick.

When we love someone deeply and lose them, we don’t stop tending, we tend differently.  We plant things they would have loved.  We notice the color of the sky like they used to.  We find them again in the harvest, in the scent of lavender, in the breeze that brushes our face while we water the beans.

Let the Garden Hold You

Whatever you’re carrying, grief, hope, or both, bring it to the soil.

Plant something.  Pull something.  Sit in the sun with a cup of tea and remember that you don’t have to heal all at once.  You don’t have to make sense of anything today.  You just have to breathe.  To be.

The garden can hold your joy and your sorrow.  It can hold your love and your loss.

And it will keep growing.

Just like you.

There’s a shift that happens, not all at once, and not always gently.  One day you’re bouncing out of bed with the energy of a spring chicken, and the next, you’re standing in the kitchen wondering why your pants don’t fit, your patience is thin, and you could cry over a dropped spoon.

Welcome to the season of shifting hormones and growing older.  It’s not for the faint of heart.

You know what?  Neither is gardening.

Nature Doesn’t Apologize for Changing

In the garden, we expect things to change.  No one scolds the tulip when it wilts.  No one shames the apple tree when its fruit is smaller one year, or the leaves fall early.  Change is built in.  It’s expected.  Honored, even.

Yet in life (especially for women) we’re told that aging is something to fear or fix.  That if our bodies soften, if our energy dips, if our moods shift like the wind, we must be broken.

No, ma’am!  You’re not broken!  You’re evolving!

Hormones Are Like Weather: Powerful and Unpredictable

Much like a summer storm can roll in fast and fierce, hormones can take you by surprise.  Hot flashes.  Mood swings.  Brain fog.  Insomnia.  Suddenly your body feels like it’s not your own, and you’re wondering who fried your wiring overnight.

And just like we adjust the garden, move a plant to better light, cover the soil to protect from frost, we can adjust our lives to support what’s happening inside.  Herbal allies, nutrient-dense food, rest, movement, boundaries.  Listening.  Trusting.  Honoring the change, instead of fighting it.

The Garden Doesn’t Bloom All Year—And Neither Do You

There’s wisdom in the soil.  Even the most productive garden has times of rest, dormancy, and decay (some days I feel this!)  Not every day is for flowering.  Some days are for root work.  Some seasons are for pruning.

Our culture worships productivity, and your body knows better.  Aging isn’t decline, it’s refinement.  You’re being called inward.  To let go of what’s no longer needed.  To nourish what still matters.  To stop blooming for everyone else and finally grow for you.

Composting the Old, Making Room for the New

The garden wastes nothing.  Dead leaves, spent stalks, the mess of last season, it all breaks down and becomes rich, fertile soil.  You are allowed to let things fall away.  Roles you’ve outgrown.  Relationships that no longer fit.  Expectations you never asked for.

Let them rot.  Let them transform.  Use them to feed the next version of you.

Growing Older Isn’t Losing Youth—It’s Gaining Wisdom

The garden doesn’t mourn the loss of spring when autumn comes.  It celebrates the harvest.  It ripens.  Deepens.  Stretches out in color and richness and grace.

So let’s do the same.  Let’s stop fighting the changes and start flowing with them.  Let’s listen to our bodies like we listen to the land.  Let’s support our hormones like we support our tomatoes, staking, feeding, tending with care.

Growing older isn’t the end of anything!  It’s just another season.  One with its own beauty, its own strength, and its own kind of bloom.

Some days, life feels like pulling a cart full of Sweet Annie, barefoot, in the rain, while a chicken watches and judges.  We all hit those points where we question whether it’s worth it, whether we’re really cut out for this calling, this dream, this work that demands so much and gives back in whispers.

It’s in those moments that we need a little reminder, something to light the path, stir the soul, and get us moving again.

Let’s gather some words from those who’ve been in the trenches, those who’ve fought hard battles, and lived to share the wisdom.  Not as empty inspiration, but as fuel for the fire.


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“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” —Theodore Roosevelt
It doesn’t start with the tools, the plan, or the money, it starts with the belief.  If you’re still standing, still dreaming, still trying, you’re already halfway to where you’re going.  Don’t underestimate that.


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“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” —Steve Jobs
And let’s not forget why we began.  The love.  The spark.  The joy in seeing a seed sprout or a customer light up or an idea take shape.  That love, that’s the anchor when everything else feels like it’s drifting.


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“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” —Nelson Mandela
Every big project, every big dream, every mountain ahead, they all looked impossible at first.  Then somebody did it.  Why not you?


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“Believe in yourself and all that you are.  Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.” —Christian D. Larson
You don’t need to become someone else.  You don’t need to wait until you’re “ready.”  What you need is already within you.  More strength.  More wisdom.  More fire than you know.


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“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” —George Addair
Fear’s a trickster.  It makes us think we’re safe by staying small.  What if that thing you’re scared of, the call, the move, the risk, is exactly where your breakthrough lives?


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“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” —Nelson Mandela
You’re going to fall.  That’s not failure, it’s the curriculum.  What matters is that you get up.  Every time.  Dust off, learn something, try again.


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“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt
The ceiling over your head?  That’s just yesterday’s doubts.  Tomorrow waits just outside your comfort zone.


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“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” —Winston Churchill
You haven’t “made it.”  You haven’t “lost it.”  You’re somewhere in between, like the rest of us.  So keep going.


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“The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” —Walt Disney
Dreams don’t build themselves.  Start the thing.  Say the words.  Plant the seed.  The momentum you need is waiting on the other side of action.


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“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.” —Sam Levenson
Time’s moving, no matter what.  So keep growing, keep grinding, keep giving.  You’ll look up one day and realize, you didn’t just survive.  You built something beautiful.


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So here’s your reminder, friend:  You’re not alone in this.  The path is messy and winding, and sometimes it feels like it’s uphill both ways.  You know, you’re made of tough stuff. And this life?  This wild, wonderful, unpredictable life?  It rewards the ones who keep going.

One step at a time.  One quote at a time.  One brave breath at a time.

Let’s do this thing!

The wind howled through the night, rattling windows and bending trees like they were made of paper.  Rain came down in sheets, soaking the ground, turning dirt to mud, and tossing loose things around like a child throwing a tantrum!  By morning, the yard looked like a battlefield, branches down, debris scattered, puddles pooling in all the wrong places.

And yet, right there in the middle of it all, our little yard sign stood tall.

Some Things Bend, Others Hold Their Ground

Storms have a way of testing everything in their path.  Some things snap, others scatter, and some, against all odds, stay exactly where they were planted.  That little yard sign, flimsy as it seemed, didn’t budge!  The wind tried, the rain pounded, yet there it was, standing like it had something to prove.

Life throws storms at us the same way.  Problems roll in, unexpected and uninvited, shaking our foundation, testing our patience, and seeing what we’re made of.  Some days, it feels like we’re one strong gust away from toppling over.  Then, we realize, we’re still standing.

Anchored by Purpose, Not Just Strength

It wasn’t brute force that kept that sign in place.  It wasn’t made of steel or bolted down with concrete.  It stood firm because it was anchored deep enough to withstand the storm.  It had just enough flexibility to sway without breaking, just enough grip in the soil to hold its place.

People are the same way.  It’s not about being the biggest or the strongest, it’s about being rooted.  When we know who we are, what we stand for, and why we do what we do, we don’t get knocked over so easily.  The world can throw wind, rain, and a whole mess of trouble our way, and when we’re anchored in something real, we endure.

Storms Come and Go, Strength Remains

By the time the sun came back out and the ground started drying, plenty of things had been knocked down, blown away, or left in a heap.  That little sign?  Still there, a little damp, maybe a little weather-worn, but unshaken.

That’s the lesson.  Storms don’t last forever.  They roll in, they test us, and then they pass.  What matters is what’s left standing when they’re gone.

Life will bring its share of storms, some loud and raging, some slow and relentless.  We might bend, we might get a little battered, yet if we plant ourselves in something solid, we’ll hold our ground.

Just like that little yard sign, we were made to stand strong.

Nature is full of look-alikes.  Some plants stand side by side in the wild, growing from the same soil, soaking in the same sun, sharing similar leaves, flowers, and berries.  Yet, one might heal while the other harms.

Take Belladonna and Black Nightshade, two plants that, at first glance, could fool even an experienced forager.  Both belong to the Solanaceae family.  Both have dark, tempting berries.  Yet, one is deadly, while the other is often used in traditional medicine.  The difference isn’t always obvious, and learning to tell them apart is a matter of knowledge, experience, and sometimes, hard-earned mistakes.

Life works the same way.

Some Things Seem Harmless Until They’re Not

The world is full of people, habits, and choices that look good on the surface.  A sweet smile can hide ill intentions.  A smooth talker can lead you down the wrong path.  Even certain opportunities, shiny, full of promise, can turn toxic when you get too close.

Much like how a child or an unsuspecting forager might mistake belladonna’s berries for something edible, we sometimes mistake unhealthy relationships, false promises, or bad habits for things that nourish us.  We don’t always see the danger until the damage is done.

This is why discernment matters.  Just because two things look the same doesn’t mean they are the same.

Wisdom Comes from Knowing What to Trust

A seasoned herbalist knows how to distinguish between useful plants and dangerous ones.  They don’t just rely on appearances, they check the details.  The way the leaves are shaped, the way the plant grows, even the tiniest differences in the flowers or stems.  They’ve learned, maybe through study or experience, that some things are not what they seem.

In life, we have to develop the same skill.  We need to watch how people act, not just how they talk.  We need to examine choices beyond their immediate appeal.  We need to ask ourselves, Is this really good for me?  Or does it just look good on the surface?

Trust isn’t something we should give freely just because something seems familiar.  The world is full of belladonnas disguised as black nightshade, things that seem harmless but have the power to poison.

Not Everything Poisonous Kills Immediately

One of the most deceptive things about belladonna is that it doesn’t work instantly.  It takes time.  The poison moves slowly, numbing, confusing, shutting things down piece by piece.  By the time symptoms fully set in, the damage is done.

Toxic people, toxic habits, and toxic thoughts work the same way.  They don’t always ruin us overnight.  They seep in gradually, making us comfortable with discomfort, convincing us that what’s harming us is actually fine.  Before we know it, we’re weakened, uncertain, and disconnected from the things that truly nourish us.

This is why awareness is key.  If something feels off, it probably is.

Growing Where We’re Meant to Thrive

The good news?  We don’t have to fear everything that looks similar.  Just because something could be harmful doesn’t mean we should stop trusting altogether.  Instead, we learn.  We sharpen our instincts.  We surround ourselves with people who help us tell the difference between what’s nourishing and what’s toxic.

And when we do find the things that are truly good for us, the people, the choices, the opportunities, we appreciate them more.  Because we know the difference.

In the end, nature teaches us what we need to know.  Look deeper.  Trust carefully.  And never judge something by its appearance alone, because not everything that grows in the same field is meant to be part of our garden.

Winter has a way of settling in and making itself at home.  It sneaks into the cracks, piles up in the corners, and leaves behind a mess that no one asked for.  By the time the snow finally melts and the air starts smelling like something other than frozen regret, the porch, the eyes to the soul of a good home, looks like it’s been through a battle.

Leaves that got buried under last fall’s first frost are now a damp, matted mess.  Cobwebs cling to the railings, old grow bags caked in last year’s soil, dirt and dust layer the floorboards, and everything just feels a little… tired.

Much like life, sometimes we don’t realize just how much has piled up until we step back and take a good look.  And holy buckets!  It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed.

Rolling Up Our Sleeves and Facing the Mess

There’s no shortcut when it comes to clearing off a winter-worn porch.  You can stand there, staring at it, sipping your coffee, and hoping it’ll clean itself (which is exactly what I did this morning), let’s just be honest, that’s not how this works.  It takes effort.  It takes a broom, a bucket, and the willingness to get your hands a little dirty.

The first sweep always kicks up more dust than it clears, much like tackling any problem in life.  At first, it might feel like you’re making a bigger mess (and you very well might be with your allergies!)  You start uncovering things you didn’t even realize were there!  Gardening tools in the corners, a rogue mop bucket, the remains of last summer’s potted plant that never quite made it 😢.

It’s overwhelming at first, and step by step, the space starts to clear.

Letting Go of What No Longer Belongs

Not everything that winter leaves behind deserves to stick around.  That’s true for porches, and that’s true for life!

Some things, like the porch swing that just needs a fresh dusting, are worth restoring.  Others, like the rusted-out tiki torches you’ve used once, need to go.  As we clean, we make choices.  What’s worth keeping?  What’s just taking up space?  What’s weighing us down, and what’s ready to shine again?

It’s the same kind of reckoning that comes with the changing seasons of life.  We gather what’s useful, sweep away what’s not, and make space for what’s next.

Preparing for the Good Days Ahead

Once the dirt is gone, once the broken things are cleared away, once the floorboards have been scrubbed and the chairs wiped down, the porch feels different.  Lighter.  Warmer.  Full of possibility.

That’s the reward.  A clean porch isn’t just about getting rid of winter’s mess, it’s about making room for spring mornings with coffee in hand, summer evenings with a cold lemonade, and the everyday moments that happen when a space feels welcoming again!

Life, much like a porch, gets messy.  The seasons will always leave their mark, storms will always pass through, and things will always need tending.  The trick is to keep sweeping, keep clearing, and keep making space for the good things to come.

Because no matter how long winter lasts, spring always finds its way home!

Have you ever seen a wet hen?  I mean really seen one?  Not just a few raindrops on a feathered back, a full-on, drenched, squawking, storm-weathered bird?  It’s a sight!  Feathers ruffled, attitude on full display, strutting around like the whole world owes her an apology.

And if we’re being honest, sometimes life makes us feel just like that… a wet hen.

Flustered and Frustrated, Still Standing

Life has a way of dumping a bucket of cold water on our plans.  One minute, we’re pecking away at our dreams, the next, the sky opens up, the wind howls, and suddenly, we’re out in the middle of the yard looking like we’ve been through a tornado (damn Iowa weather!)   Bills pile up, the to-do list never shrinks, the kids (or animals 😉) refuse to cooperate, and that beautiful vision of a peaceful homestead or thriving garden suddenly looks like a muddy mess.

Much like that wet hen, we stomp around, shake off what we can, and cluck a few choice words under our breath.  Here’s the thing, she doesn’t stop.  She doesn’t pack up and quit just because she’s uncomfortable.  She keeps moving.  She keeps scratching at the dirt, keeps doing what hens do because she knows the sun will come back.

Fierce When Pushed, That’s Not a Bad Thing

A wet hen isn’t just flustered, she’s got fire!  If you’ve ever tried to wrangle a chicken who doesn’t want to be held, you know exactly what I mean.  When she’s irritated, she’s not afraid to let you know.  Maybe that’s something we need to embrace a little more in life.

We’re taught to keep our heads down, to be polite, to go with the flow, and sometimes, a little ruffled-feather energy is exactly what’s needed.  Sometimes, life pushes us, and instead of just taking it, we need to push back.  Speak up.  Set boundaries.  Demand respect.

That hen isn’t mad just for the fun of it; she’s standing her ground, making sure the world knows she’s still in control.  We should, too.

Drying Off and Moving Forward

The best part about a wet hen?  She dries off.  She fluffs back up.  She finds a warm spot in the sun, shakes off the storm, and keeps going.

Life is always going to throw storms our way.  We’ll have days where we feel wrung out and weary, like we’re stomping through the mud while everyone else seems to be gliding on by.  Just like that hen, we don’t stay drenched forever.  We get up, we shake it off, and we keep moving forward.

So the next time you feel like life has you running around like a mad, soggy chicken, embrace it!  Let yourself be a little ruffled, a little loud, a little stubborn.  Then, find your sun.  Dry off.  Get back to doing what you do best, living, growing, and thriving!

Even a wet hen knows that the storm never lasts forever.

Starting a business is one of the most exhilarating and terrifying things you can do. It’s standing at the edge of something unknown, taking a deep breath, and jumping in; hoping your wings catch the air before you hit the ground.  It’s a mix of excitement, fear, and the constant battle between “This is a great idea” and “What if this fails?”

I know this feeling all too well because I’ve been there… more than once.  When I launched Pampered Potions, it wasn’t just about selling natural skincare products; it was about creating something meaningful, something that aligned with my values and passions.  If I said it was easy, I’d be lying.

The Fear Factor

No one really talks about how scary it is to start something from nothing.  There’s the financial investment, the self-doubt, and the endless what-ifs that creep in late at night.

What if people don’t buy my product?

What if I can’t keep up with demand?

What if I fail?


That fear doesn’t go away, it just changes.  In the beginning, it’s fear of failure.  Later, it’s fear of growth, of making the wrong decision, of not living up to expectations.  Here’s the truth; fear is part of the process, and it’s also proof that you’re doing something worthwhile.

Taking the Leap

At some point, you have to move forward despite the fear.  When I started Pampered Potions, I didn’t have everything figured out.  I had a vision, a passion for holistic skincare, and a deep desire to create something of my own.  That had to be enough.

And so I started, small, uncertain, and determined.  I tested recipes, worked late into the night, and put my heart into every product.  The fear never disappeared, and I learned to work alongside it instead of letting it stop me.

Lessons from the Journey

If you’re thinking about starting your own business, here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

Start before you’re ready.  You will never feel fully prepared, and waiting for the perfect moment means you may never begin.

Learn as you go.  There’s no way to predict every obstacle, so be flexible and willing to adapt.

Ask for help.  Whether it’s mentorship, networking, or emotional support, surround yourself with people who believe in you.

Celebrate the wins.  It’s easy to focus on what’s not working, but acknowledging progress keeps you motivated.

Remember why you started.  When things get tough (and they will!), go back to your original purpose.  It will keep you going.


The Reward

Despite the fear, despite the setbacks, despite the sleepless nights, starting a business is one of the most rewarding things you can do.  There’s nothing quite like seeing your ideas come to life, hearing from customers who love what you’ve created, and knowing that you built something from the ground up.

If you’re standing on the edge, unsure if you should take the leap, this is your sign!  Jump!  It will be scary, it will be hard, but it will also be worth it.  And if you ever need encouragement, just know that I’ve been there, and I believe in you! 💕🥰🤗