Category Archives: Transitions in Life

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Cancer Journal #7- The Transformative Power of Grace and Making Lemonade

May 17, 2026 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

In my previous career, I was a Middle School Educator. Often times Middle School scheduling created groups of students who pretty much stayed together for most of the day. After all of that togetherness, day after day… and months … sometimes the tensions between students would become apparent.

One specific group that I taught in my last few years of teaching, it was evident they were wearing on each other’s nerves.

So, one afternoon, we had a quick conversation or a “pep talk” about offering each other Grace and showing a bit more patience with each other. I quickly moved onto the lesson for that day and didn’t think much about it.

I had no idea that the talk about Grace had really stuck with them until a few days later.

This same group of students was beginning to line up in the hallway. Our destination was the lunchroom. A sweet middle school girl quickly raised her hand as we were beginning our departure down the hallway.

I stopped the group to see what she needed. She then said, “I need some help with Grace this afternoon. I’ve tried to get these two boys to quit goofing around and they aren’t listening. Can you take over please Mrs. Searcy? I used up all my Grace that I have left”.

**Grace**: *Finding beauty in the ordinary days*

I was stunned. The Grace conversation had stuck with that group of impressionable young middle schoolers. Everyone giggled at the two mischievous boys who were now in my charge, quickly falling into line like they should. They totally understood what giving each other Grace meant, and had been actively practicing it.

That’s where I find myself recently in recovery mode of my Cancer Journey, Practicing Grace. I have come to realize that Cancer recovery isn’t linear, each day is uniquely different. Patience is key.

Thinking about Grace in this context of cancer recovery offers me the opportunity to begin again after the rougher health days. Grace isn’t perfection. Grace is the gateway…to allow the moments of peace to flow when times are tough, when I’m feeling exhausted, and noting the same aches and pains everyday. Grace has given me the quiet power to move through my Cancer recovery.

Grace…tempered with dignity and compassion. Grace… A new level of understanding and empathy as an individual…as others face a new Cancer Diagnosis or currently going through treatment. I totally get it, we all need a bit of Grace to make it through.

*In a field of pink and yellow… spot the red… over 2 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year.*

Grace … allowing patience with my healing. Grace…always teaching me what cancer recovery is like.

What I have learned???

1. Cancer surgery and treatments take a tremendous toll on the body. The interconnectedness of body systems is truly revealing in the face of cancer.

2. Each person’s path with cancer is different, one common thread… the drained exhaustion/fatigue. This feeling exists for all cancer survivors even after a good nights rest.

3. Cancer recovery has been a roller coaster ride of sorts over the last 6 months with physical symptoms that don’t seem to easily disappear. Cancer wrecks your immune system and disrupts your body chemistry. I’ve literally been playing “wack a mole” since my cancer diagnosis. Here’s a quick rundown of my last few months…

Initial mammogram results showed additional testing needed… at the same time I was diagnosed with a Bone spur on my shoulder in November 2025
Official Cancer diagnosis in early December 2025
Unreal Hot flashes… Since my breast cancer was estrogen positive, I needed to discontinue my medication that had kept the hot flashes at bay for the last several years. These hot flashes have intensified to the point where my sleep is continuously disrupted significantly…(see Menopause paragraph below) November 2025.
Kidney stones December 2025
Cancer Surgery and recovery January-February 2026
My first battle with Covid- February 2026
Radiation- March 2026
Began Estrogen Suppression meds for 5 years-March 2026
Side effects noted from new medication (bone and joint pain) making me feel like I’m experiencing the flu all the time, fatigue, hot flashes that intensified even more 😬. March 2026
Bone Spur on heel April 2026
Began the process of working with the Cancer Integrative Medicine to find alternatives for restoration of sleep, hot flashes etc hopeful to find relief of side effects from new medication- April 2026
UTI due to lack of estrogen from new meds, Bacterial infection… working with my care team currently to navigate this new issue known as GSM. April 2026
Fatigue… Cancer wipes out your energy. Even after Cancer Treatment, the fatigue lingers. Cancer treatment destroys the cancer cells but in the process it can harm good cells. Cells are rebuilding themselves and the energy reserves wanes during that rebuilding process, even with good restorative sleep. I have found that fatigue can onset suddenly or it can be a daily problem. (Ongoing)

*Family history of cancer is important to know, the more you know about your family medical history, the better care you can receive from your medical provider*, *especially if you have family members with a cancer history*

I’m sharing these things with y’all NOT to try to create sympathy, but to bring a bit of awareness of how integrated our body systems are. My cancer diagnosis/recovery has amplified some of these issues.

*The most common cancers that are diagnosed: breast, colon, prostate, lung. Screenings are crucial for all*

Cancer Recovery is an ongoing process. As previously mentioned, Cancer can create a literal physical break down of body systems… ultimately impacting how you feel, think, and react.

If you know people who are currently experiencing cancer, in the recovery phase, or living life beyond cancer, extend Grace.

Just asking them something like “How are you feeling today” or “I’m here, I’m listening” can go a long way.

Life is truly distinctly different after Cancer. The physical body is different. As a result, the changes I’m making after Cancer are life altering. My Dietary changes have been significant, with a key focus on good protein, fiber, and less sugar. I’m also trying to be mindful of daily movement, even if it just moving inside doing daily chores on the days that fatigue hits hard.

*Grocery shopping is forever changed! Shopping the outside perimeter of the grocery store is common practice for me now.*

Breast Cancer recovery is messy as most cancer recovery tends to be. Menopause for most women occurs naturally. In that natural menopause state, your body slowly has time to adjust the amount of estrogen that is decreasing in your body systems.

*When diagnosed at an early, localized stage of breast cancer… before spreading, the 5-year relative survival rate is 98-99%.*

But with estrogen suppression medication, (which is often used to help prevent a reoccurrence after an estrogen positive tumor), menopause crashes hard in your body systems.

This crash is happening immediately without that natural process of losing estrogen slowly. With the sudden crash, it wreaks havoc in all sorts of ways upon the body systems. The typical side effects of Menopause, hit more like a boulder crashing… and is much more intense.

Allowing Grace to live within me helps me not only in cancer recovery, but gives me the opportunity to make adjustments as needed, doing what I can physically do from day to day after experiencing such a crash.

*How fitting… Women’s Health Week May 10-16, beginning on a day we celebrate Mother’s Day!*

Scrolling on Pinterest the other day I came across a term that describes my cancer journey perfectly…Lemonading. What happens when life hands you lemons???? You make Lemonade! Using that theory, you have 🍋 lemons… find the positivity, and make the lemonade!

It is estimated that men and women who have experienced hormone based cancers or treatment therapies are 25-50% more likely to discontinue treatment based on the difficulty of side effects these cause.

Lemonading in my daily life has allowed me to reflect and re-evaluate what is really important and my goals are shifting and changing to some degree.

Life Lemonading Lately:

1. My day tends to start a bit more slowly. This allows time to ease into the day instead of worrying about a specific time oriented schedule.

2. Spring has arrived… gardening has been a great restorative practice for me.

*Gardening provides a great opportunity for movement and in Blue Zones research, a great longevity practice*

3. Working less hours at the hardware store… I’m thankful that we have an AMAZING staff who are there each day! This has allowed me the time to flex my schedule around how I’m feeling, allowing myself time to rest and recover.

4. I’m working towards finding solutions to the side effects of estrogen suppression meds… body aches, fatigue, intense hot flashes, by using resources from the Integrative Cancer Center in Winston Salem.

5. I now have a greater focus on restorative sleep. During our sleep cycle, our body repairs and rejuvenates itself. It’s a necessity and I’m definitely trying to adapt to a new sleep schedule and recognizing my body signals to create a more restful atmosphere for myself. Acupuncture has been a huge help in restoring my sleep and managing symptoms.

6. Continuing to explore creative outlets… it really does not matter what you do, but do something you enjoy!!! Solving puzzles,playing board games, writing, creating art, photography, gardening, pottery, or even cooking (testing new healthy recipes). Maintaining my creative outlets has helped me to stay connected with others and adds to my overall wellbeing.

*Pottery is one of my favorite creative outlets*

7. Giving back to the Cancer Community… I recently participated in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. My team was able to raise over $2,100 to help cancer patients.

*Relay For Life funds not only cancer research, but provides needed support to cancer patients*

Lemonading through this cancer recovery process has become a new normal for me. A definite transformative process.. centering around the power of Grace. This simple yet profound concept can guide us through the toughest days, fostering empathy and understanding.

*Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women, followed by skin cancer in second place*

I’ll leave y’all today with the chorus of one of my favorite new songs Ride, Ride, Ride by Luke Bryan and George Birge which fits life perfectly right now.

“Ride, ride, ride,
When the clouds rollin’ in ’til the sun’s back again

*Grace and Lemonading Life brings the sun closer to me during hard recovery days*

And you’ll find, find, find
That what you’re made of is barbed wire tough,

Stare down the storm, you bring on the rain

Life will throw you off boy, but saddle up anyway
And ride, ride, ride
Ride, ride, ride”.

blogging, breast cancer, Cancer, Cancer Experience, Cancer Foods, Cancer Journey, Cancer lifestyle, challenges, change, Elephant Symbolism in Cancer Journey, family, Hardware Store Life, hope, journey in life, Life experiences, Resilence, seasons of life, Transitions in Life, women’s health, Works in Progress

Cancer Journal #6…Tackling The Colossal Elephant, Cancer

March 31, 2026 hardwarelifewife Leave a comment

A new ornament on my Christmas tree this past year… full of symbolism and inspiration for my cancer journey

The African Male Elephant can weigh up to 14,000 pounds, making it the largest of all land animals! A female elephant weight is a bit smaller, coming in at about 6,000 to 8,000 pounds on average. Regardless of the weight, the elephant is a huge animal! Experiencing Cancer can be a heavy experience similar to the weight of an elephant.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis and embarking on a health journey like facing cancer is similar to tackling a colossal elephant. The old joke goes “how do you eat an elephant??? One bite at a time … What really does this old phrase really indicate??? Navigating the cancer experience requires bite-sized steps, breaking it down into manageable parts allowing progress, much like the elephant metaphor suggests… not eating the elephant itself.

Experiencing Cancer is the very similar to eating an elephant…You tackle it one day at a time. Focusing your energy on the most pressing task at hand, learning as you go through it… based upon my own personal experience. The “Cancer Elephant” is a massive task to tackle.

These cute little elephant watering cans are found at WCH

What’s it like eating that “cancer elephant” one bite at a time??? 🐘🐘Here’s a quick look at my personal experience with my “cancer elephant”… one day at a time.

–Initial scans and tests to confirm diagnosis (multiple doctor visits/tests)… I think I lost count of the number of trips between home and Winston Salem between early November to March 2026.

–Meeting new oncology doctors… I have a few different ones in my cancer journey… (oncology surgical , medical oncology, radiation oncology)these are the ones I have met so far in my own cancer journey. After I completed radiation treatments, I will continue to see my medical oncology doctor moving forward every 3 months. I will also follow up with my surgeon early this summer. Mammogram/ MRI’s will probably alternate every 6 months.

Female elephants-creating a perfect sisterhood, more coming up as you read on

-“Dealing with the Elephant in the Room” Cancer impacts family members. Beginning to tell family and friends about your new cancer diagnosis and trying to help them to understand your ongoing treatment is a necessary step. It is essential to note…Cancer patients move forward from one appointment to the next, often waiting several days or maybe even weeks in between, before the next test or appointment occurs. This waiting process can be unsettling to loved ones who would love to have the full “cancer puzzle” picture in their mind. The waiting game on all the “puzzle pieces” to come together. This is what happens sometimes when multiple tests/scans are needed in order to move forward with confirmation of a cancer diagnosis. It can be taxing for some people who wish to have full “puzzle picture” in mind.

–“Eating the Elephant one bite at a time”…Reading and Researching to learn more about your specific cancer

I have read extensively about Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. And the key dietary changes as a new cancer patient that was highly recommended. Lastly, the lack of estrogen within my own body moving forward (after treatment)… slowly digesting the “cancer elephant chunks” all the while, trying new to apply what I have learned so far. This research process is in my ongoing timeline into the future as my cancer path changes.

–Navigating and using your Cancer Resources Did you know that an elephant can use its own body resources effectively to cool down, swim, eat, and to protect itself?

At my cancer diagnosis appointment, I was given a large amount of information about breast cancer. It was impossible to digest it all at once. But luckily the information came with three nurse navigators to help me. They helped me initially by making key appointments with my new medical oncology team.

I’m still able to use these three ladies as concerns have arisen, and they have help me with those questions like dietary needs, and integrative cancer medicine, and more!

Breast cancer Facebook groups have been helpful to me as people are facing similar challenges with cancer. I have been able to gain a few insights within this group as I have moved through this process.

This was an amazing resource which broke down each part of the cancer treatment process

–“Elephant Diet” …Implementing healthy dietary changes

I have learned that experiencing cancer and cancer treatments changes your bodies metabolic needs. Cancer creates a weakened immune system which in turn, facilitates the need for a healthy diet to strengthen your body. Also, a healthy diet can help in maintaining muscle mass, and help with weight management.

Elephants eat a variety of plants, fruits and twigs to sustain themselves. Now, after my cancer diagnosis, over half of my plate is mostly vegetables! This new change is a continuous marathon, that will hopefully continue for years ahead.

Cancer Journal #5- Simple Switches for a Lifetime of Health

–Grocery Shopping with a true Whole Foods mission …For the last several months, I have been purchasing foods to defeat cancer and reading labels like a cancer superhero! We all three (in our household), flip the nutrition labels over and often discuss the label contents. AND Turning labels over and reading contents in the drug store too! Estrogen can be found in skin care or beauty products.

–Preparing for surgery and surgical recovery … There were a few key essential items that I needed prior to my surgery. Those items were purchased prior to my surgery date in early January. After my cancer surgery, it took about 2 weeks for me to recover. As my energy level increased slowly, the residual pain/pressure subsided from the surgery.

–“Drink like an Elephant”Preparing for Radiation Therapy…My cycle of radiation did not begin until after surgery healing and oncology follow ups had occurred. Once radiation began, I personally experienced tiredness that stayed with me for several days after treatments.

Hydration helped me tremendously as well as walking a bit after radiation treatment each time. I tried to make sure that I had enough electrolytes and non-caffeinated drinks after radiation. Elephants can drink as much as 50 gallons a day of water!!! Wow!!! And we think that 8 full glasses of water a day is a lot!!!

Thankfully, the radiation treatments were spread out over a few weeks. The after effects of radiation treatments can last in body for a few weeks afterward… skin burns, irritation, redness, and tiredness.

A powerful combination… protein shakes, Sugar Free Gatorade, and water before and after radiation treatments

–Allowing time to Rest

Elephants can sleep standing up, but for a more relaxing deeper sleep they need to lie down for a few hours. This means that they are more vulnerable to a predator attack. Often elephants will not lie down unless they feel completely safe within their tribe. Luckily, that herd mentality is a strong force within the pack and active watch is kept to protect those who are sick or need the rest.

I quickly learned that cancer changes your energy levels and energy can fluctuate.. good energy days and bad days are common. I have found out that my body needs more restorative sleep in order to recover over the last few months of experiencing cancer.

My boys are definitely good at reading my body signals as well AND have encouraged me to rest as I need it. I’m definitely going to bed earlier and sleeping a bit later each day. My work schedule isn’t back up to normal yet due to this reason as my energy level fluctuates.

–“Think like an Elephant”Adjusting your mindset

Cancer IS life altering. Life definitely changes after Cancer. Just because active treatment is over doesn’t mean the cancer fight is over. Cancer Reoccurrence is always a concern for every cancer patient and survivor. The doctor appointments maybe fewer in number, but scans, bloodwork, medication can continue for several years afterward.

The Maintenance of a healthy lifestyle can help reduce risk of a cancer reoccurrence. Let’s chunk it down a bit more…

The elephant brain weighs anywhere from 10-12 pounds, and it is the largest brain of any land animal!!! The large temporal lobe of the elephant creates the ability of long term memory. Did you know that Elephants have the ability to remember an interaction with another elephant from years ago and an elephant can remember places they have traveled to before??? The essence… the memory of an elephant is sharp! So there is truth in the statement that an elephant never forgets!!

The same “elephant memory” is carried by a cancer patient /survivor. They never forget what they have been through and don’t wish to face another cancer reoccurrence.

That being said, some cancer survivors will continue to make the healthy lifestyle changes permanent, being a “mindful elephant” with the goal of trying to prevent a reoccurrence or relapse.

– Cancer Life after “active treatment”

What will life look at after surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, when all of the major “cancer stuff” is over???

Life in POST CANCER… I have learned Life after active treatment is an adjustment not only for yourself, but your body. The human body needs time to fully recover and heal from the stress of active cancer treatment. Often times the outside world assumes that life for a cancer survivor goes back to normal, because they no longer see the “visible parts” of the cancer journey after the day to day appointments disappear, and the visible treatments are over.

I understand this fact more intimately now that I’m seeing it for myself as well as my fellow cancer friends who have been through this process before me.

Ultimately changing that perception, along with carrying the weight of the“cancer elephant”, can be heavy. It’s just a bit messy.

For me personally, Post treatment cancer, will be adapting and finding a new “normal” in daily life while, allowing rest as I need it. AND adjusting to a new medication for the next five years.

I’ll write more about this in another blog post as my body has time to adjust and I meet my another new doctor, an Integrated Cancer Health in early April.

–NED Status… NED (No Evidence of Disease) This is a term/status that cancer patients want to ultimately achieve. No evidence of disease (cancer) present on scans, bloodwork or other results. This takes time to achieve and I’m looking forward to reaching this milestone. I’m cautiously optimistic that I’m getting closer to this milestone as surgery went well, and radiation is completely finished. Some people rank cancer survivorship at a 5 year mark after no reoccurrence has materialized.

-“Elephant Emotions” …Connecting with Other Cancer Survivors

Elephants have shown researchers that they have the ability to show a range of emotions like being able to show love, joy, empathy, compassion, and even grief.

In the wild, Female elephants tend to travel together in a herd working together for the good of the female pack. These females will circle around each other in times of distress, giving birth, or offering protection to the sick/weak from nearby predators. Female elephants have a strong bond amongst themselves and they consistently work together to rear the youngest elephants in the herd.

Similarly, Cancer survivors often circle around newly diagnosed cancer patients. These survivors offer kindness, friendship, compassion, and empathy as they begin this highly individualized cancer journey.

I’m very thankful to those cancer survivors who took time to help me navigate this journey. Thank you 💕.

My family members and friends who made me feel wrapped in love and prayers as I have navigated through this journey, I’m so grateful. 💕Thank you. I have appreciated your kind words, cards, messages, and prayers.

The Cancer journey can be uniquely different for each individual… from the type of cancer, how oncology doctors choose to treat it, and many other factors.

I’ll conclude by stating, cancer survivors all have one key thing in common.. tackling the colossal elephant of cancer, one day at a time, offering the gift of Grace to those who need it the most, even themselves. In some form, I think we all can use the elephant analogy and apply it in regard to our own daily lives.

Thank you to all who have helped me tackle this colossal cancer elephant, one day at a time. I’m so grateful for your kindness, love, and circling around me in my continuing cancer journey.

Footnote: I have now finished my active cancer treatment and have begun my medication phase for the next 5 years… medication until 2031! It’s been a bit of an adjustment due to managing some side effects, but I’m hopeful.

A new journey begins, aging, blogging, breast cancer, Cancer, change, December, End of Year Reflection, finding inspiration, hardware store, Hardware Store Life, journey in life, Life experiences, Life In Wilkes, memories, photography favorites, Resilence, seaonal change, seasons of life, southern living, Transitions in Life, Western North Carolina, winter, Winter Photography, writing process

Seasons of Change

December 22, 2025 hardwarelifewife 3 Comments

“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!

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.

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 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 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 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 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

A new journey begins, aging, blogging, breast cancer, Cancer, caregiving, challenges, change, Christmas, classic movies, community, December, family, Hardware Store Life, Home, Hometown Holidays, journey in life, Life experiences, Life In Wilkes, Resilence, The Grinch, Transitions in Life

The Grinch That Didn’t Steal My Christmas

December 15, 2025 hardwarelifewife 14 Comments

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! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

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Rooted in Wilkes

July 14, 2024 hardwarelifewife 1 Comment

Last Spring I was basking in the sunshine, kneeling in my front flower garden, while planting one of my favorite “memory flowers”, a little white geranium. I should provide a bit of background on a “memory flower” for those who are new to my blog. A “memory flower” is a specific flower or plant that I have associated with special family members/friend that either gifted the plant to me OR I have sweet memories associated with the flower. My personal connections to flowers and what I plant in my garden is deeply rooted… linked to my personal life experiences and memories of those who I love and those who are no longer with us.

Read more about Flower Memories in the blog post: Flower Power

As I carefully took that “memory flower” out of the small, green container and placed it into my hand, I realized the root system of the tiny, white geranium was extremely shallow and weak. I began to cringe. My first thought was that the white geranium wouldn’t make it.

White geraniums are a staple in my containers every year. This planter in my garden has a nice healthy mix of summer annuals

After lots of TLC, it did survive the long, hot summer season but it didn’t thrive like some of my other plants that had a stronger established root systems when they were originally planted.

This shallow planting experience began an instant stream of thoughts about, “Being Well Rooted”. How would that translate into my understanding of my own life experiences?

Beginning with the concept in mind, establishing a good root system offering a deeper and stronger bond to the plant, conveying nourishment to all the branches…This began a spiral of thoughts. What roots have I established in my life? Am I well rooted in Wilkes?

*All images used in this blog post are courtesy of our beautiful Wilkes County. I hope you find a few familiar places or maybe even some new places to explore.*

Life is different here from anywhere else in the world. The pace of living is slower. It’s a great place to live and raise a family. Wilkes is simply HOME. My Roots are here. That part was easy to discern.

This blog post was created out of my life experiences and memories… remembering and honoring those who helped me to establish and discover my Roots and in good time, cultivated my unique story.

A Bit of Personal Perspective: A Foundation of Memories

I grew up in Wilkes County, surrounded by the beautiful, majestic mountains as our daily view looming at our back door step. It was the perfect blue mountain scenery that surrounded me and greeted me, and hugged me from the distance. As a rambling traveler moving away from and returning to our county borders, a definite welcome sight, the Blue Ridge in the distance, whispering, “Welcome HOME”.

I spent my “kid summers” wading in the creek that was located in the woods behind my house. No shoes were ever needed on a hot summer day. Running in the grass, barefoot, was the order of the day. As a kid, summer days seemed endless… these days were marked with sweet memories. From eating a watermelon wedge, soaking up the last bite of summertime sweet goodness to a full on chase and catch of lightning bugs, all were definite summer staples. I can remember being absolutely giddy with excitement about the opportunity to put those little, bright yellow bugs into a mason jar and watch them blink away in the dusk of a humid summer evening. Then finally, reluctantly, releasing them from the jar before heading inside before my nightly slumber ensued. Summers were filled with the beauty of the natural world that surrounded me in Wilkes. Wonderful childhood memories marked by the love of family and HOME.

Growing into My Roots

Eventually, I grew up and went away to college and enjoyed the experience that a larger city offered. I came HOME to Wilkes often during those college years to visit my family. Little did I know, ultimately, I had unlocked my ROOTS. My foundation was strong and I was slowly beginning to find my center.

Each return trip back HOME was so similar… marked by the familiar smells of freshly cut grass, and sometimes, with the pungent smell of manure which signaled, the hard work of local farmers. The sights of rolled hay fields, and corn fields in full view abound in my memories.

The sounds of nature … birds singing cheerfully, and crickets chirping their solitary song each evening at dusk. You could also listen to the church bells ringing in the distance calling out to its members singing a soulful little tune on Sunday mornings. The sounds that are mostly removed from the ears…heavy traffic, sirens, and other street noise that tends to dominate city life.

And if you could pause long enough and listen… the rambling sound of race cars in the distance could be heard certain times of the year. You just know, if you live in Wilkes, when to expect and hear the humming sounds of race cars churning around the race track. I could always hear the roar and hum of race cars rumbling through the woods when the wind carried just perfectly from my childhood home.

Thankful to see North Wilkesboro Speedway open again!

And lastly, the pinnacle view, that I always took for granted, as a young person, the mountains in the distance, all signaled that I was HOME. Those beautiful mountains, served as a big hug from my surroundings here in Wilkes County, HOME. All familiar, and part of my heart and soul from my own life experiences. Memories branching out becoming my ROOTS.

A view from my front yard… we are blessed to have Mountain View’s everywhere

Finding Support and Growth

After College Graduation, I found myself returning HOME again, looking to fully take up ROOTS as an educator in my community where I grew up. Those formative years provided me with a sense of belonging to a welcoming community, where Southern hospitality still exists and I’m grateful that we live in such a friendly place.

I found work and I began to prepare for the future. I worked in middle school education for over 25 years before retirement. I enjoyed teaching. What I discovered in my educational years, Creativity was at the utmost importance as I planned my lessons to make middle schoolers feel more engaged with their learning, but, it still had to be challenging. Creativity was a central element that has become part of my internal root system.

Sometimes we realize that change is happening, and I knew it was time to concentrate on my ROOTS again. People can be easily replaced at work with another person, but you can’t be replaced at home. HOME and FAMILY an essential part of my daily being, deeply rooting me back to where I needed to be, HOME.

Initially, my vision of work after retirement was not what I anticipated. The ultimate reality that happened… Staffing changes, COVID, and other factors have put me in the forefront along the side of my faithful husband and partner who definitely welcomed me with open arms. We are now ROOTED in the hardware industry that had such strong roots and ties within our local community.

Branching Out

When retirement came, it was a bit a relief. I was utterly exhausted. I had been as they say, “burning the candle at both ends”. I had been working as a full time Mom, as an educator, working as a part-time business owner for our hardware store, blogging, and lastly, beginning to care for my aging grandparents. My life was extremely full.

We have found a rhythm at work inside our “old school hardware store” and have launched headlong into helping our community as we can through our business ownership in Downtown North Wilkesboro.

In the last few years, Richard and I have worked alongside other Downtown Merchants, to form The Downtown North Wilkesboro Merchants Association, and we both actively participate in this group. You may recognize this group, as we have worked to create, The Spooktacular Festival for our community when the Greenway Trail of Treats was cancelled a few years ago.

The Hardware Life: A Life Lesson in Grafting

Wilkes County hosts a Peach Festival in July and Apple Festival in October, so the tradition of farming is central in our community. Fruit farmers often graft their fruit trees to create a new variety. The act of grafting… taking one plant cutting and merging with another, creating a unique union and the growth of a new species.

One of the quickest ways to send information out to our hardware store customer base was using the different creative tools that social media platforms offered. I literally had to dig deep into these tools and just go for it. Over the last 9 years, we have slowly grown a loyal audience on Facebook and Instagram, growing and expanding our hardware community. We have been able to share our product offerings, and our staff personal skill sets that make our hardware store a unique shopping experience for our customers.

My blog has continued to grow since I began, The Hardware Life Wife in 2018. As a novice writer, the blog pieces were fairly short and without pictures. I have learned more about the “how to blog process” as I have had the time. Initially, I honestly couldn’t devote much time to it. It was mostly a “summertime project” and I worked on blog posts between planning school lessons while I was still teaching full time. My blog has been a wonderful ROOTED creative outlet for me to share with others.

After a few years of consistent blogging, it became a goal of mine to add as many authentic pictures as I could to help break up the longer content pieces that I was now writing. Photographs provide a visual experience for the reader, adding an extra dimension, or as I could say “branch” to the story that is needed.

Drawing upon my experience as an educator, I knew that I must give reluctant readers a reason to engage with my blog, as my writing pieces grew into more lengthy content. Another overall goal was to increase my blog readership.

Using these new goals and being ROOTED in educational experience, I decided to use “Chunking”. Chunking is breaking content down into smaller sections. I could use photographic images to further break down the information which would help the reader to stay focused on the writing content and the images adding to the overall narrative. Grafting in action!

The use of stock images was not my intention, so I opted to insert my personal images into each blog post where I could create a more vivid reading experience for my readers.

Surprisingly, my personal photos were well received. I was stunned. This new finding was giving me the confidence and the opportunity to share more of my personal photography for which, I’m thankful and extremely grateful. I have been able to “branch out” and graft my core ROOTS into new areas of creativity and it has been an amazing journey!

Slowly, my heart has been wrapped around creating more beautiful images to share with my readers. My love of photography has grown and developed over the last few years. Seeking my ROOTS of creativity… ROOTED in my heart, showcasing everyday life in Wilkes County as I see it through my life lens using my camera, Rooted In Wilkes. All of the images you see today are all my own, with the exception of the photo of myself and Richard. I hope that you find these pictures add to the story.

Closing Thoughts: My ROOTED Experience

I must admit that one does not have to be a native of Wilkes to enjoy the beauty our area. The sights, sounds, and scenery of our greater community where I grew up and discovered my ROOTS. As I age, my appreciation of the beauty of my surroundings has grown. Anyone can Experience life in Wilkes if you are willing to take a moment to “branch out” and look for new opportunities and places in your nearby surroundings. Grafting opportunities are endless. Change is constant. So no matter wherever you find yourself, share your roots/story with others.

*All images used in this blog post are courtesy of our beautiful Wilkes County. I hope you found a few familiar places or maybe even some new places to explore.*

The beauty of Wilkes is all encompassing and deeply rooted in my life and for that, I’m grateful. I encourage you to go ahead and make some deep roots here. I found HOME, multiple opportunities to grow into my ROOTS, expanding my branches of creativity and learning, and how to GRAFT when needed. My ROOTS have allowed me to stop and slow down to appreciate the small things in this world, which ultimately are the BIG things in life. I think you will be glad that you took time to be Rooted in Wilkes.

The Hardware Life – A wife's journey into the hardware business