Harvest Sunset. Working side by side with my husband. I love this man!
We’re heavily into harvest season which means long days in the tractor seat. Although I love the fall/autumn season and working side by side with my husband, my creative muse is just itching to make something new and beautiful…….but, all in good time!
I continue to work on being in the moment and enjoying where I am, who I’m with and what I’m doing. The older I get the more I find myself looking back at moments in the past and realizing I coulda, shoulda, woulda. This world is a big and beautiful place full of amazing people, sights and opportunity……so much to see and do, so many people to meet…..but we only have so much time and can only do so much…… so I strive to take each day that I’ve been given and whatever opportunities God sends me that day and really be there. It takes practice and focus. I’m not always in the moment but I keep working on it. And, each day, I am finding myself happier and more at peace with myself and the world around me. It’s an amazing thing, Life!
Harvest is upon us. We started picking corn on September 13th. The days can be long but such a beautiful time to be outdoors. Feeling blessed. My alone time in the tractor can be a mix of awe, reflection, happiness, inspiration, boredom, and creativity. It is what you make it. Here are some shots from this year and years gone by…..and, if I haven’t posted here for a bit….it’s because I’m here…….
Love the sights, sounds, and smells of corn stalks in the field. Beginning this year’s harvest…My Ride…….The Boss…..When that Auger extends I better be ready…..to be dumped on the go!Not one of my best loads….could have used a few more bushel….but, none on the ground and we’re just getting startedWhen I’m bored…..….I find things to liven things up……a bit!….my shadow art….….my co-pilot….Otis!….…..a great farmer still!….and so very loved….my father in law, Karl……80+ and still working it…..Love!…..……selfies…..familiar?……from a few years ago….…..cute little pains in the butt……crazy bad when we’re cutting beans…they bite….ouch!….……crazy little black furry spiders “fly” on their webs throughout the fields…..some end up in my tractor cab……and I tell them……it’s okay with me as long as you stay on my windows where I can see you……you’re safe here……but crawl on me….eehhhh, not so good….….the love of my life….working hard….to get done what needs to be done….…..until we can no longer go….
I’m not “all into” but getting “more into” taking time to meditate, unwind, think positive thoughts and all the benefits that come with taking time to “stop” and “be” in the moment. Any moment, any time, for any length of time.
I find taking these moments to “pause” is beneficial in so many ways. It can be life changing and has definitely improved how I’m living this life with which I’ve been blessed. You may (or may not) know the sayings, “thoughts are things”, “change your thoughts, change your life”, etc. I’ve found this to be so very true……how I think about things is reflected in how I live my life! So I “think happy thoughts” as often as I can!
So many of us don’t think we have the time, or don’t take the time, to cherish a moment in time. I was a busy mom raising three active sons in addition to working a full time job outside of the home. Busy, busy, busy. I rarely took the time to pause and appreciate the moments. Now that I’m getting better at taking some me time, and making it quality me time, I find my life a little less hectic, problems a little less cumbersome, daily chores and errands a little less demanding. Yes, it might be because I’m getting older and life changes as we age and gain more wisdom. But, if I could turn back time, knowing then what I know now, I would have tried to hit that pause button more often and just reflect on a little blessing or two….even if only for a few seconds or minutes. Grab all the good you can when you can.
And so comes to fruition my Tea Time Bundles. I’m not sure exactly how the Tea time Bundles came to mind. I just wanted to share my personal pause button with others, send some positive energy, ignite some positive thoughts and creative ideas, and encourage others to take some me time and we time. Although I’ve never had an official daily set tea time, I do enjoy a cup of tea in the early evening before dinner or on the porch after dinner……my personal pause button……..a good time for me to take a breather and be in the moment. No worries about what was or what still needs to be done, just some time to sit quietly and clear my mind of clutter and actually see the world around me at that particular moment and listen to the quiet.
morning me time from our balcony
And so comes to fruition my Tea Time Bundles. I’ve built them around my dream catchers and prisms. Here’s what they are.
Tea cups! I love them. Some so delicate and beautiful, others bold and strong. Each beautifully created. I found this first batch on a recent road trip to Des Moines, IA. They are absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I had so much fun finding the PERFECT cups with matching saucers to use for my bundles. Found them at some of the shops I mentioned in my past road trip post here at Judy’s Treehouse.
First batch of tea cups to be bundled. Have a favorite?
And, if you are familiar with my prisms and dreamcatchers, from earlier posts here or at my shop, Judystreehouse.etsy.com, you may recall how I find them to be inspiring and uplifting. If you don’t have one for yourself, you may want to consider filling your room with rainbows from the pretty prisms or catching good vibrations in the dreamcatcher web. These make great gifts, too.
A few beaded prisms on displayBright and Colorful Dreamcatchers
Then there are my notecards. Handmade by me with prints of photos I’ve taken over the years; flowers I’ve grown, pics from around the farm, during harvest, etc. I haven’t added these to my shop yet but I have a supply on hand and they’ve turned out very nice. Unique, colorful and beautiful on the outside, blank on the inside so you can create and send your own thoughts and feelings. I always like to have notecards on hand. They also make a great gift or addition to a gift basket. If you’re interested in more information on the note cards, please contact me.
With thoughts of meditation and relaxation in mind, my color book notecards have transpired. I’ve turned some of my photo print notecards into coloring book notecards. Adult coloring is a new trend and very relaxing. In my tea time bundle, you’ll get an original print notecard and its color book version. Create your own unique piece of art by coloring the notecard similar to the original version or make it your own artistic style. Every one of us has creativity lurking within. And all things creatively made are beautiful works of art! So color outside of the lines if that’s what you want to do, it’s okay! Fun and relaxing outlet for your creativity and positive energy to emerge.…..just let it flow.
notecards by JudysTreehouse
So, with no further ado……here are my Tea Time Bundles. There are three options available:
Option 1: Tea Time Bundle – Recharge and Renew
Tea Time Bundle Option 1 – Recharge and Renew
This bundle includes:
Tea Cup and Saucer
Matching Beaded Prism
Yogi Tea Bag – Sweet Tangerine Positive Energy
Clover Honey Straw
One 3×5 Colorful Print Notecard (blank inside) w/envelope
One 3 x 5 Matching Coloring Book Notecard (blank inside) w/envelope
5 Colored Pencils (to get you started)
Option 2: Tea Time Bundle – Relax and Unwind
Option 2: Tea Time Bundle – Relax and Unwind
Option 2 includes:
Tea Cup and Saucer
Matching Dreamcatcher
Yogi Tea Bag – Bedtime
Clover Honey Straw
One 3×5 Colorful Print Notecard (blank inside) w/envelope
One 3×5 Matching Coloring Book Notecard (blank inside) w/envelope
5 Colored Pencils (to get you started)
Option 3: Tea Time Bundle – Both – Recharge and Renew AND Relax and Unwind
Option 3: Tea Time Bundle Recharge and Renew AND Relax and Unwind
Option 3 Includes:
Tea Cup and Saucer
Matching Beaded Prism
Matching Dreamcatcher
Yogi Tea Bags (one of each) Positive Energy and Bedtime
2 Clover Honey Straws
One 3×5 Colorful Print Notecard (blank inside) w/envelope
One 3×5 Matching Coloring Book Notecard (blank inside) w/envelope
5 Colored Pencils (to get you started)
I’ve so enjoyed creating the dreamcatchers and beaded prisms to match the tea cup and saucer. Infusing happy thoughts into each piece as I’m creating it.
Currently, I have two of these Tea Time Bundles complete and ready to find their place. But, I also have more tea cups and saucers in my cupboard just waiting for their matching dreamcatchers and prisms to emerge.
Option 3 Tea Time Bundle Recharge and Renew AND Relax and Unwind
Think about this……..You have a dear friend, sister, mom, grandmother who lives far away. You don’t get to visit often and would like to have more moments to share. So you send them a Tea Time Bundle with a note……..Let’s have tea! Warm your kettle and call me at 7pm for some we time!
Great gifts for a new neighbor, new friend, co-worker, hostess, housewarming, new mom, thinking of you…..
Or, make your own me time.
If you are interested in purchasing one of these Tea Time Bundles or having one custom made, please contact me via e-mail or through my shop, JudysTreehouse.etsy.com or through Judys Treehouse on facebook.
Just returned from a trip to Des Moines, Iowa. Our main purpose for this road trip was to attend the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa.
The Farm Progress Show was great. So many people in attendance, young and old, male and female. It does my heart good to see so many young people interested in agriculture and farming today. And, the technology is unbelievable! Also, very happy to see some of today’s farming thoughts and ideas trending towards cover crops and organic. Check out Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Des Moines, IA is one of our most favorite places to visit. The people of Des Moines are so unbelievably friendly and supportive of their city, state, and business.
The city itself is so beautiful and clean. We stay downtown and love it. So much to do and see within walking distance. But, if you prefer to drive, getting around is no big deal and traffic has never been a problem for us, even during rush hour.
The drive for us is about 4.5 hours. I must say that Iowa has some beautiful farm country. This is a very beautiful drive, relaxing without a lot of heavy traffic. And, very clean. You won’t see a lot of trash along the roadways, weeds in the medians, etc.
A great little two day road trip for us. Had a fantastic time.
Some of our favorite stops this trip………
Our dear friend Gail. Always love spending time with him. One of our favorite people. Not only do we enjoy his company, but his recommendations on where to go, what to see, what to do and good food finds never disappoints. He always turns us on to something new to try out in Des Moines! Thank you Gail.
Found Things. An awesome antique store downtown. Lots of great finds and a shop we go back to again and again. Marsha is supper sweet and also very helpful in recommending other shops in the area that may have similar items we are looking for. Very supportive of her community! Check out here facebook page FoundThings.
Valley Junction. Lots of cool little shops. Quaint, friendly, and another place we go back to again and again. Found some great items and friendly people. Another place where you will find a supportive community. I love this! Found some awesome Mexican Pottery Bowls and Whiskey Decanter at Memory Lane Antiques. Also found some more gorgeous tea cups and saucers at Que Sera. Love the set up of both shops as well as the chats about dogs and cats and vacations and raccoons in the kitchen!
Probably gained a few pounds but well worth it……..good eats this trip at:
Vesuvius Wood-Fired Pizza in Ames, IA. Had lunch here. Great thin crust pizza and salads.
Alba Restaurant in downtown Des Moines, IA. Had dinner here. Unique menu items and Amazing flavors! The food here was delicious. Loved the ambiance, as well.
LaMie. A must for breakfast (and probably lunch, too). Hot breakfast items and outstanding pastries. Their sandwiches looked great, too, but a person can only eat so much in one day. Will definitely be back.
Embassy Suites downtown. This is where we usually stay. Friendly, accommodating staff. Good location. Clean rooms and well kept lobby area.
And, so many more places we didn’t get to this trip but there’s always next time…..
