Seven Beach Blankets Later I Read The Tag

Life feels different when you start the day singing, then take that same energy straight into real-world adventure. We just got back from a Puerto Vallarta spring break trip that gave us equal parts sun-soaked joy and unexpected lessons: a fishing charter in a famous fishing town that delivered not a single bite, the surprising way a full moon can change the ocean, and the kind of snorkeling that makes you realize how much living beauty exists just beneath the surface. That underwater world still feels like another galaxy to me, and it reminded me why calm breathing, curiosity, and safety skills matter anytime we chase big experiences.

The trip also brought some very human parenting moments. Our kids are older now, and watching them move with a little more independence at an all-inclusive resort felt both liberating and scary. We talk about choosing courage over fear, doing the research when headlines make you second-guess travel, and why local culture matters as much as activities. From street dancing to a bilingual Catholic Easter service, the joy and faith we witnessed filled our cups and nudged us to practice Spanish without worrying about sounding perfect.

Then there’s the story that still makes me laugh and cringe: the “100% cotton” beach blankets that turned into seven blankets and one tiny tag that exposed the truth. It becomes a lesson on negotiation, asking prices upfront, speaking your piece without losing your peace, and forgiving without letting someone steal your shine.

Back home, spring fever hits hard at the farm: seeds, hoop house starts, transplanting perennials, giving extras away, and a deeper earth connection inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass. We also share what we’re excited about for the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference, community herbalism, and checking on the bees after winter. Subscribe, share this with a fellow traveler or gardener, and leave a review if these stories help you choose adventure and a higher vibe.

Transcript

Singing Into A New Morning

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Life is so good life is so grand are we living Yes we are Life is so good life is so grand are we living Yes we are like one more time for the people in the back life is so good life is so grand are we living Yes we are Yes That's a little soul song right there just came up into my head I thought I would drop some drop some soul shine with with you and share it also I wanna tell you uh huh I wanna tell you oh yes I'm gonna tell you oh about the birds and the bees and the wild swallows and the trees let me tell you about the seeds let me tell you about the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees and I will not forget the flowers again or the seeds I just love singing so much does it does singing make you feel happy too because it sure does to me and you know it sounds like a great way to start the day and start this podcast it gets me kind of in the mindset the creative mood to keep these juices flowing and allow me that headspace where I can share because Sharon is Karen and I feel like I got a lot to share on this week's episode of the podcast. I did miss last week because it was spring break for my kids which are in fifth and sixth grade and we decided to take advantage of the time off school and we went to Porta Vallarta, Mexico little Ruby Doobie's homeland because she's a Chihuahua and that's where Chihuahuas came from was Mexico. Right Ruby Doobie I must say that Ruby Doobie did not travel with us but she was always close to my heart. And I did see a ton of chihuahuas there in Mexico which was sweet and every time you get a little homesick too along with you know when I I had my kids with me so I didn't miss them. They were with so I did miss my chi my little chai hua hua right Robin doobie oh I think it's her nap time. Yes she'll be just you know patiently on my little lap but I certainly did miss her but uh we did not miss out on any fun on vacation it's always good just to get out and immerse yourself in a different culture and I feel like a lot of times you can find that you know even in a different city or a different state you know the great United States has a ton of different dialects and different uh subcultures right here but going to another country just brings it to a whole nother level and I would highly recommend Port of Ira. I absolutely loved it. The weather was wonderful the sun was shining we're talking 90s here in the spring break it wasn't like that a couple of months ago when we were in Cabo and Cancun it was cold but not this trip. I feel like I got a really I got my bronze on I got some really good base layer tan coming into this spring here and uh the pool was wonderful the beaches were amazing. It was a it's a fisher fisherman's town there in Puerto Vallarta. So you've seen a lot of people fishing we actually decided to try our hand at fishing when we were there so we chartered a boat and we didn't catch nothing. I mean not a goddamn nothing not even a bite and we were like what the heck like this place is known for its fishing our guy who we called him Captain the pirate Captain Jack of Pirates of the Caribbean and that's what was his name and you know he seemed to really know what he was doing but you know not even a bite. We had I think five lines out in the water trolling is where the boat is moving and the lines are in the back for those of you that may not know. And we found out that it was the full moon it was the full pink moon and fishermen know that when it is a full moon the fish are not biting because they go and catch all of their little fishies in the evening because it's it's bright it's light and they can see and so they they catch they have a full feast on a full moon making them not hungry the next day so we got skunked absolutely no fish did we catch but we did see some little stingrays in the water it was like a little a pack of them that went you know by as our boat drifted on by and then off in the distance Captain Jack spotted a pod of dolphins which was really sweet to see and the kids just you know just loved it and especially Nivea she just loves all the the aquatic adventures and so that was good to see some life out there. Although whale season has came and passed so no humpbacks but we did get to see some dolphins and stingrays and then we took the adventure further where we went to go snorkeling. I am patty certified so with the kids we it wasn't part of the adventure to go scuba diving but we did go snorkeling and that was a ton of fun. They had a nature preserve reef there right off of the the city Nuevo Vallarta and we got to check that out with the snorkeling gear. It was their my kids' first time like actually putting on the snorkel gear the flippers the the masks they didn't do so great with the the tube which that's like the main thing historically that's how you breathe so you can keep your head underwater longer. But they were the salt water was a little bit for them to get used to especially when it's going in your mouth I'm like if you just could get over the fact that it is awkward having something in your mouth you would see a ton of diversity here under the sea. And I did I seen angelfish and I was seen Nemo we seen Dory I seen puffer fish crabs up the wazoo and a lot of fish that I have no idea what they were called but they were sure beautiful vibrant and colorful and the coral reef is doing great there. And honestly I'm happy that we were snorkeling because it seemed like most of the life was up below although I wouldn't know what was going on 60 feet down under, but I felt satisfied seeing what I seen you know up on swimming on top of the water. So it was really awesome to have that experience with the kids and now they kind of they came and they saw and they know what to feel like feel like and expect for the next time so we'll give it a try again and and it's really cool to kind of see that underwater life because it is really a whole nother world over there. And we were talking about you know under the sea that 95% of our oceans are unexplored and I feel like that's what inhibits the kids to go spend go want to do extensive snorkeling if you will because the main thing is like sharks and I'm like okay there we're no one's gonna take you where there's sharks attacks were okay like you're totally safe in that regard. And also I think it's the unknown of the sea which it honestly excites me. I'm like let's go let's go explore I want to see all the things I've had some really unique dive experiences when I went down under and fully submerged my body underneath the sea you know anywhere from five to sixty feet below the depths is what I'm certified for. And really need it's a whole nother world down there. Honestly I feel like it's like it's it's as if you're an astronaut like exploring like a whole nother galaxy. That's what it feels like under the sea. It's like a totally different ecosystem and terrain and I just absolutely love every single tank that I get to spend underneath the sea although it's been a hot minute because you know we're in like the full kid zone right now. So and Danny and I when we do our solo trips don't always go to the places with the best scuba. So it is a skill set where you have to use it or you lose it. So that's my only thing of like let's go let's go scuba diving so we can still keep fresh on all of the safety techniques because it can be very dangerous underneath there. You know it's you're breathing out of you know a mask so and out of an oxygen tank. So you've really got to know what to do when any uncomfortable situations occur and think fast and on your feet because it could be a life or death experience. Not to scare anyone faith over fear all is well but I mean the reality is there that people can get hurt and will get hurt if they don't know what they're doing. And so the experience is everything but I've got I don't know probably two handfuls of tanks underneath my belt and I feel really comfortable underneath there. I think the biggest thing is breathing and that's even breathing out of the the mask tube as well it's just kind of regulating your breath and being aware of it breathing in and breathing out and letting it out and so kind of being able to regulate you know your breathing and and your and your peace and your calmness and keeping that all under wrap so you can get the best experience and seeing all the beautiful ocean life out there because there is a ton and I love it to explore it. So that was really cool to experience with the kids and we also did a little jungle land adventure and my daughter had said that she wanted to go ziplining. So I'm like yes let's go ziplining it sounds adventurous and fun and and all the kids were into it. So we did 19 lines of ziplining through the jungle over canyons and across creeks and it sure was a lot of fun to see the kids kind of up in the spirit of adventure and wanting to try new things that way too so the trip was full of activities and adventure and a lot of pool time though a lot of relaxation as well and this trip was a little bit different for us because our kids are 10 and 12 and they're a little bit more independent and we stayed at a resort all inclusive so we felt really safe having them you know they don't always have to be within arm's reach of us so they're you know I'm gonna run up to the room and grab this or I'm gonna go relax over here or we're gonna go take a walk for the beach it was kind of like at first you're like oh no like is this is this okay after are we doing this? Is this where we're at? Because you know in years past I would always accompany them and go with them. But this year they were kind of off on their own. So you gotta kind of let them go, let them be free and and live and love and learn and life and just to the fullest in their extent and it was kind of liberating to see them go and then come back and and then share their experiences, their stories of course like shorter periods of time now like we were with them most of the time. I'm not saying that it was like totally willy-nilly but you know just kind of relinquishing a little bit more control and it's different as a parent you definitely have to get used to it. You're kind of like I don't know is this okay is this am I supposed to be doing this and not to mention I mean even going to Port of Vallarta right now we were thinking about canceling the trip a month ago when El Chapo or El Mancho was assassinated there. The main the world's biggest drug dealer you know resided in Puerto Vallarta and they often and which created some unrest politically and you know locally within the community. So a lot of people were like I would I wouldn't go no way I'm not I would don't take I wouldn't take my kids there but we didn't make any rash decision decisions. We kind of took it upon ourselves to really catch a vibe. I did my research I you know I I talked to a ton of people even moms that had their kids there for their spring break and I felt comfortable with it and we decided to you know not go looking for trouble and we didn't find any and we felt totally safe. As a matter of fact one of the nights we did go downtown in the boardwalk there they have a really lively city scene along the ocean there and we seen some really neat stuff that was also a wonderful experience for for not only I but the kids to witness that too some of the local culture there they did this rain dance where these men would climb up this like 100 foot pole, wrap themselves in this rope and then like slowly let themselves down as they're swinging around and the guys playing this flute. And apparently they do this you know in the springtime to call in the rain for for their rain season because they need it for for their crops and for their livelihood. So it's an ancient tradition that we were able to witness and that was really really cool to see I'd never seen that before and I was like wow this is awesome and then be able to research it online and find out some more information about it was really fantastic as well but what really touched my heart was the danzon. As we were walking down the boardrock there was like a whole dance party in the community square off to the side like it was kind of on the next street over and there was hundreds of people just dancing and having so much fun to this this live music that was there and everyone's just so joyous and muy muy feliz and having mucho divertido which is fun in Spanish and I just love to witness it. I was like wow like this is a it was so great to see that culture being able to celebrate life like that. I mean I'm like wow like outside of like nightclubs and like summer fests like we don't just don't have dance parties every night in the streets. I wish we did but Nixon and I got to dance together in in with them and it was just so much fun that Nixon wanted to dance with his mama and we just you know went in there and I threw down some salsa the best way I knew how. And not even that you had to do that it could be any forms of dance there was it takes all types and it was just really cool to see that community connection come together in a square every night. And now I know there's tourists that partake too and so that's probably what fuels the nightly celebration but really cool to to witness that and to see their their carefree attitudes the the smiles on their faces and just the happiness that exuded from that town square which was like right in front of the church the La Iglesia the church and we did go over Easter so Easter Sunday and we just Rachel and her son Connery and I decided to see a Catholic church bilingual bilingual church service thank you and that was really also liberating and wonderful to see how a different culture celebrates Easter and Jesus the Passion de Cristo is alive and well in their hearts and it really fueled my fire too because I certainly did not want to miss church being gone on Easter. That's I go every Sunday that I can but definitely on that holiday it just really means something to go and celebrate the liberation and the resurrection and all that Easter is celebrating and to see a different culture do that and immerse myself in that awesomeness just really filled up my cup too. So it was wonderful it was lovely and I'm so happy that we're able to experience that together because those are special times and I just feel like you know Carpe DM you you know Una Vida One Life seize the day like you you can't just let those opportunities pass by and what would I have been doing you know otherwise like hanging out by the pool? Like I I'm just really happy that we seized the day Carpe DM'd it and were able to witness that Catholic bilingual service that they had at La Iglesia. And it was also really cool to practice my Spanish practicar mi espanol solamente poquito hablo poquito espanol pero practicar con las personas is muy bien to if you if you don't use it you'll lose it. So it was good to speak the little Spanish that I did know and retain from my five years in high school. And also I think that you know going to Mexico reiterates to the children the importance of learning another language especially when they're young because they learn it that much faster because they're so much more connected worldwide. I think that you know America is quickly becoming a bilingual country where yes English is our main language but if you know Spanish you are going to be able to connect with that many more amazing personas so highly recommend anyone out there that wants to learn learn a new language to go ahead and do so. And I found that a lot of times when I knew what I knew in Spanish really helps me with Italian when I was in Italy as well Sicily seemed to be very similar. Muy similar so I mean and and Connery who is in high school was also practicing his Spanish and you know it's it's so inherently like feeling to feel funny when you're using your Spanish or your Spanglish if you will and you know not to to shy away to not use it because you're like oh I sound funny I don't know what I'm saying and I'm just kind of like it's broken and I don't really know what I'm doing. But I reminded him and it was a good reminder for myself that as much as we want to learn Spanish they want to learn English. So it's kind of a good mutual dynamic there of of understanding that you know you gotta practice and you got to use it. And if you don't I mean maybe you could learn it really good by writing it and you know reading a book but if you're not speaking it then you're probably not gonna pick up on it as fast as you would if you were using it with another person. So just a really good reminder a good eye opener out there for language and the barriers that they can pose and how much better off you'd be if you knew a little bit of of Spanish and as much as you know we think people should learn English like we should be learning span Spanish and I also reminded my kids that in most other countries people there know three, four, five, up to ten different languages and and they're not inhibited by by by that. So I think that's really also freeing to think that you know language can be learned and at any age. So you gotta just you know be confident and get out there and give it a try. So it was really cool to also practice that with the kids and have the kids witness that and be a part of that. So I loved PV. Highly recommend it. The only thing okay so I wasn't gonna get into this but I just have to I'm sorry I like this must be documented. So you might laugh at us but Rachel and I walked down to the beach on our first night that we were there and we were really excited to be there you know like everything's kind of new and fresh and we're checking out the resort and it's wonderful and we walked down by the beach and they were selling these beautiful blankets and they were just they were awesome and I'm like wow you know Rachel and I are admiring this blanket and Rachel's like she manifested a hummingbird butterfly blanket. She's like if it only had hummingbird and butterflies on it like I would love one. Well out what out she walks with a hummingbird butterfly blanket that were totally the dragonfly princess's colors like they just matched her soul. And so she's like yes like we need this blanket and they're like and they go on to this whole thing they're like this blanket is a hundred percent cotton so high vibrational material right they didn't say that but Rachel and I are like wow a hundred percent cotton that's amazing like we love cotton that's what I want to hang out and lounge out around in and have on my body through blanket and they're like yes and they were handcrafted by our family in Veracruz with an ancient loom that's been passed down from generation to generation and so we're like wow this is really an amazing blanket not only does it have butterflies and hummingbirds on it but it's been you know it's high vibrational materials and made with meaning like yes we would love it. And they're like$150 and we're like$150? We're like shoot well I mean geez yeah it is a really nice blanket. I mean maybe so of course like you always haggle with people everything's negotiable. So we're like$100.$100. And we're buying the blanket. And I'm like, all right. If you buy another blanket, you can have it for$100. So of course I'm like, all right, well, I really want one too. So they have different colors with the hummingbird butterfly, and they're showing us all these blankets. They just keep showing us different variations of it. And I'm like, all right, I found one that really spoke to my soul. And I'm like, all right, let's go. Well, of course, then we got these blankets, and we were thinking of our sister whose birthday it was coming up. And we're like, all right, well, Sarah needs a blanket too. Okay. So we picked out a blanket for Sarah. And so now we have three blankets. Three blankets for$300. And we're like, okay, like we're good. Well, overwalks the boys, right? And I think uh Jamie, he was sold on this idea of the cotton blanket, you know, handmade. And so he, there was like a skull blanket that was also really cool that was calling his name. So now he wants this blanket. Now we have four blankets. We're like, all right, we're we're good on blankets. We don't even know how we're getting these blankets home. Like, this is$400. Like, yeet, we're excited, we're there. We pulled the trigger. Let's go. All right. So we got the four blankets and we're excited. We're like, yes, we love, we love our blankets. They're great. And we get him to the room. And I think the next day we walk, we're down by the beach again, and over walks this guy named Lucas. And, you know, he's got his name on his hat. And he's also selling blankets. And he's like, hey, showing us these blankets. We're like, yes, we love the blankets. Like, we got four of them. We're good. And he was like, Well, I will sell you this blanket for$60. And I was like, what? I was like,$60? We just bought four of them for$100 a piece. Like, what do you mean,$60? He's like, I was like, no, I don't even want another blanket. I feel ripped off right now. Like, I am not buying any more blankets. He's like,$50. I'm like, sir,$40. I will give you$40 for another blanket, and that's it. And I didn't even again. I was just doing it now out of principle to see if I could get this blanket for$40, which is a fraction of what I've a third of what I paid for, almost a third of what I paid for for the other blanket. So sure enough, I get this other blanket. And I'm thinking of a gift. I got a different variation. It was a sea turtle blanket. I also love sea turtles. And so we get the sea turtle blanket. And I'm like, oh my gosh, why did I just buy another blanket? And now Rachel's like, well, for$40, like I'm gonna get another one too. So she gets another blanket. So now we have six blankets, four for a hundred, two for 40. Ah, how this happened, I don't even know. We really did like these blankets. And so the time goes on and they figure out we're from Wisconsin. And they know the Green Bay Packers, and they come up to Danny. This is a different day, and they show him the blanket, the Green Bay Packer blanket, and he ends up buying it for$60. So now I don't know if you're totally keeping track, but we my family has three blankets. They also they had four blankets. So now we have seven blankets between our two families. And you know, again, we're like, all right, I don't know how that happened. Everyone needs a good blanket. We do live in Wisconsin. It's 100% cotton, high vibrational blanket. We're fine. Well, I at the end of the last day, I was packing up these blankets and figuring out how we're gonna fit them all into our suitcase. And I'm folding up my beautiful hummingbird blanket, and I come across a tag. I don't feel like I've seen a tag on the other ones. I just don't. So where the tag came from, I don't even know. I didn't even think to look for a tag, honestly. Would you believe? Would you believe that it there's no cotton in the blanket? Okay. It was like 60% polyester, 20% rhylon, and like another 20% of something I don't even know what it was, but there was no cotton in the blanket. And now I'm like, oh hell no. What? Like it was seven blankets later, and we are just now realizing that this thing is not even cotton. And then, of course, I just had to assume that it wasn't made by a family heirloom handmade. It was made in probably a sweatshop somewhere, probably not even in Mexico. And so I'm like upset. Like, I couldn't help it. I'm like, are you've got to be kidding me. Like, this is crazy. And so we're like ready to go. Like, our cab is leaving out front. Like Danny and Nixon and Nivea are like waiting for me. Well, I Rachel was down by the pool. I went to Rachel. I'm like, I didn't want to tell her, but I just felt like I had to. I'm like, Rachel, we got duped. I'm like, these blankets are not cotton. And I'm sorry, like fabric and vibration is everything to me. Okay, that's all we are is energy and vibration. And when I found out these things weren't even cotton, I was like, fit to be tied. And she's like, oh heck no, they are not. I'm like, no, they are not. I'm like, what will you walk down to the beach? I have words, I have to have words with Patricia. And so we walked down to the beach, and I'm like, Patricia. I'm like, yeah, like we did fit all the blankets, all seven blankets in our luggage. But as I was folding it up, I seen the tag, and these are not cotton. And you could tell, like, her face just totally changed. Like, she was kind of like, oh, like I'm caught. Like, I'm caught in this lie. And I'm like, Patricia, like, they were really cool blankets. Like, you like you don't have to lie to sell them. Like I just felt total, totally ripped off, totally haggled. And she was like, Do you know what she said? She's like, you can have one. She's like, pick out any which one, which other one do you want? You can have one. I I'm sorry. I don't know that she said I'm sorry, actually. But she was like, now offering me a free blanket. And I like looked at her like, Patricia, like I, Patricia, I don't have room for any more blankets. Like, I don't want another one of your blankets. As a matter of fact, like knowing this, I don't want the three blankets that I have. Knowing that they're polyester, like, can I get refunded? Can you take them back? I knew that wasn't happening. So I just, I felt a little better knowing that I kind of like spoke my piece in the most gracious way that I knew how. I didn't raise my voice. I didn't get really crappy with her. I just kind of let her know that I caught her in the lie. And then I knew that they weren't 100% cotton and they weren't made in their f family early. When I swear she was smiling about it. She was like, kind of like, kind of like, oh, well, when you come back, when you come back next year, I'll braid your hair for free. That's what she said. I was like, no, no, Patricia. Like, I don't like to associate myself with with liars and scammers. And they're who knows what else they're doing. So no more beach buys for me. Okay, I learned my lesson. Definitely learn my lesson on that one. And one more thing, and I don't mean to complain here. I'm not, I'm just telling you my experience, my stories, but my daughter Nevea wanted her hair braided into these dragon braids. They must be trending on TikTok right now. I don't know, but she wanted these dragon braids. It's something kind of out of my wheelhouse. I was like, ma'am, I can't, I don't know how to do these dragon braids. So Patricia, Patricia, does the braids. So I'm like, yes, okay, like braid her up, like do it. And so she's braiding her hair. She gets done doing the dragon braids. They look fabulous. Nevea is super happy and excited. And I'm like, all right, like how much? And she was like,$150. And I was like, ma'am.$150 for 40 minutes of work? Like dragon braids? Like, what? I was like, I'm not paying you$150. I'm sorry. It's no. It's a no for me. Um like she's like, well, how much, how much do you think? And I'm like, honestly, like$30, but I said$60. I was like,$60.$60 to do the dragon brides here. And so I gave her the$60 in and I was on my way. But again, another lesson that when you get these services, make sure you negotiate the price before you get the service. I feel like I've known these things. I've learned these lessons before. And I just it was kind of a reminder again of like, hey, when you're in a foreign country and you're doing beach buys, the beach bargains are not always the best deal. You're you're better off just paying full price and knowing what you're getting from a reputable source. So that was my only my my gripe there. Meanwhile, I have the three blankets later. And now just looking at the blankets, I don't even know how to feel about them anymore. I'm just kind of like, I still love the blanket. It is still a wonderful design. But just that that vibration and that energy is kind of icky to me now. So maybe I'll smudge them, I'll sage them real good and clear that energy, and you'll see me on it using that blanket at some point. I'm not quite sure. I haven't fully digested it. But I do forgive Patricia. I want just a lot of peace in my heart knowing that, you know, nothing is by mistake, and that money that we did pay for the blankets went to feed their families or went to something that they that unbeknownst to me what it was destined to be. So I had a lot of peace in knowing that whatever happened there on the beach, I'm gonna leave it there and hear right now. Thank you for listening to this. But and just know that everything happens for a reason. I forgive her. I know you gotta do what you gotta do to survive out there, and it's a it's a cruel, harsh world sometimes, but I'm not gonna let that steal my shine. I just had to speak my peace. And I was happy I had that opportunity to do so because otherwise I feel like if I wasn't able to like confront her and say something to her face to face and like see that reaction and confirm that indeed I was lied to and taken advantage of, I just I think I would have been stewing on it a little bit, right? And I really had what I had to throw my hands up to God and just give it to him. But the fact that we were able to kind of bring full circle with that and and call her out, I just you know, it and then in a in a polite way. I wasn't I didn't go full, you know, I didn't have a D1 crash out, okay, as my daughter would say. But you know, we did it, I did it, and I'm happy we did, and maybe one day I'll use these blankets, but at this point, I'm not quite sure. So that's how the trip ended as we left there in Mexico. But the flights were one flights were smooth sailing. I didn't have any like horrors at the airport or anything like that. So overall, spring break traveling was a two thumbs up, and I can't wait to do it again next year. I wonder where we'll go. I was asking my kids, I'm like, where should we go next? What should we do? Lord only knows. We'll see. But I definitely think like the resort, the all-inclusive is the way to go for us right now, even though I've been kind of called to go on a cruise. Doesn't that sound like fun? It does sound like fun. In a couple years, I'm gonna be turning 40. So I want to do something big with the family then. So I've been kind of like toying around with the ideas to do like a Mississippi River cruise or go like on a cruise in the Dominic, or in June or July in the summer months is when you can swim with whale sharks in Cabo. So I was like, should we go to Cabo? But you know, living in Wisconsin, we only have 12 weeks of wonder of good weather of summer, and you I just want to stay here. I don't want to go anywhere. It's even hard for me to get off the lake, so to go camping or whatnot. So I know it's rough, it's rough, but hey, you gotta get out there and get after it and explore. I just love to travel and adventure, and I'm really confident and courageous in doing so, and I love sharing that experience with loved ones. So get out there and get after it. It's not gonna come get you. That's one thing with adventure is you you have to get you have to get yourself out of the comfort zone and go out there and get some. Because if you're sitting home and watching everyone else have the fun, that is not where the magic happens. So that's my ploy for Port of Arta. I did talk way too much about my vacation. I didn't come on here thinking that I was gonna talk about it at all. As a matter of fact, on my sweet little notes here, I could even prove to you. I'm this wasn't even on the list to talk about. So, oh my goodness, but at least it's authentic, it's real, it's from the solo, and that's all I got. So I just wanna, you know, connect with what is on my list here to talk about on the podcast. And a lot of that has to do with spring fever. So now that I'm back from spring break and I have that vacation under my belt, now it's like full-on spring fever. Like I absolutely love it. Like the farm is just coming back to life. We noticed right away how green everything was looking here, and the trees are budding, and I just feel so so reinvigorated. You know, it's kind of like that old like winter energy has been shed, and now I'm like, let's go! Now it's projects, and like everywhere I look, it's a farm, it's projects and things to do, and I'm sure you feel the same way about your house with spring cleaning and and you know, planting and all the fun things that come along with this new season. So it's all not that we have to do these things, right? We get to do these things. So I've been correcting myself every time I'm like, I have to do this. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We get to do these things, right? Like, there's a lot of people all over the world that don't get to do those things. So we are right here right now for a divine reason, and I'm forever grateful for that. And so I just have spring fever. I don't know what else to say. Like, seeds are just happening. My friend online, uh, actually, it's my mom's friend, saved, he's a seed saver, turns out, Mike Meyer, and he sent me in the mail all the way from Rubicon, merigolds and sunflowers. And it's a man, like I just wasn't expecting it. It was such like a sweet little surprise, and I was like, oh man, seed my people. He's part of the high vibe earth tribe. And I just love it. And I just the seeds, and like, how sweet is this? Like, what a wonderful gift! And like you best believe when I plant these seeds out there in the garden in the field, I'm gonna think of Mike and I'm gonna say sweet little prayers and blessings for him, and that he went out of his way to send me these seeds and share a little piece of his heart, and I just think that's a wonderful thing. So, and also the idea of reciprocity. Now I'm like, well, what can I give back? What can I give back to him? And and give back to the earth too. And I feel like this is just a small way to do it is to like recycle these seeds and kind of use those flower heads for good, and it sure made my day, and so I'm gonna also do a seed exchange or a seed giving with my friends, and Lord knows I have enough of them. And I always like doing that at the farmer's market. I'll package them up in little packets. I remember last year I gave out magic beans. I wrote on the package magic beans. They were they were magic purple beans that someone gave pass on from church that I grew that season and saved those seeds and passed those on. And they're wonderful, delicious giving purple beans, and they were just so good. And I just love seeing people's reactions when you hand them a packet of seeds because some people like aren't don't garden at all. They're like, What seeds? Like, what do I do with this? What goes on, Ashley? Like, what will you want me to do? What with these seeds? Oh yes, stick them in the dirt, just put it in the ground, just put it in the ground and watch it grow. And that's I feel like this year more than ever, I just feel so liberated. As a lot of you know, I uh no longer have sunshine's beautiful Earth Mama vibes overseeing the operation here at the DNA hemp farm. And so I'm kind of all solo. And me and my children, you know, once they're off of school, will be helping me so they can become more connected to the earth because the Lord knows that's necessary. But I'm really excited to just kind of be on my own rhythm, on my own schedule, on my own train of thought. And like kind of do what I want, how I want to do it, when I want to do it. Bam! And I'm like, that is just I feel free. I'm like a free bird out here, and and and absolutely, positively, no pressure to do anything any which way. Because it's all that's what gardening is. It's just a beautiful, wonderful experiment. And some things are not gonna grow, some things are gonna die, some things are gonna surprise you, or they're just gonna grow like crazy, and you're gonna be like, what do I do now? And so I feel like the only thing that I have to tell myself that it is just me. So don't plant. I mean, I always like have these big plans, big dreams, and I plant, I go big. I just go big in whatever I do in my life. And so now I'm like, like, should I reel it in a little bit? Like, or should I not? Or am I gonna be on here recruiting? Like, help, like, come help me weed these things because plants do need tender, loving care, and that's part of like the indigenous way, is never take more than you need. And so I'm gonna try to keep that true in my heart and in my mind to just not plant more than I need. But I also am in a unique position in where I am at the farmer's market every Saturday. So in the event that I have lots of abundance in my jardine, I will bring it to market. And I don't know if I'll sell it there or just give it away or find good homes for it, but I do me and my giving heart, and nothing brings me more joy than to give. I'm a big giver. Okay, I'm a big giver. If you know me, you know that I love to give freeless freely and generously. And I feel like that's why I have so much abundance in my life because it just comes back to me tenfold. So I'm always like, make a brain, make a brain of whatever, whether it's vibes, whether it's seeds, whether it's hemp. I got lord knows, I got lots of that. And I'll give you the shirt off my back if you needed it. So I love to give, and it always comes back to me. So at least I have an outlet for my abundance so I can give it to the farmer's market. And before the farmer's market, and even still now, I'll bring it to Cheryl's Club 175, like all the abundance, and give it to guests there. And they always think I'm crazy. They're always like, wait, what's she bringing now? What do you got now, Ashley? Oh my goodness. But I just love to do it. I love I do it because of the reaction, I do it because of the love, I do it to make people's day, do it to spread joy. I do it because giving makes me happy too. And I know that you know, sharing is caring, and that's what the good Lord has called me to do is just give generously, freely with my gifts and to share them. So that is exactly what I'll do. But seeds, seeds, seeds, and so much more seeds. I'm in love just laying them out and kind of seeing where what I'm working with. I use the Southern Seed Exchange, which is a USDA organic seed source where I'm non-GMO open pollinated seeds that is sourced, and I just love like their packaging, and you could tell they're high vibrational beans there, and I've planted so much already in this week that I've been back. I've been kind of going crazy. I planted dill and arugula, and also some flower varieties that are of the drying kind and see how they do. And I just really went into it being like, hey, whatever happens, happens. If nothing comes up, that's fine. If everything comes up, fantastic. And if it's mediocre, like, okay, like we'll we'll lean with it, rock with it. Like, I'm I'm here for it. So I just absolutely love it. I also use the hoop house to plant some pepper seeds. And so once you start planting these seeds, like you have to take care of them. They need water. You have to you have to check in on them, like, especially in the hoop house where it's warmer and they're like nothing is getting no outside source is giving them water. So it is a commitment. And I was able to make that commitment to uh myself in the future here and plant those seeds. And peppers are really hard to come up, they're kind of like tomatoes, they're they take some finesse. So, hey, even if I get a couple, I'll chalk it up as a win. And that's what I just love too, is that it's not a competition. Like, I'm not in competition with the with all the other vegetable farmers that are at the market. Like they've been doing this pass on for generations to generations. I'm a first generation farmer here, and I'm learning as I go, and and it's just really awesome just be in the power of the present and accepting what is and and not putting too much pressure on myself that I need to perform. I just feel like that part of me is just so yesterday that like that that hustle that I gotta get it right, gotta gotta have a plan. It's just I feel like that's just like an old version of me. I shed that with the year of the snake, and now I'm in the horse and I'm just planting seeds and and just having a lot of fun doing it. I also was kind of giggling at myself because when we moved into our Home 10 years ago, my husband did a complete overhaul of the garden. Oh, I'm gonna silence that. And he did a complete overhaul of the garden. So it was like an open slate. And so I went to the nursery and La Tal just picked out whatever jumped at me. I was very into intuitive selection. And I picked out, you know, whatever made me happy. And part of that was some, you know, looking back now, like I probably got too much stuff and I've replanted things. And now too, like I got daylilies. And I feel like daylilies kind of like a ditch weed, right? And I want to free up some space for some annuals this season. So I also transplanted some daylilies to out here at the farm where it's gonna be rough and rugged and they don't, they're very hardy. So I just I love that one and two things, two things I want to share. I let go of the narrative that I couldn't do it, that I didn't know how to do it, that I've never done it before, so I'm just not gonna not gonna try. I let that go. I'm like, all right, like no, I have never done I've transplanted stuff like well in regards to hemp, but never with perennials. I and maybe I've done some light work, but not like an overhaul like I took on this morning. Ha! And that's what I did. I just brought some buckets home from the farm to my house and I got out the good old shovel and just went to town and did about half of them. I'm gonna bring the other half of the daylilies to Cheryl's Club and plant them there tomorrow. But it just felt really good that I didn't, I let go of that old story that didn't serve me anymore. Of like, well, I don't know how, and I can't do it. And I uh I don't know. Like, am I am I am I able? Am I enough? Am I capable? I'm like, no, no, yeah, absolutely. I am. And I might, and I might, and all of them might not take. Maybe we lose a couple along the way, charge it to the game. Like, we're doing this. We're just getting in there and getting after it, and I absolutely love that for myself. And I also want to give a shout out to my sister, Rachel, who has a super mega amazing green thumb. She is very talented. People know her house by her flower beds or flower gardens. It's just like this lush jungle that is just full of variety and color and pop. And you could just tell she puts a lot of tender love and care into her garden and really has learned over the years of what she's doing. She knows her flowers. And she said to me, I was telling, I was talking to her about the garden on vacation, about my garden. And I'm like, oh, I was 10 years ago. I was so young. I didn't know what I was doing. And now I feel like I gotta do a complete overhaul because I'm not liking the direction where it's going and knowing what I know now. I do want to change it. And she's like, Yeah, just what right now is a good time. Like, why don't you just dig up those those day lilies and plant them in the in the front of one of the outbuildings at the farm? And I was like, Oh, like immediately I could tell that I'm then like not in a full state of surrender, like I'm still have some of that resistance in me because I was like, oh no, no, like at the farm. I'm like, we don't know what we're doing out there. There's still so much landscaping that needs to be done. Like, I don't know, it's just maybe not now. And she's like, oh, okay. Like she was super sweet about it, but she's like, okay. And I like she planted that seed though, and I like took that seed home with me. And this is the power of the tongue of like the words that you speak and like what the intention that you're putting out there for people. Like, by her saying that, it got me thinking. And I'm like, well, yeah, like, why not? Why can't I make the out houses look beautiful and have somewhere to go with these plants and and do the changes that I want to do in no better time than now. And so I just got after it. And I just wanted to publicly declare, thank you, thank you, thank you, dragonflight princess, pretty Rachy, my darling sister-in-law, you are an angel. And without her saying that, without her giving me that sweetest little nudge of exploring possibilities and listening to me and really like taking that to heart and like making a recommendation that I asked for, I got it done. And I feel so good about it right now. I'm like, hey, ho, go, mama, got it done. And I'm like, thank you, baby girl Rachel. And that's what friends are for. And it's such a beautiful thing, it's so liberating, and I love that. And so I also took some bleeding hearts that, you know, kind of had babies. My my mega bleeding heart bush had some babies. So I took those and I planted those here too. And I'm like, oh my gosh, all in a day's work. We're just getting started here. So I'm just really excited about the springtime and what that all means. And I feel like a lot of that too was also spurred by Robin Wall Kimmerer. If you haven't heard from her, you need to go look her up. I'm serious. This lady is a Native American. She has a very strong and rich indigenous cultural background, and she wrote multiple books. But the ones that I got my hand on was Braiding Sweetgrass. I'm like looking around for it. I meant to bring it and I'm sorry that I didn't, but I actually listened to her audiobook, Braiding Sweetgrass, and learned so much from it. And just her voice, the way she she reads. And then actually, last year at the Midwest Women's Herbal Conference, she was one of the keynote presenters there. So I got to put a voice to her face and just like you can, she exudes Earth mama vibrations. Like she is truly connected with the earth in a way that I didn't even know was possible before meeting this individual, honestly, and and reading her story, reading her book and her connection. And she she's a scientist, also, so she is like formally trained, so she's bringing that like scientific knowledge with indigenous wisdom and the teaching of plants and her understanding of the mother earth and the energy there that's associated with these plants and and how to work with people is just awe-inspiring. And if you haven't read or listened to Braiding Sweetgrass, I highly recommend it. And I recommended it so much that after doing her audible book, I came across her braiding sweetgrass book for the youth, for young adults. And my intention was to give it to Neveea. And I tried to give it to Nevee. I'm like, Nevea, I need you to read this book. Like, I need you to have this understanding of the earth because I feel like that connection has gotten lost along the way. Like she's afraid to go in the forest because it ticks. Like, and like, like it's hard to get her to go on a hike with me. Much less, you know, go into the woods and do her own exploring, which I did so much of as a little girl on my own. You couldn't get me out of the forest. I absolutely forest bathed my little heart out all the time. That was like my happy, safe place was in the woods. But she she doesn't have that interest. Nixon, on the other hand, does. He always he I never have to ask him twice. But her, so I got her this book. I wanted her to read this wisdom and kind of get that connection because she is a big reader and she didn't want to. So I was like, well, fine, I'm gonna read it. And so it was kind of a different variation, and it was nice to have that like physical book opposed to the audible. And I finished that in Puerto Vallarta, and I feel like that just further ignited and invigorated my flame for taking care of the earth. So when I look around the farm here and I see all this like overgrowth and like, you know, even some debris or garbage that was left along the way because we've taken over the land from another owner for well from Uncle Dave, but who we had it from someone else. And then, anyways, it just kind of gets overgrown, and there's things that you know, everyone has different standards. And so, really like picking up the trash and cleaning the earth and tending to the garden, it was just, and while respecting the native plants that are here, it just really awe-inspiring and opened my eyes to a whole different train of thought that was just really grounding and and and leaning me towards a more simple life. And I know that's easy for me to say. I know my life is is big, broad and beautiful, but really kind of figuring out, and God has just such a wonderful way of doing this and guiding me through it. But like how we can just simplify things because less really is more. And I feel like you know, connecting with the earth here is just really allowed me to be creative and have that outlet for expression, and it's just been so wonderful to be reminded of that. Thank you, Robin Wall Kimmerer. And I look further to look forward to furthering this herbal knowledge at the Midwest Herbal Conference, which is happening uh over is it Labor Day weekend? No, Memorial Day weekend, excuse me. It's always Memorial Day weekend. We're here at the end of May, and it's in Almond, Wisconsin, where people from all over the nation, especially the Midwest, come and gather. And I feel like I'm amongst my people at the Midwest Herbal Fest. It's like these lit women talk the language of the earth, and and I'm just like a little baby child, like learning everything I can and like asking questions and tuning in all to all the lectures and the conferences and wanting to like learn so much more, like thirsty for that knowledge. So just like I'm thirsty for Jesus, and I'm just like, tell me more, tell me more. Doing a lot of listening, and I think I'm getting better at listening, and I'm not full surrendering because I resisted Rachel, but I'm getting there, I'm getting there. But, anyways, if you haven't checked out the Midwest Women's Herbal Fest, there is still room to go. It's very small. I think there's only like 300 ladies, but also being amongst all women and that feminine energy is super powerful, too. I mean, just to be like nourished, nurtured, and embraced is just really like wonderful and it's uplifting and empowering for us women too to kind of take back that knowledge, take back that power, and kind of trust our intuition and let the earth be our guide.

unknown 54:35

Woo!

Trees Bees And A Wider Web

Listener Connection And Closing CTA

SPEAKER_00 54:36

So at this fest, Herbal Fest, I'm gonna meet a ton of more ladies that are really inspiring and kind of some of them have become like a mentor to me. So I'm excited to make more connections there. And of course, DNA Hemp sponsors the event. So we will have a vending booth there where we are the only CBD vendor there. And so I love showing up on that regard too, and you know, introduce reintroducing hemp or cannabis, the plant medicine, to these ladies that know that there is like a thousand other herbs that can help you with what hemp does, but it might take a couple more, a different formulation to get what the effects of what hemp can do all on our own. So love to be working with the Queen Herb amongst all these queens over there at the Midwestfest, these beautiful Gaias, as as I would I like to call them, is what I was learned. And that's where I learned grand rising from them. We're not mourning, no, it's not a good morning. We're not mourning anything. We are grand rising. So I love picking up those little tidbits along the way. They're always in song. There's a ton of different like music there, singing song. The food is absolutely amazing. It's so nourishing, it's so delicious and fresh and and good for you. The fruits and the vegetables and and the herbs, it's just herbaceous, awesome goodness. The infusions that they have there that you can drink. It's just a wonderful, wonderful conference to be a part of. And I couldn't be more elated and to be a sponsor. So we're gonna keep on rocking in the free world. And they have this thing called Teen Spiral, and it's for teenage girls. And I'm really, really hoping and praying that Neveeah will change her mind and come with me because I'd love to be able to connect with her on this level through the earth and all of the earthen gifts that are offered to us, seeming to how we have this opportunity to take over the farm and kind of you know, really keep creating out here on this front. So getting that connection at such a young age would be just so powerful. And I hope she joins me as part of the teen spiral where they also connect like your, you know, your mencies and your moon cycle, and you know, talk about those topics that girls go through as a teen, and skincare is part of it too. So natural skincare where they can really make their own. And with Nivea having so much access to this natural remedies here on the farm, I mean, uh just today I seen Mother Ward coming, she's been here for a hot minute, and Nettle's coming up. So those are two really powerful plant allies, and she walks over them like they're nothing. So being able to have this platform and opportunity to teach her and spread on the knowledge is just such a wonderful, beautiful thing, and I'm all for that vibration because all is vibration. Yes, okay. So the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees. That's another thing with um Robin Well Kimmerer. It was just like never refer to nature as it. Like, I wouldn't refer to my friend as it. Like these are we need to know the names of the plants, of the trees, of the birds, of the animals. We just we can't call it it. And if you don't know a name, call it kin. Because they are part of our kin. We are all part of the circle of life, the web that we're weaving. And so, really also inspired me to get to know my trees. And I felt this even before the book. Like, I'm like, trees are so important and they're so ancient, they have so much history and they have so much healing potential to them, too. So I remembered I had this book, and now I'm kind of like helping study with it, and also using you know, Gemini online to help me identify, but I know you can't completely rely on that. So we're kind of getting back to the basics and and how the trees and identifying them. I feel like I'm relearning all of this. Like my dad knew all the trees, he knew even all the bird sounds, the bird calls, the music, and the singing that isn't even in the trees. And some of I am on a mission to learn it, but I know that it ain't happening overnight, and to be patient with myself and give myself grace and and and the mercy to take it step by step and day by day. So absolutely love it. And I did check on singing of bees. I checked on my bees this week too on the hive, and they are alive and they survived the winter, and they still have some sugar feed on top. So, for part of the sugar palette that was put on there. So I'm gonna let them take care of that, and then I have some sugar simple syrup made up to put on top of the hive while all the dandelions have yet to come and the flowers are on their way, so which are also on trees. It's all connected, it is all connected, and it is such a beautiful, wonderful web of life, and I'm so grateful and blessed to be able to share that with you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving me this opportunity and and giving me the time and resources to be able to share this wonderful experience we call life. And please reach out at any time if there is a topic you wanted to discuss or something, some feedback that you want to give me. I absolutely love the interaction and connection. As a matter of fact, that's why I'm doing this. I'm so excited for uh next week, in the coming months of the podcast. I have some special guests coming up in lieu of the 420 celebration. And we're gonna be talking about spirituality and the alternative healing in the in the conscious connection in that space with another guest. So stay tuned, my friends. And in the meantime, if you want to vibe higher, check out my offerings of hemp infused everything from oils, topicals, edibles, and smokables and dnahemplc.com. We I will I will ship to you anywhere in the nation. As a matter of fact, I just shipped a package to Honolulu Hawaii. He bought some wonderful tea. So shout out to my high vibe tribe. I could not be here without your love and support. And Lord knows I recognize that, honor that, and appreciate that in you. With no further ado, I'm gonna hoapona ono this thing with I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me and thank you. Until next time, my friends. Stay prayed up. Bless.