Hi, hey, hello, and welcome to my little corner of the internet! I’m Melissa, an introverted Gen-Xer who loves to write in the margins of my very busy days about whatever strikes my fancy or sets my soul on fire.
Under the Elderberry Tree is a place where I can share my thoughts & experiences, inspirations & happenings, moments tiny & grand, in the form of an old school blog.
No niche, no ads, no affiliate links, just words flowing through me, out onto these pages, and reaching you just when they’re meant to.
The creative chronicles of an incoming Crone.
In a world that is moving ever quicker around us, I hope you’ll grab a cuppa your favorite beverage and sit with me under the elderberry tree for a spell. The view is lovely and I’m so very happy for your company.
*9 Tidbits About Me
- Mood reading is my favorite pastime (I may have a TBR problem).
- My wife and I caretake a large property in Northern NM where we keep a menagerie of farm critters and grow some food.
- Making things makes me happy (creative journaling is at the top of my maker list these days but crochet is a solid stand-by).
- 99% of the time, you will find me in jeans and a graphic tee.
- Strong hot black tea with milk and honey is my comfort item.
- With one tiny exception, I lived within a five mile radius of the hospital I was born in for the first 37 years of my life.
- I have officially accepted that I am a cat person.
- Petrichor is my favorite word and my favorite smell. Copasetic is a close second (the word, not the smell).
- I’ve studied Sign Language Interpretation, Early Childhood Education, Environmental Education, and the development of my various Psychic abilities (so many Claires!).
9 Truths I Believe:
- Love is love
- Black lives & Indigenous sovereignty matter
- Healthcare is a fundamental human right
- Water is life
- No human is illegal
- Science & climate change are real
- Intersectional feminism is essential
- Truth & justice matter
- Kindness is imperative
I believe in the importance of walking softly and carrying a big stick so if any of these beliefs sit wrong with you, feel free to pop off now. Also, the witch in me believes that words are indeed spells, so please write/respond like you might in real life. We tend to be kinder that way, you know? Thank you.
Two Truths & One Lie
Wanna have a little fun and wager a guess as to which of the below statements about me are true and which one is a lie? Comment below, then head to my homepage and scroll all the way down to the bottom of my sidebar for the answer 😊
- I have six tattoos
- I am an only child
- My daughters are 18 years apart in age
I can also be found:
- Chasing ghosts and sharing about family history and genetic genealogy at Bold and Queer.
- Tending soil at Ever Growing Farm.
- Scrolling Bluesky.
- Tracking all.the.books on theStoryGraph.
- Saving bits of inspiration on Pinterest.
- Sharing the nitty gritty about my DNA Surprise here.
- Gabbing about goal setting, creative journaling, family history, and the divide between Gen X and Millennials here.
Life is too short to take everything too seriously, no? Especially in relation to our social media presences 🙂 Which is why I adore this portrait my dear friend Laura made of me years ago and why I use it for most of the above accounts. If you’re not having fun, why are you doing it?
*Why 9? It is my life number and my second favorite number in general. The first is 3.
Nice to learn a bit more about you, Melissa. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Thank you so much, Marsha! I look forward to learning more about you and sharing the blog-o-verse with you 🙂
I agree with you Melissa, I look forward to learn about the person behind the blog.
I hope you have a great week!
Thank you for being here, Vicki! Hope your week ahead is lovely!