Getting so close! Carpentry should be done midweek and then finishing and painting.
Doors! Drywall!
Siding! Roofing!
Tea House Progress
Tag: Fenhaven
Studio Build – Foundation and Walls
The progress on the studio was very visible today. The foundation was finished and three of the walls went up!
Garden Studio Groundbreaking!
It’s really happening! The Garden Studio (or “tea house,” as we’ve been calling it) got underway today with site leveling and the beginnings of the foundation. There was a small snag when they discovered the propane line was not where they expected it to be, so that’ll need to be rerouted. It’s not a huge deal, but probably means the building don’t be framed in completely before we get a bunch of rain at the end of the week.
Progress pics…
Fenhaven 2023 in Review
I spent a lot of 2023 wondering what direction(s) I wanted to go with Fenhaven Wellness. I dedicated time to Fenhaven in a way I’d never done before – half of my working hours or more starting in mid-September. I consulted marketing experts, got a new logo that I LOVE, and made a few starts at blogging, videos, and Instagram, which didn’t really “take.” I attended the Great Lakes Herb Faire to get a sense what ways people weave herbs into their lives. I started seeing new bodywork clients again, and found I’d really missed hands-on healing. Almost reflexively, I planted herbs – and what what seemed like an extraordinary amount in April now looks like a tiny patch to me!
Another key moment of ’23 was releasing myself from the thought that I should – or even want – to make my living solely with my wellness business. I like my “day job,” and it gives me many useful things: financial security, colleagues I like, a different flavor of job challenges, and external direction. (Self-employment can be very tiring when you have to come up with “what should I be doing today?” as well as doing the work!)
When I let go of trying to “grow my business,” several things happened. I started doing what sounded fun, instead of doing what marketing folks told me I should be doing. And by following fun, I fell in love with making tea.
As you’ve probably noticed, teamaking totally took over my brain, my heart, and my hands in the last quarter of the year. I haven’t had that much fun with plants in years. It’s just so freaking satisfying to put together a tea that is tasty and functional and then share it with others. Tea Club has been an absolute blast the last few months! I put together holiday gift boxes, and I have thoughts for two new ones (one for when you have The Crud and one for people dealing with grief). The spate of strictly tea-related ideas is slowing down, so I wonder if the honeymoon of teamaking might be passing now – or I might just be tired from/of pushing the commercial side through the holidays. In 2024, I know I’ll be exploring what my tea interest wants to mature into.
I also started having more ideas of things to do in the wellness realm. Savory Better Broth (one of my favorite herbal blends) was a small step from teamaking. Sourcing large quantities of local herbs has me thinking about collaborations with local farmers and cafes. Conversations with friends and my own bodyworkers has me thinking about hosting my own super-gentle somatic yoga class online. And my interest has rekindled in developing a “resilience curriculum” around skills for food/health/mental health/community that would be a self-paced exploration for adults and teens (especially homeshoolers).
So there’s a bit about my thoughts as 2024 approaches. Now, your turn!