Collectibles Issue 2

Rosemary, roller-skates, and The Residence

Hi there sweetheart and welcome home again. I hope I am not speaking too soon when I say this year feels more promising than the last few. Waves of contentment have washed along my shoreline each day. A sign that I’m living inside of answered prayers finally.

Before the full moon rose on the first day of this month, I actually found it easy to reflect on the prior lunar cycle. Normally, I detect no changes or signs of growth, just strife and annoyance. This time, I sighed in awe at what I was able to evolve into.

With pure intentions, I set clear goals to improve my well-being and to become the woman I’m meant to be. I desire to be a nicer person instead of one hardened beyond repair from years of frustration. I decided to snap out of my state of freeze and start doing things without seeking permission or approval. I pushed myself to do things I’m more jaded to do as soon as possible to alleviate that unnecessary pressure. All of this was a challenge but the rewards have been so satisfying, I am motivated to keep going.

I feel as though I have grow more in the past month than I did in the last couple of years. I’m learning more about my inner and outer worlds. It’s happening now just because I just made the decision to make it happen. I no longer have the excuses I used before. I have chipped away at those blocks and brought down those walls. And so, I am beginning to live again to the fullest. As you continue to read today’s collection, you will see how life is blooming for me once again.

{This publication is too long for email so please enjoy reading it in its entirety on the web}

Keeping the Essentials: Rosemary

Fresh from the garden back in May

Rosemary was the first herb I planted in our garden. I truly believe it is the most versatile and essential herb to have at home. Rosemary Mint Castor Oil massaged into my scalp has my hair growing thick, jet black and long. Rosemary is a key ingredient in my butter bean and kale soup that my family devours. I really love transforming it into an infused simple syrup to add to lemonade, lattes and cranberry ginger mocktails. As a way to continue spreading the gospel of rosemary, I’m sharing with you a very easy recipe to add more bright yet earthy flavor to your daily beverages.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

2 6in sprigs of fresh rosemary

8oz water

1 cup cane sugar

1 mason jar

Method:

1. Bring water to a boil and add to mason jar with freshly rinsed rosemary.

2. Allow to steep for a few hours.

3. Strain and add infused water to a small pot on medium heat.

4. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

5. Store in clean mason jar, in fridge. Use whenever and however!

Studying Black Culinary History

A spread of what I bake up! Captured by Chime Studio

If you’re unaware, writing is not my full time career (although I would love for it to be.) I am a full time mother first, a vegan bakery owner second, writer third. My bakery is called Chanterelle Cafe. I partnered with Chime Studio in Charlottesville to capture some professional shots of my baked goods. They went above and beyond! If you are interested in the work that I do there, please explore my website here.

This month, I will be brushing up on the past, present and future of Black people in the food, beverage and hospitality world. I encourage everyone to check out a memoir from the library on a Black chef this month. You can also look into Black Culinary History on Substack to learn more too. Outside of this, I will be collecting a list of Black owned businesses, artists, caregivers to support throughout the year.

Oh to be 3 years old cutting into a cake while wearing a Dolly tee shirt

Quiet Birthdays

I am fortunate enough to have not one, but two Capricorns in my home. They are gentle yet very playful spirits. I normally feel an immense amount of pressure as the wife and mother to give them grandiose birthday celebrations. I relieved myself of that pressure by doing two things: listening to what they actually want and reminding myself that I went all in for Christmas so it’s okay.

So this year I offered for my husband to have a solo movie date at home. We got all his favorite snacks and left him alone for half the day. Enough time to prep for his movie, watch it and have some downtime. He loved it! If you’re an adult with a family, I definitely think some solo immersion time with your favorite food is the way to go if you’re unsure what to do about your birthday. In the evening when we returned, we sung happy birthday and ate the cake he asked me to make. Not too much and not too little in terms of a proper celebration.

Our son was very particular about his birthday. He asked for a Stitch themed birthday cake, balloon and party blowers. I love a kid with a vision. Last year we did two parties but this year we kept it intimate by just having his grandparents come celebrate. To which, he loved because he was the center of attention with all his favorite people in the house. Sometimes, simple is the most special way to celebrate birthdays.

Roller skating

Skater kids

Speaking of birthdays, we gifted our son a pair of roller skates (and protective gear.) He did enjoy ice skating the month prior and so I figured if he wants to improve, we should roller skate too for more practice. Although he’s very against falling, he does love to roller skate with me. I like the idea of us having an activity that isn’t competitive, just pure joy and speed.

The nice thing about doing an activity together is that it feels different than just dropping him off at a structured sport practice. We can go whenever and wherever. We both get to participate. It’s cost free and stress free. Many of us parents rarely can do something equally entertaining and fun with our kids. Once you’ve found that activity, you feel like you’ve struck gold. I already thought he was cool but now he’s even cooler skating with me, you know?

The Residence

Best thing I watched in January was “The Residence”. A friend of a friend recommended it to me because of my love for birding. I forgot about the recommendation until it popped up on my Netflix after December’s binge watching of all the Knives Out movies. A solid recommendation because we watched the entire show in one night. Like literally until 6am.

Overall, the series met all my personal preference criteria for a murder mystery: complex storyline without being confusing, plot twists that deepen a character not just for the sake of being a twist, nods to real life like tensions between those of different socio-economic status and some funny quips along the way. I would watch it again honestly because Uzo Aduba is a very gifted actress. But also because I’ll watch anything Giancarlo Esposito is in. That man was born to act.

Inspiration

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” -Buckminster Fuller

I saw this quote in my planner from The Moon Studio and I was like wow wow wow.

Highly suggested reading:

what happened when I asked a bunch of writers about the best thing they did for themselves last year?

I Cold-Pitched My Way to a Paid Summer in Paris

Final Word from Carrington

Thank you for sitting with this month’s issue of The Carrington Collection. Look for an in depth article on my journey to becoming a bakery owner in a couple of weeks! I’ll share the origin story, what my first full year in business was like and where I’m going next.

Please let me know via a comment below or email your thoughts and requests for topics to cover in this publication.

If you felt inspired by this piece, you can Buy Me a Coffee or consider upgrading your subscription to paid or simply share with someone special :)

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