Hi, Hey, Hello!
Goodness, I’m so happy to see you on this beautiful Autumn day! How the heck are you?!
What can I get started for you? I’m brewing up some black tea with milk and honey (obviously) but also have coffee or any herbal tea your heart could desire.
It’s a little chilly out but the sun is dancing through the remaining leaves and feels warm on the skin. Shall we have a seat on the porch while we still can?
The bulk of my time since we last chatted has been spent writing, learning, homeschooling my daughter, thinking ahead to the holidays, and reflecting on who I have been, am, and am growing into as a human on this beautifully wild and weary planet of ours. I’m in a wave of wonderful introspection and creation and I’m so grateful for it.
Writing
I’ve been continuing to think through my online presence, how I want to show up in the world, and pieces of my existence I want to continue or begin sharing. I want to create a safe space while conveying my authentic self and am working on a loose posting schedule to integrate the pieces I enjoy sharing currently while leaving wiggle room for future inspirations 🙂
Since we last met Over a Cuppa I have written six posts:
- Work(s) in Progress: Online Presence where I talked about surrendering my Family History website in an effort to not spread myself so thin and better integrate my interests into my being and this space. This has been a hard decision for me to make, but I thoroughly believe it is for the best.
- Currently: October 2025 where I reflected on the first couple of weeks in October and the wants vs the needs of life.
- The Garden’s Last Breath showcased some of the final colors and crops of the 2025 growing season as we wait for the first frost.
- Folding Time: October (The Thinning Veil & Ancestor Connection) where I shared several ways one can connect with family members who have passed, in sublime, spiritual, and “witchy” ways, especially during Spooky Season.
- Work(s) in Progress: Illustrated Life Journal showing some of the fun art I’ve created in my journal as I work to move away from only using words and stickers/washi tape within my daily/weekly pages.
- Turning Pages: The Last Bookshop in London where I talked about my most recent read, what I’m still reading, and what comes next! I’m looking for a new Speculative Fiction read for the onboarding challenge on theStoryGraph and I’d love your thoughts on my short list or any other books you may have!
What have you been writing or creating recently? I’d love to hear all about it or see what you’ve been up if you’re willing to share!
Learning
The Illustrated Life Journal class has been a lot of fun and is definitely pushing me to step outside of my Recovering Perfectionist Comfort Zone in the best ways. Silly enough though, I’ve been stuck on the prompt of what I’ve eaten in a day. Goodness. It’s like there’s a part of me that wants to convey a perfect day of eating? What even is that? LOL.
I’m also taking a four-week online course with my sister called Diviner’s Seance taught by Nancy Hedrickson. It has been quite wonderful. We are learning how to use various divination tools in our spiritual practices and in direct communication with our ancestors. Using a pendulum and charms is brand new to me and I’m enjoying using them individually as well as in layering messages with my favorite Tarot and Oracle cards.
Have you stepped outside of your comfort zone to learn something new recently? Do tell if you have!
That’s all Folks!
I’m off to take care of a couple of things before settling in for some R&R. I so appreciate you sharing space and time with me today, let’s do it again soon, OK?
As always, sending a big thank you to Natalie for offering up the virtual space to share space and time together each weekend! Pop on over to see what other bloggers have been up to.
Onward,
Melissa
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First, thank you for all the links to your other posts. You definitely are in a wave of creation. Inspirational—thank you.
Can I ask which oracle cards you use?
I purchased a deck a couple of years ago that I love. The images just called to me. The artist is Nicoletta Ceccoli. I also bought my first pendulum in September and dowsing rods. Love it. And even more recently, I have taken an interest in the healing energy of crystals. Anyway, I have been trying to find a course without success, so thank you for sharing that you and your sister are taking this one. I’m going to check it out. I hope you post more about your experience with it.
Oh, I’m so glad you found the links helpful! It almost felt a little *much* to link all the posts, but I know we’re all so busy so thought putting them in one place might be helpful 🙂
I love that you are exploring divination tools! Happy to chat about it all any time! I adore the art of Nicoletta Ceccoli <3 I am currently working with the Rooted Woman Oracle and the Wildwood Tarot deck for my ancestor specific work as I've found they are more responsive with imagery that is familiar to them. I'm also a big fan of Kim Krans' The Wild Unknown series for more modern work and was recently given the Wisdom of Place Tarot deck by my sister which is absolutely lovely and has been very insightful!
I hope you find a course that resonates with you. It can truly be life changing.
More soon :-)
Ooh, I can’t wait to dig in to your other posts!! Thank you for sharing all this.. I too have several decks by Kim Kranz…
You’re very welcome, Kathleen! Thank you for being here!
I love the mug at the top of the post. Thanks for all those links – things to follow up.
Thank you for popping by! I never can seem to pass up a good mug!
Wow, Melissa, you’ve been so creative! That’s wonderful. Thank you for your weekend coffee share and the links.
Thank you, Natalie! Hope you’re enjoying a wonderful weekend!
I, too, love that mug. As always, so impressed with all that you do as you follow your creative path. The creative life is an ongoing process that I am still refining. And I am 68.
Laurie, I think the fact that creativity is always evolving alongside us is one of the reasons I love it so. By it’s very nature it’s ever-evolving, a solid reminder for all of us in the best ways 🙂
I’d say you have a lovely presence online! I hope you have a wonderful week.
You are very kind, thank you! Have a great week!
This is a nice post, thank you for the cup of virtual coffee on the porch.
That’s impressive about the family history blog, but I totally understand about not wanting to stretch yourself too thin. I’ve been working on my ancestry project since this past summer and as great as it’s been, it’s also a time consuming and emotional project. I like your post about Folding the Time, I’ve stumbled on a few lucky coincidences along the way while researching my family tree…such as finding info in documents I wasn’t necessarily looking for and finding a cemetery link out of the blue for one of my ancestors when I wasn’t searching for it. I’m documenting my findings and writing an ancestry book for my kids and nieces and nephews to have. I plan on visiting the churches in PR also to see if I can see the documents in person one day.
Enjoy your week!
Oh, I love that you are investing the time and energy in documenting your family for the next generation! Thank you s much for sharing about your experiences. It really is such a wonderful knowing when things just kind of “fall together”. It’s like we’re working on a group project with the ancestors 😉 I know your work is already appreciated by those you’ll never have a chance to meet <3
Thank you for sharing space and time with me this weekend! Hope you have a fantastic week ahead!
The Illustrated Life Journal class looks so much fun. I keep a paper planner and I always fantasize a version of myself who could draw — it would liven up my paper planners so much.
I adore it so much! I hope you’ll allow yourself the freedom to add some color to your journals someday in whatever way works for you 🙂