Winter of 2025-26 has been very eventful with my official breast cancer diagnosis in early December. Several of my December days were filled with appointments, making many trips to Winston Salem. Then came January… Surgery, recovery, and radiation all during the remaining winter months.
I did find time to snap a few pictures that I loved in this unique season of my life and compiled for a Winter memory album. Photography is an outlet for not only creativity, but the beauty that comes to my mind as I go about my daily activities, essential for hope and a great force in cancer recovery. All of these captures are from right here in our beautiful home, Wilkes County.
I hope you will enjoy these pictures as much as I have in a winter season filled with challenges, hope for healing and yet grace abounded in the winter season of 2025-2026.
I personally enjoy the winter season in regard to photography, the contrast of the starkness of barren trees with the vibrant colors of sunrise. I have organized this blog so that you can witness the evolution of the winter with a glimpse into each month of the winter season.
Thanks for supporting my blog and I deeply appreciate all of your prayers.
Clear December SkiesHope Abounds…December morning sunrise taken about a week after my cancer diagnosis… I now view the pink skies as a beautiful sign of HOPE.Perfection!!! Last Sunrise of 2025Happy New Year!!! The First 2026 SunriseJanuary Rainbow SunriseSnowy January MorningThe Hope of SpringEvergreen GloryJanuary Sunset over the MountainsA Rainbow of Colors in Evening SkyGood Night Y’allGood Morning Blue Ridge!Foggy February Winter MorningMarch SkiesMarch Morning GlowHope Reigns in the March Pink SkiesMuted March SkiesBlue Skies Ahead Stormy March Morning… Thunder Rolls March Storm Cloud Watch… Black and WhiteGood Morning!!March Red Sky in Morning
March is in Bloom… The Hope of Spring
March Yellow DaffodilsAnother cute little ButtercupLenten Rose beginning to blossomForsythia
Pup Interlude…
Cookie posing for the camera 📷My little sunshine seeker… JoyJethro… morning nap timeOur sweet little crew of pups… Cookie, Joy and Jethro (Ro)
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens.” —Ecclesiastes
The four seasons… Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter are all marked a significant changes in how we interact with the Earth. Each season is uniquely beautiful and transformative. The never ending cycle of nature adjusting to each distinctive season.
Daffodils are one of the first to bloom in Spring, bringing our landscape back into full color.
When the seasons begin to change, so do the needs of our loyal shoppers… each of the four seasons can bring a small shift of seasonal sales. Spring begins the lawn and garden season. Summer shopping is marked by a large demand of pool chemicals, and lawn and garden products.
Flowers are in abundance during the Summer season
Fall hardware store shopping centers around the demands of preparing for cooler weather, our customers are looking for stove pipe, wood stove maintenance products, rakes, and more!
Colorful Days of Fall
Winter, the cold months, our customers need kerosene heater maintenance, heating essentials, and Christmas gifts!!! Each of the four seasons keeps us busy with ongoing orders, and resets of seasonal supplies. We shift with each unique season.
Winter can bring cold temperatures and snow!
This reflection on the four unique seasons brought to mind the different “Seasons of Life”. We shift from season to season. I believe AGE is not necessarily a factor in these shifts in the different seasons of life.
The beauty of Fall Colors
I began to dwell on the changing of the seasons as we head into a new season, Winter.
Don’t we go through each of the four seasons as we age, possibly over and over again depending on the circumstances of your personal situation?? Hmmm… our lives are seasonal??? Can you imagine which season you are currently living through right now?
Spring… New Beginnings
Spring as a living season is full of renewal, change, new growth, and planting. This season is marked with new beginnings… like purchasing a new home, getting married, falling in love again, beginning a family, a new career, the list is long!!! Feeling of hope abounds in the Spring season.
Summer…Take A Risk and Splash In
Summer is a time of warmer days, time feels endless. The phase can bring more growth opportunities, whereas, harvesting your hard work from the Spring season. Taking risks becomes easier, pushing harder outside comfort zone. Motivation is key.
Fall.. Reflecting
Fall is a time to reflect. Reflection brings the opportunity to learn from mistakes, making plans for next phase, adjusting goals, noticing change, and simply enjoying the beauty around you, practicing gratitude for all things in your life.
Winter… Rest and Recharge
Winter brings rest. Winter is a time to recharge your batteries. If you are in the winter season, you might be experiencing sickness, or grief. With the “stillness” of the winter season, it can often bring clarity or wisdom (looking back and having peace) from earlier seasons previously journeyed through.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” —Ecclesiastes
Whatever season you find yourself in life’s journey, relish it. If you are currently feeling the depths of the winter season, spring will come.
Footnote: I often begin writing pieces for my blog months prior to publication.
This specific blog piece I began writing and processing prior to finding out about my diagnosis of Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer.
After reflecting on this blog piece, I’m currently in “winter”, looking forward to seeing “spring”.
Whatever season you find yourself in right now, please know that seasons change and each will not last forever. “When your heart is tired, and your spirit is worn, remember God is your rest. He will renew your strength and carry you through the storm.” Isaiah 40:29
Often the Christmas Classics have an unscrupulous or “misfit”character that is central in the story. As the Christmas story unfolds, that unruly character evolves and begins to change over time, reaching a new level of understanding and empathy. The Grinch is no stranger to this scenario. The Grinch has a unique meaning for me this 2025 holiday season.
The Grinch… the neighbor North of Whoville who hated the entire Christmas season.
The Grinch…hated the thought of the people of Whoville experiencing joy on Christmas Day. He stole all of the Christmas presents, stockings, Christmas trees, feasting food and even the firewood logs!!!
The Grinch…hoped the joy of Christmas would be spoiled, every home had been emptied by him as he taken all of their possessions. But, it didn’t happen. The people of Whoville celebrated Christmas anyway.
The Grinch… eventually realized that Christmas had come without all the excitement of Christmas presents, toys, wrapping paper, and all the other components of how we often celebrate Christmas Day. Christmas was about something so much more.
The Grinch… Experiencing Cancer, sickness OR even the loss of a loved one during the holiday season. These life altering events can definitely steal the Joy of the Holiday Season and leave you feeling sad, stressed or “Grinchy”.
The Grinch…personally present for me this holiday season, but NOT stealing the hope for healing, or the joy of celebrating the holiday season with family and friends. Will the holiday look potentially different? Yes. But, so will the next few months. Meeting my care team, Surgery, radiation, and ❤️🩹 begin the process of healing and recovery.
The Grinch… learned that the Whoville community gathered together to celebrate what was wonderfully good about Christmas, ultimately making his heart grow bigger.
The Grinch… has nothing our own hardware community….We are blessed. I always look forward to your smiles, laughter, and conversations as you have continued to shop with us for the last 10 years. You have become a part of our family.
The Grinch… The arrival of Cancer within my own life has made me very thankful and grateful for my community of family and friends who are supporting me daily as I embark upon a journey to find wellness once again. My heart is full of strength, hope, and courage as I continue to live ONE day at a time.
The Grinch… Unable to steal Christmas away, because Christmas is so much more than the day itself. Christmas is more about tiny acts of kindness, compassion, community spirit, and finding Grace in second chance opportunities.
The Grinch… Often when sickness or grief comes, we don’t allow ourselves the opportunity to live in full grace. The daily mantra should be for us all, not just cancer patients to live ONE DAY AT A TIME. When experiencing grief, anxiety, sickness, or cancer, every single day can be challenge with ever changing health conditions, or emotions. Through God’s grace, tomorrow is a uniquely different day. Celebrate the positive days and allow ourselves to rest when we need to.
Foot Note: Earlier this month, I was officially diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer, my Grinch. This cancer was found after my regularly scheduled mammogram. I strongly encourage everyone to keep all medical screening appointments. It’s so easy to get “busy” in the moment and forget about or delay them months down the line.
My initial prognosis is good and surgery will be scheduled soon. I have two appointments this week in Winston Salem. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next few months. I covet your prayers.
I know many of you that might be reading this today, have faced similar health challenges whether it was long term sickness, loss of a dear loved one, or a personal battle with cancer and can empathize with my personal situation.
Moving forward, we may find it necessary to alter our store hours to accommodate my appointments. Please be patient with us as we try to navigate this new “un-normal” phase of life for us.
Please also consider that if you reach out to our social media pages that a response might be delayed due to this new phase “unwellness” I am experiencing. That being said, If you need an immediate response to a specific product question, please call the hardware store for further assistance. We thank you for your support and understanding.
Wishing y’all a very Merry Christmas season! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Beginning in early 2024, I wrote these opening lines: “I have decided to take this year and document and capture memories… from our everyday life activities. Everything isn’t glamorous, we work long hours, 6 days a week, but Richard and I find time to share and unwind. I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite collected moments via photography.”
What a journey it has been! Here’s a look at a few of my photo favorites from each month in 2024. Below each photograph, I will include the original link to each month from 2024, in case you missed it or would like to see more photos from each month.
A brief dusting of snow began December 2024, making me long for a bit more.
December marks the beginnings of the winter season. Winter… a time of perseverance and optimism for spring will come.
December, Christmas is near.
A Light DustingSnowy Morning SurpriseSnowy Stack At DuskWinter Solstice SunriseWaiting on SunriseDecember 31st… That Touch of Pink
Random Happenings
You never know what you will find in the middle of a grocery store parking lot! Parking lot golf????
Christmasat Home 2024
Fresh Mistletoe for Christmas! Thanks to Kim Reid for the adventure!New additions this year to my green plants to add a festive flare, pine cones and berries for the holiday season Our Christmas clock is a family favoriteBobbles and Santa Handmade Christmas Handmade Christmas Handmade ChristmasThis Christmas was the first year we put our inflatable back out in several years. Our sweet little neighbor has enjoyed it so much this year. Our original “Snowy” the polar bear was injured by heavy rain earlier this month. Santa was our quick find as a replacement.Cookie watching over her neighborhood
Thank you to everyone who has followed along my year long photographic journey in 2024 exploring the everyday life of #thehardwarelife. I’m excited about new opportunities in 2025! Coming soon, the Favorites of 2024 revisited. Stay posted on the blog.
Wishing y’all a very happy New Year!
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The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 