My New Career

It has been a while, but I never did officially annouce it. My dream since Benjamin was born was to make my home and family my full time career - well, even before that, it's what I wanted to do. At the end of last month, I was able to leave behind my full-time job in the Human Resources department at Children's Hospital, and devote my time and energy to those things I'm most passionate about, the forefront of which are my family, my home, and our family business - The Weed Patch. I could write books and books about what this experience has been like thus far, but I need not put my entire life in one blog post.

My point in all this was to say that one of the enjoyable parts about working for yourself, is that you often get to choose the time and location of your work hours. We have been spending the week at my mom's house (another Weed Patch owner), in beautiful Union, WA. Many of our nature photos are taken here, right off their deck. We regularly enjoy visits from bald eagles and really big cool looking other birds that I thus far can't identify.

Rooster Stoneware Pitcher

Working in my mom's kitchen is a real treat. It's just so huge and open. The living room, kitchen eating area, and the stove/sink/cooking area is just one big space, about the size of our first apartment. The only sad thing about it is that it's sadly lacking in good cooking implements, like sharp knives and a garlic press that works. My mom has the same measuring cups, measuring spoons, whisks, and mixing bowls that she's had as long as I've been alive, which for me is actually a wonderful thing. They just don't make things like they used to, you know? This stuff of hers has lasted forever, through three of her kids playing with them as their favorite toys, through my sister's two boys, and now our Benjamin. And they just seem to work the best in the kitchen.

One of our products that I love (and kind of makes me laugh) are these measuring spoons by Gooseberry Patch, that are exactly like my mom's that she's been using for a million years. I don't know if they were reproduced for the nostalgic factor, or because companies are figuring out that they made things right the first time. We carry an exact replica of her old tin measuring cup that she always used to measure sugar - still does, actually - but alas we are out of those right now.

Am I the only one in my generation that loves kitchen tools that are older than I am? Maybe its just me. My mom thinks I'm crazy, she doesn't get it. It's just same 'ol same 'ol to her, which I understand, because it IS the same old thing to her. But I just love this stuff. I love that companies are starting to reproduce the old designs. And the new ones are dishwasher and microwave safe, thank goodness.

For instance, check out these great new dishes by Park Designs:

This is their Black Star Dinnerware. These are strong, heavy stoneware pottery pieces, both place settings and serving pieces, featuring a primitive black star on a natural oatmeal colored background - they've got this black mottling that reminds me of od antique enamelware. They're hand-painted, microwave safe, and dishwasher safe. They are just beautiful. When I walked in the day that my folks worked up the display, I was just wowed. Just look at this!

I wish you could see this in person, they are just so pretty. The photos don't do them justice. My mom says I need a bigger house, just for all my dishes. I just can't help myself...