My Hysterectomy Journey: Insights from Week 2

Week two of my healing journey. This is, by far, the most trying week because we had to make the difficult decision to say goodbye to our furbaby, Anzu. Grief and healing are a tiring pair, but I haven’t been too focused on myself because Anzu needs us. We don’t want to be without her, but it is not fair that she spends her final days suffering. We want to thank Dr. Charlie of La Fin Veterinary for giving Anzu the most beautiful farewell. *TW: This post discusses pet loss and at-home euthanasia*

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My Hysterectomy Journey: Insights from Week 1

I go in for surgery tomorrow, and I can’t wait! Here is a little backstory for those who are interested. Since I’m up first, my arrival time is 5:30am. My goal is to add to this as the week progresses. Please note that none of this is medical advice. It is simply my personal experience. *TW: This post discusses pet loss.*

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Cats, Coffee, and Change: Autumn 2025

Welcome to September! Pumpkin everything has been out since August, which lets you know fall is almost here. As summer comes to an end, leaves are beginning to slowly change color, the air is starting to cool (albeit slightly), and stores are packed with Halloween and autumnal offerings. September is my cue to put out decorations and ring in Spooky Season. HHN and similar events are in full swing. Unfortunately, we won’t be attending any of them this year. This fall is going to be a little bit different.

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Spring at The Ecology Center + A New Channel!

A collage of photos from our visit.

Hello, all! Where is the time going? It feels like the holidays were yesterday. Life has been a bit of a rollercoaster since my last post, which is why I’ve been absent for awhile. Just when I think life is calming, something pops up. May is my birthday month, and even though I didn’t do much on the day, it was nice. All that being said, I have finally established a schedule for posts as well as something new, which will be discussed further below. I also have some spring-inspired favorites that I found at The Ecology Center during our visit in March.

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Happy Blogmas: Darphynia’s Holiday Gift Guide 2024

Welcome to another Blogmas! I’m a little bit behind, so I’ll do my best to catch up this weekend. Christmas is fast approaching. It’s that time of year when shelves are lined with themed decor, kitchenware, etc., and stores are filled with people shopping for everyone on their holiday list(s). It seems that with each passing year, there are more and more goods to choose from, which can be overwhelming. Personally, I love giving and receiving practical gifts because they are long-lasting and often budget-friendly. There is something for everyone, whether homemade or not. The reality is that it’s truly the thought that counts. Even a card, which many would think “isn’t enough,” is special and appreciated. Here are some of my top picks for gifting this holiday season. *This post contains affiliate and referral links.

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Plastic-Free July 2023 + Fall Update

This one is going to be very brief. As with the past few Julys, I took part in Plastic-Free July, which is still tricky even though things are just about back to normal regarding bulk buying, etc. My best friend and I took a couple of days and went to the Queen Mary, which was a blast. We grabbed food from a few different places (I was surprised at how many used plastic-free packaging!) and had a mini buffet. As far as the plastic I accumulated: A carton of fruit, a loaf of bread, and four takeout containers from one of the restaurants. Since we grew a lot of our summer produce, there wasn’t much to purchase.

The rest of summer flew by. We’ve been working on filling the yard with fruit and vegetable plants, as well as dotting the area with some edible flowers. So far, my personal favorite is the lavender. I’ve already dried quite a bit of it for tea. It is hard to believe that fall is already here! October is tomorrow, which kicks off “spooky season” for us. Some decorations have been displayed, and I will be working on low-waste treats for my nieces and nephews in the upcoming weeks. I’ve just about finished with holiday gifts, which is something I like to finish early so there’s no scrambling at the last minute. I am also working towards getting a few things running since they have definitely sat too long. Once everything is sorted out I can elaborate more.

Thank you so much for taking a minute to read this. I appreciate all of you and hope you have a wonderful weekend! Peace & Love, always!

Life Update and Beyond

Some of you may have noticed, I’ve been absent for a couple of months.  That is because my mom unexpectedly passed away in the early hours of January 4th of this year.  I made a post on Instagram about my taking a leave of absence.  My last living grandparent passed away a couple of weeks after Mom. My fur baby, who turns 15 this year, had a lung infection soon after my grandparent’s passing.  It was caught early, and now she’s nearly back to her old self.  I guess life wasn’t done because my dad tested positive for Covid-19 and passed it to my fiancée.  Luckily, I didn’t test positive and could take care of them.  Needless to say, 2023 thus far, has not gone as planned.  We are still navigating this new normal, and every day is different.  We can’t thank everyone enough for the outpouring of love and support in so many forms.  That is the update as of now.  In unrelated news, I have some fun collaborations in the works and will be back to a more regular posting schedule.  I am also working on our first vlog.  Admittedly, the video is taking far longer to make than anticipated.  I had been meaning to start a vlog series ages ago and never got around to it.  Hopefully, you will all get some value (or at least entertainment) from them.

Peace & Love, always!

Last-Minute Gift Ideas

As 2022 comes to a close, so does the window for getting gifts together–Christmas is just 6 days away! Here are some last-minute gifts for anyone on your list. Many of these are handmade and (hopefully) budget-friendly. You can find most of the ingredients at your local dollar stores. With food costs continuing to rise, food may be more costly than gift cards, candles, etc. I know I mentioned Christmas, but these gifts can be for any holiday you celebrate. If you celebrate a holiday, or holidays, other than Christmas, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. You don’t necessarily have to, but I recommend an ingredient for anything food-related that you make, just in case anyone happens to have sensitivities, allergies, or dietary restrictions.

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An Update in Autumn + Holiday Gift Ideas

Hi, everyone! It has been quite some time. My posting, as of late, has been far less than usual. Since testing positive for COVID back in June, I haven’t felt great most days, and the days that are good have been spent crafting for a new project. I meant to provide some updates last week and simply didn’t get around to it.

One of my new favorite things from a family-run pottery studio in Alaska (Birch Grove Studios)
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