Hello there! I’m so glad to share a cuppa with you! How the heck are you?

Can I offer you some hot tea? I can happily put the kettle on for you if you’d prefer coffee, too, or maybe herbal or iced tea is more your style, especially considering the heatwave we’re experiencing?

We have it all so no need to be shy, just let me know :-)

I popped off of this space for a bit there as the heat settled in and the weeds took hold on the farm so I’m super excited to catch up!

Writing & Reflecting

I’ve spent a lot of time over the past couple of weeks reflecting on the balance between being a living, breathing, dynamic human and being a content creator. These times we’re living in are so wild, with continuous access to each other 24/7 and a seemingly insatiable desire to consume more and more…

Ideas

Stories

Items

Photos

(etc.)

It’s exciting and fun and inspiring!

And it can also be exhausting.

So, as I reflect on my place in the patchwork of it all, I’m trying to remind myself of the importance of creating because I *want to create, because I’m inspired to create, not because I’m standing on some hamster wheel and feel like I have to…

To share what I want to share, what moves me in the moment, without being wrapped up too much in what others may want or what an algorithm tells me I should.

It’s the balance between contributing to the larger world with integrity and being seen by as many people as possible in a world where it seems everyone else is doing the same ;-)

John Green speaks to this wonderfully, I think:

As I’m reflecting on the bigger picture of it all, I’ve also been reflecting on my writing in this space and how I want to share about my own personal family history as well as offer tips and tricks to a wider audience that encourage the documentation of one’s own family history in an easily achievable way.

Authenticity is key for me, so sharing bits of my own history is imperative to my process…

Even (especially) sharing the harder parts.

It took me a few months of brainstorming, drafting, and finalizing the one post I’ve published here in the past month and the space of the

: : : e x h a l e : : : I’ve been sitting in/with for the past couple of weeks has been massive.

Family secrets are a big deal (don’t ever let anyone tell you different), but I believe the truth will always outweigh any level of protection the lie may seem to offer.

And yet, there it is, in black and white: Moving Pebbles: On Midlife & My NPE Experience

And the world didn’t explode or implode…

It just is.

And so, as we are sharing a cuppa today, I challenge you to think about how you can best honor your most authentic self…

How can you show up for yourself today and everyday, even if your voice trembles and your hands shake?

Trust me when I say, the Ancestors have your back <3

Ah, but beyond the heavy…

I’ve also been:

Reading - Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo! Yes, I finally found myself fully invested in and finished Six of Crows (it only took six months) and so have cracked open book two of the duology. I don’t typically stick with a book that doesn’t grab me quickly enough but I was darn determined to like it and it finally came around.

Do tell, what are you reading right now? Are you loving it?! What’s in your TBR pile?

Journaling - I’m slowly but surely filling in the “junk journal” style journal I mentioned in my last Cuppa post and am loving the creative aspect of this style! I’m currently waiting on an order of stickers to arrive from “across the pond” and as quick as the post is, it’s simply taking too long ;-)

How are you spending your creative free time these days? If you have pictures, and are so inclined to share, I’d love to see them!

Contemplating - My daughter and I stick to a strict September thru May homeschool schedule so while there’s time still before our school year begins, I’m rolling several ideas around in my head to fill in our 4th grade curriculum. Things like consistent volunteerism and really diving into a second language are at the top of mind right now, so I’m excited to properly explore our options and make some decisions.

Have you learned a second language through an online platform (like Babbel, Duolingo, or the Rosetta Stone)? I’d love to hear about your experiences in learning a second (or third or fourth) language if you’ve done so!

Weeding, weeding, harvesting, weeding. Need I say more? #farmlife

Alrighty then!

That’s it!

For now ;-)

Thanks for popping by for a cuppa! I always enjoy hearing what you’re up to and how life is treating you! If you’ve popped over from Natalie’s weekend link share, thank you so much! I’ll make my way through the list in the coming days and am so happy to catch up! If you’ve found this post from another direction, WooHoo!!! I’m just so glad you’re here! The comments are open but occasionally a little wonky, so please do your best to say HELLO and I’ll do the same!

Onward,

Melis