A New Year.

Lots of changes, many of them sweet.

Change, like love and life, comes in many forms, with complex rhythms, surprise joys, and unknown horizons. Including deep snow (for NC), and, days later, a burst of fleeting Spring!

Snow days offer us quiet time to think, to let ourselves absorb the beauty of Nature, especially if we are warm, fed, and loved. In the turning of one year into the next, they invite evaluation of all that was 2017, and, hopefully, an anticipation of all that 2018 may bring. A vision of all that is.

2017 included some spills and plate pieces, a new kitchen floor, a new General Manager, lots of laughs and good stories, introductions, lessons learned, playlists, kitchen choreography, colored pencil drawings, patio art, our patio cat (Scraps!), a few miscues, and lots of good food! 2018 has brought a wintry beginning, a new gas supplier, and continuing dialogue about choices and change as our local-culture value legacy expresses itself in daily ways. Roots need tending.

We may think we know all about life, but we make assumptions all the time, based on beliefs about ourselves, about others, about living, about food, about the world. We all have our stories—daily, monthly, yearly, every moment. Many experience hard times during the holidays, remembering losses, missing loved ones , aching for the sun’s warmth. Countless physical and emotional experiences fill and color our lives. The stories we all live are vibrant, expressive, and dramatic. The next time you are in the Store, take a moment to really look at the next person who enters, or the first person you see. Study their face (not staring, but studying). Think about all they might be living in this moment. Open your mind to the infinite possibilities there are. Maybe even introduce yourself. Ask a question. As we do this, we will all become more aware of not just each other but our own general health and well-being, and how important we are in the world. There is a difference between silently watching a parade go by, and feeling the excitement of all who are actively part of it. Feel the rhythms. There is much work to do, and much to celebrate. We influence each other every moment, and our choices matter.

Growing awareness also helps us appreciate the “magic” of this place we call home. What makes Saxapahaw such  an alluring mix of soil and souls? Its people? The land? The river? Their convergence? Magical does not mean “out of thin air.” The recent Saxapahaw Current includes an article by Linda Pucci and Joseph Pio Asterita called The Magic of Saxapahaw.  In it, Asterita presents current thinking about magnetic forces called ley lines, and describes how they impact this village where we live and work.  The creativity, persistence, and motivation of amazing creators continues to fuel the life of this village, and the magnetism of these energetic earth forces may really be amplifying all of that wonderful attraction to continue our good growth. It’s fun to learn more about what makes us who we are, isn’t it? We are grateful for the keepers and sharers of our history. And we’re grateful for CeeCee King and Butterfly Bouquets, bringer of blooms to grace our tables every few weeks! (By the way, check out farmschool.com for information about next gatherings!  You will appreciate this expression of “home is where the farm is.”)

Just as learning does not just happen at school, the Saxapahaw General Store isn’t “just a store.”  Jeff Barney’s now-traditional winter video post driving in snow to the Store to show the Open sign is one of those wonderful little gems to remember.  As people tramped in from the snow, cheeks flushed from the cold, eager with the change in weather and routine, we welcomed them and enjoyed their tales of sledding and just having “bonus time” at home or with friends. We appreciate each of you who visit, whether you are a “regular,” or a first-time visitor. As Jeff indicated, our aim is our own kind of “community service”: to serve you, our community, as best we can, as we build this good energy of growth together.

February is here, so stay tuned for a busy month in the village, including events at the Ballroom and Culture Mill supporting our civic/human education and celebration during Black History Month! While you’re here stop by the Museum, the Eddy Pub, Left Bank Butchery, our local brewery–Haw River Farmhouse Ales, and Cup 22 too! We’re all making a little history every day.