staying put

My husband and I have been teetering with the idea of moving back to our hometown of Encinitas.  Right now we live near downtown San Diego and both work in the middle of the county, so a move north wouldn't really affect our commute.  Encinitas has major pros, we could be close to the beach, family, and old friends, but the cons are expensive rent, losing the luxury of walking places, and the annoying effort of moving.  

Let me get one thing straight, we love our current place, we love the neighborhood, the house, the charm, everything, but despite living here almost 2 years we have never really settled.  We left our heart in Encinitas and for years, through college and beyond, we always said we'll move back.  It's a terrible way to think, now that the transient phase of our lives is over, if we can't feel settled or satisfied anywhere but Encinitas we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. 

I was talking to an old friend of mine from high school about this curse, the curse of growing up in an amazing hometown, so in adulthood nothing quite compares.  Most of my friends have been struck with this.  Her boyfriend from Idaho doesn't get it, most people cant wait to get out.  

Then I realized, I'm always looking for the next big thing, the next place to move, the next hobby to try, the next camping trip, but I never really sit down and enjoy the now.  When I take a second and look around at my life, I see how good I have it.  Why push to change that?  Home is where my husband, my animals, and my garden is, and I have all that.

So we've decided to stay put.  The next big goal, that is totally worth looking forward to, is buying a house in the next 2 years. It definitely will not be in Encinitas, the housing prices are insane and we've come to discover the we want as close to an acre of land as possible, we want our own little Shire per say.  It's hard to let go of our hometown, knowing our children won't grow up there, but now it feels like a whole new heap of oppurtunties have opened up and we can move on from outdated dreams.  

For pictures sake, we just picked up this weeks CSA from the farmers market and it was a good haul.  Another reason to love our neighborhood, a Saturday morning walk to the farmers market for 15 bucks of awesome goodness.  Tonight's dinner is pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes, beet greens, and goat cheese, mmm.

Also, this happened the other night and it makes my heart melt.  They have become fast friends who play and sleep together, the cat even licks the dog.

happy easter

I've slowed down a little bit.  I was so enthusiastic about my succulent business then boom life hits.  A heap of new responsibilities at my day job, my husbands birthday, his grandparents in town, my dad in poor health, an adopted cat joining our family, car problems, having to buy a new car, rain and mud mucking up my plants, and without a dishwasher and washer/dryer our once charming cottage looks as chaotic as I feel.  To top it all off I've been fighting a mean case of the yawns.

me as a terrified little babe, sometimes I still feel like this

I suppose that's how life is, things never slow down, but there has got to be a way to enjoy the little things amongst the larger chaos. 

That being said, its a beautiful Easter morning, the cat and the dog are getting along swimmingly, and my new (new to me) car is a incredible compared to the clunkers I have driven since my sweet 16.  With my work schedule lightening up and a vacation on the horizon, enjoying the little things isn't so difficult.

70 degrees

I was such a lovely day today, about 70 degrees and sunny.  Like I said, once January hits, it's spring in San Diego (give or take a few cold, rainy days).  I love San Diego, both my husband and I grew up here (in Encinitas), we went to high school together, we had our first kiss on Moonlight Beach.  We live in a 1930's cottage downtown near Balboa Park.  Our weekends are filled with taking our frenchie to the dog park and me watching my husband surf.  We've entertained options to move elsewhere, like back to the bay area where we went to college, but it doesn't compare.  I wear sandals 360 days of the year, that just doesn't fly anywhere else.  Anyways, I spent the morning in the garden putting together several new arrangements.  I suppose that's why I love succulents, they are San Diego.

just keep growing

I've crossed my t's and dotted my i's.  I received my California sellers permit and business license.  I've started submitting applications to several farmers markets around the city.  I've been gardening like crazy getting my inventory up to the task.  It's like applying for a job, trying to prove my worth to my employer (the market manager) showing him its beneficial to have my succulents in vintage arrangements and biodegradable pots at his market.  I couldn't feel more prepared or excited.  

 some new clippings from my mama plants ready to be on their own

It was a cold and rainy weekend.  No complaints, January in San Diego is practically spring, and I hope there will be snow in the mountains for our trip this weekend.  I spent Saturday block printing a stamp of my logo, mostly out of boredom, but I can see the potential in stamping canvas bags and paper sacks.

long beach antique market

We went and saw some friends in Orange County today, and decided to take advantage of the once a month Long Beach Antique Market.  I've never been before, but having been to similar ones I knew to expect some really great stuff at a premium.  It's not the type of flea market where you can buy a new pair of sunglasses and a bag of oranges (like Kobey's).  The vendors are true collectors, they bring the best of the best and charge for it.  The pros-so many wonderful things, furniture, knick knacks, salvalged architectural details, spotless quilts and linens, and so on for what felt like miles.  Unfortunately, there were cons-it was crowded, the vendors were often distracted chatting with other vendors, so that asking for prices usually involved waving like a maniac or standing awkwardly close to them not wanting to interrupt.  Most were unwilling to haggle and made terrible faces at you when you said "How about $8?" instead of $10, not entirely unreasonable.  Still, the sea of vintage goods was dizzying and magnificent. 

I picked up a few things, but surprisingly nothing special.  It was so odd to be surrounded by wonderful stuff and not even see one item that I would have seriously shelled out for.  I ended up with a wire milk crate, a couple metal card drawers, an old salt can, and a wooden D (after 6 months I finally got my last name officially changed).  I'm happy with my finds, but I think I will stick to sifting through the junk at garage sales and swap meets.

kobey's swap meet

We spent the morning at Kobey's swap meet, the local flea market at the Sports Arena, it's the biggest one in the area and is quite eclectic.  It's mostly a mix of new stuff, garage sale/junky stuff, and those few vendors who have a consistant mix of good old stuff.  Unfortunately the people with the good stuff tend to be more expensive, but I value their collections and they are the best to talk to about the history of brilliant objects (like glass bulbs of water meant to be thrown on out of control fires, so cool).  While my husband roots around the vinyl records, I love to sift through the junk looking for anything that piques my interest, which lately has been anything I can stick a succulent into. 

 some random lovelies I picked up for my succulents

It seems as if every time I go to the flea market (which is almost every weekend) I pick up something amazing.  Something that I do not need...at all...not even in the slightest.  This week it's an old school hanging scoop scale used for who knows what.  I'm obsessed and one of these days when I have the place for it, it will be my fruit bowl...someday.  Sigh.  I talked the man down considerably and that always leaves me with a sense of satisfaction and makes me bond with the junk even more.  Again I sigh, where will I put it all?

our curious frenchie, Pickett  

so succulent

Aside from a wonderful husband, my wedding provided me the perfect business oppurtunity, growing succulents.  These juicy little plants have always been a favorite of mine.  They are the quintessential San Diego plant and are insanely low maintenance.  After the wedding, I was left with about 20 centerpieces all that had grown from small clippings into pots brimming with plants looking for more room.  I started propagating the succulents and what was once about 100 small plants has turned into nearly a thousand, all born from my happy day.  I love to garden, I could pull weeds and dig all day, but after several sad attempts at gardening vegetables, I have found my calling in succulents.  

I have another obsession, vintage stuff.  Basically junk I find at good ol' Kobey's Swap Meet.  In particular, old household items that at one point might have served a woman good in the kitchen or laundry room (I just picked up an amazing wooden ironing board, for no good reason other than awesomeness).  I am fascinated by the history of mundane objects.  

One of my new years resolutions is to focus my hoarding and random purchases into my succulent business.  To narrow my flea market finds into "vessels" that can hold succulent arrangements.  I have to think "is this good for the company?"  I could easily buy furniture and junk all with the intentions of repainting and repurposing, but there is only so much room in our house and garage and my husband has an equally bad habit of collecting surfboards. 

 my useless collection of jam jars soon to be terrariums

these guys scream for artichoke-y succulent blooms

My goal, hopefully within a month or so, is to sell my succulents, both on their own and in my crafty arrangements, at the local farmers market (and eventually kits on Etsy).  I've got the ball rolling, so here's hoping I start off the new year as an entrepreneur!