Beauty, Blessings and Beer

Quite the combination, huh? When I think of the letter B these are the first three words that come to mind.

What is beauty? I don't think of it in terms of people's looks. I think of beautiful souls. I've known Bonny Buffington (catch those Bs?) since I was a little girl. Her family lived next door to Gramma and Grampa (just up the road from where I live now!) and I can remember swimming with them in their above-ground pool. Over the years, Bonny has taught my children. I remember a particular day. I knew Bonny had been battling cancer. The windows were open and I heard singing. I looked outside and saw Bonny walking by, singing. That's a beautiful soul.

I see beauty everywhere around me. A brilliant sunrise or a blinding red sunset. I'm captivated at watching the hummingbirds in the summertime. The snow on the branches of the pine trees. I appreciate the brilliance of Earth Mother for giving us all these gifts, if only we choose to accept them.

I am truly blessed. Yeah, I've had bad times and I'm certain there will be more. I've raised two beautiful souls to adulthood. Every day, I wake up beside the love of my life and enjoy the relationship we have built. I have brothers and their families who I love very much. I have a huge family thanks to Mom & Dad that I appreciate and enjoy.

I'm blessed with friendships that I can never properly explain. A balance of love and trust, even some I've never had the opportunity to hug.

I really have to thank Barley's Smokehouse & Brewpub. In addition to providing the platform to build Rent-A-Party and subsequently, the Sewing Circle, they taught me to appreciate beer. No - not Budweiser (which tastes better in Canada than it does in the US, by the way) or Blatz (which does taste remarkably awesome when it's ice cold in a can and you're in a cabin in the Hocking Hills). Barley's taught me to appreciate real beer. Craft-brewed British-style ales. Belgians from other places.

An appreciation for the beauty in real beer led to the path I'm on today. I appreciate small business. I appreciate craft wineries. I appreciate slow food (but not turtles or snails). Being able to appreciate all those things led me to where I am today. A writer, a baker, a food blogger, a small business-owner.