It's The Little Things and Moving to a Small Rural Town

Mar 11

Hi,

In the last couple of months, I made a big move. I happily said goodbye to the big city of Nashville and hello to the rolling hills, wild turkeys, and beavers of rural Tennessee. It may not be forever but it will be home for the next few years. I'm still buried by boxes but I wanted to say hello.

Here are little things that I'm grateful for right now during this major shift:

Limited options
Everything I usually use for my artwork is in boxes and I failed to label the boxes so the only creative options I've had is writing and photography. It's been easier to open a blank page and leave the words out. It has me considering minimizing what items I leave in plain sight to keep this momentum. Since I'm always working on art projects I have a lot of supplies, papers, and canvases out. Maybe they need to be in a separate area. I'm pondering a solution for environment design options in a limited space. Please share your favorite office design resources!

Windows
I never realized how happy windows make my whole family, including the cats. I'm making it a point to leave most of the windows free of clutter and make them a focal point. What is it about a window that elicits pause and self-reflection?

Thrift Stores
We had to let go of a lot of things during the move. We donated our extra possessions to our local thrift stores instead of throwing them away. In turn, thrift stores have been my go-to resource for back-to-school. I learned very quickly children outgrow most things in a month (or less!). The small intimate shops also allow me to get to know the new community I'm entering.