My mom has always been artistic. When I was a kid, she was our original source for clip art. “Mom, can you draw an elephant?” And almost instantly, there it was—an elephant made from a few confident lines. I have never been able to see things that way. I can…
Back in March, life felt heavy. Cole and I were carrying the flower shop through long days, juggling one car and trying to keep up with everything that comes with opening and running a small business. I kept hurting my back while cleaning the flower cooler, and every time it…
I make my living in businesses that are particularly sensitive to seasons. At the Flower Café, the calendar says I have to be thinking about fall. There are events to plan and displays to change, candles waiting for their turn on the shelves, and pumpkins that will need to appear…
A real-life look at old home boiler maintenance, why radiators clank, and how annual service can extend the life of your heating system There are certain sounds an old house makes that you learn to live with. A creak here, a soft settling there. And then there are the sounds…
Hartford has always felt less like a destination and more like a place shaped by everyday traditions and shared community life…
There’s a moment that happens when you’re building something new — you look up and realize the world is moving quickly around you. New tools, new expectations, new ways of doing things. And at the same time, you’re standing in a place that feels steady and familiar, rooted in people…
Last Thursday night felt like a big deal. The Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner was held with a Kentucky Derby theme, and from the moment we started preparing, it felt like one of those events you know you’ll remember. Cole and I did all of the flowers —…
Friday was my birthday. I didn’t feel older — just more aware of how quietly complicated this last year has been. Not dramatic. Not broken. Just… full. Somewhere between a few real estate deals falling apart, opening a family business, restoring a house, and being unexpectedly recognized for my work,…
I was asked, through my work on the GMAR board, to participate in a collaborative feature highlighting women in real estate with The Milwaukee Magazine. It was an honor — genuinely. I said yes quickly, almost automatically. And then I sat with it. Because at the time, I didn’t feel…
There’s something about a Saturday morning in summer. While most of the city is still quiet, the market vendors wake up early — tents go up, coffee starts to brew, and neighbors find each other again after a long week. The Hartford Farmers Market has become one of my favorite…