A short visit to the barn

I opened the live with a visualization rather than an explanation. I wanted you to feel The Hummingbird Nest. A long, winding driveway through the forest. An old refurbished barn in a quiet clearing with the mountains behind it. A long table with a linen runner and little vases of wildflowers. A chair pulled out just for you.

That’s the feeling I hope you find every time you come to the Nest. It’s a place for women to come away for stillness, creativity, and connection. Each month I invite a guest creative to join us at the table. If you’d like to take that short visit yourself, the replay is below. It’s at the very beginning.

Why “Wild Wellness”?

Rachel is a holistic wellness treatment therapist and coach for women. Her work brings together nervous system care, faith, creativity, and community. I asked how she came up with the name for her business, and I loved her answer. She believes being truly well means coming back to our original blueprint, the woman we were made to be. And being that well can feel a little wild. Wildly well.

I told her she’s wildly joyful, too. Everything Rachel shares is full of colour and joy, and that’s exactly what drew me to her.

Why is it so hard to care for ourselves?

Our theme this month is comfortable in your own skin, and part of that is learning to care for the woman we’ve become. For years, as a single mom, my self-care routine was a quick shower and, if I was lucky, a blow-dry before getting the kids out the door and myself to work. This winter, my skin is asking for attention, and I’m finally listening.

So I asked Rachel why it’s so hard to give ourselves the care we give others so easily. She said that for her, it often comes down to worth. Time is real, and caring for children, family, or work makes it harder. Still, she suggested putting self-care right into the calendar, even five or ten minutes in the morning or before bed. When we believe we’re worth the investment, we make the time.

That landed for me. As I get older, I’m believing in myself more, and it has a ripple effect. My body feels important now. When it tells me what it needs, I listen.

What we put on our skin matters

Rachel started making her own products after learning how much of what we put on our skin makes its way into our bodies. Our skin is our largest organ. Making her own means she chooses every ingredient, the fragrance, and what she wants it to help with.

I asked her for the smallest act of self-care for skin that’s ageing and getting thinner. Two things:

• A serum at night. After cleansing, pat on a serum, then follow with an oil or balm so it soaks in overnight. She said some oils suit oily skin too, so don’t be scared off.

• A little facial massage at home. Gentle movements, or a heart-shaped gua sha stone, get things moving and help plump the skin naturally.

My mother introduced me to Merle Norman cosmetics, and I never really learned to look after my skin. I might have fewer wrinkles if I’d started sooner. But as Rachel and I agreed, it’s never too late.

Join us next Thursday

On Thursday, November 19 from 10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. CST, Rachel and I will make a whipped peppermint body butter together in The Creativity Studio. Rachel will lead us in a meditation, and we may try a few of those facial massage practices too. It’s lovely for winter skin and makes a sweet handmade gift. I’m making some for my granddaughters.

You’re welcome to make it along with us or simply come and watch. Registered guests receive the supply list beforehand, and the recording and recipe afterwards.

Register Here

Thank you to everyone who joined us live and filled the chat with such kind comments. I’ll see you at the table.

Warmly,
Kathy

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I just received an email that you might be interested in. It’s from one of The Kitchen Table’s founding members, Tonya Blakely, who is delivering a workshop tonight.

Turn Your Home Into Your Most Powerful Manifesting Tool

Here’s what you need to know about attending tonight’s Zoom call, copied straight from Tonya’s email.

As a member of Tonya’s community, I’ve experienced firsthand the transformation that comes from her teachings. Below are before-and-afters of my office transformation in 2024. It’s since had a few more “feng shui-focused” changes, but shows you what is possible. It’s in this space, The Hummingbird Nest was manifested.

I’ll be there tonight and hope you can join us!

Warmly, Kathy

ON THIS MONTH’S THEME:
COMFORTABLE IN OUR OWN SKIN

When I look at this photograph of myself, I notice my wrinkles and a hairstyle I’d worn for ages, all things I might change about how I look. But that’s not what I remember about this moment. I remember the beauty of the lake, the quietness of the forest, and the women gathered together for something we had created and shared. I remember feeling proud and deeply connected.

It makes me wonder how often we look at ourselves and see only the surface, overlooking everything else that makes us who we are: the lives we’ve lived, the things we’ve made, the people we’ve brought together, and the moments that made us feel most alive. We are so much more than a photograph or a reflection in the mirror. Perhaps becoming comfortable in our own skin begins with seeing ourselves a little more fully.

Most of us, me included, have spent years trying to fit in, worrying about what others think, comparing ourselves to other women, feeling embarrassed by things we’ve said or done, and sometimes wishing we looked or behaved differently.

And then, somewhere along the way, things begin to change.

We start caring a little less about what people think. We become more accepting of our quirks. We laugh at things that once mortified us. We discover that the body we may have criticized for years has carried us through so much, and that the hard things we lived through helped us grow.

Maybe we’re still working on some of those things. That’s all right, too.

To me, this theme isn’t about reaching a place where we love absolutely everything about ourselves. It’s about feeling a little more at ease with the woman we are today.

REGISTER & RECEIVE A SUPPLY LIST

You’re also invited to join us at 10:00 am MDT this coming Thursday, November 5th. We’re coming together live on Substack for a conversation before Rachel’s guest creative appearance. We’ll talk about self-care for women who have spent years caring for everyone else, how our skin changes as we age, and getting through a cold, dry winter. Come say hello and listen in.

RECEIVE A REMINDER

Around the Kitchen Table

Around the Kitchen Table this month, our founding circle will share the moments that still make us cringe, and laugh about them together. I plan to share some of them with you throughout the month.

I’m setting up a new Kitchen Table soon, for women who’d love a monthly gathering of their own. If you’d like a seat, reply to this letter, and I’ll make sure you’re the first to know.

As we settle in for winter, I hope you’ll find a few moments this month to be gentle with yourself. Light a candle, rub a little cream into your hands, or pull out an old photo and see it with kinder eyes. And if you’d like some company along the way, I’d love to see you at one of my gatherings with Rachel.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

🍂 Here in the Alberta Foothills, the leaves have mostly fallen, the fields have been cut and cleared for winter, and the tire shops are busy as we prepare for snow and ice on the roads. We’ve already had a few light snowfalls. Groan! I’m not sure I’m ready for what’s to come.❄️ October at the Nest was all about gathering in, and looking back, we did a lot of it. Before we turn the page to November, I wanted to share what this month held.🍂

Substack Notes

If you haven’t wandered over to Substack Notes yet, it’s a little like the front porch of Substack. While my letters arrive in your inbox, Notes is where I share smaller things as they happen: DIY ideas from my Archives, personal activities (like my granddogs’ Halloween costume), things happening in my home, inspiring ideas from other Substackers, and so much more.

You can find Notes in the Substack app or on the website, and if you follow me there, my Notes will show up in your feed.

Here are a few from October that I thought you might like.

Happy Halloween. Cora, my granddog in her costume, and a throwback to childhood with me in mine.

Fabric pumpkins.

A pumpkin full of flowers. My daughter and I went to a floral arranging class, and our vessel was a ceramic pumpkin I can reuse next year. It was a much-needed break, and a lovely way to spend time with my top values of calm, creativity and connection.

A bouquet garni for soup season.

A moment to arrive. A few quiet minutes to come back to yourself. I hope it meets you wherever you are today.

My autumn altar.

Sourdough day. If only you could smell my kitchen.

The Barn Warming Celebration

On October 17, we threw open the doors for our very first Barn Warming Celebration. We began around the fire by the garden fence, saying hello and seeing who had come to join us.

In the Garden we took a moment to notice what the season had placed in our arms, choosing what to keep and what to leave behind.

Josette Diaz of Seasons of the Soul® then led us through The Seeds of Life, a gentle way of exploring the values worth carrying through winter. When the harvest comes in, you don’t keep everything. You choose the seeds worth saving for spring, and that’s exactly what we did. I wrote about it yesterday.

After a break, a spin of the prize wheel brought some laughter and a prize for everyone.

Then we pulled up our chairs at the Kitchen Table for Story Bowls, a DIY Apple Party Favour demo, and we crafted fabric pumpkins.

Apple Party Favour Diy

6.95MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

I’d love the Barn Warming to become an autumn tradition at the Nest, so if you missed this one, there will be another.

Something New by the Door

Every good retreat keeps a basket by the door, and this month I tucked one into the Nest. The Members’ Basket is a new corner just for paying members, filled with small gifts and special offers, some made by me and some from the makers and creatives who gather with us. Right now it holds a few special perks, and I’ll keep adding more as the seasons turn.

Make yourself at home. Join the Nest

($14/month or $135/year - 20% cheaper than subscribing monthly )

Everything in the free Nest is yours too.

• Monthly articles: Personal stories and moments of quiet clarity from my own unfolding. I share them in hopes they might offer a small insight for your own path.

• Free Ebook: Create Your Sacred Space, help claiming a little piece of your home as your own. Filled with things that bring you joy.

• Free stillness practices from The Garden: journaling prompts, meditations, and small rituals to bring retreat energy home.

• Free offerings from The Creativity Studio: simple projects, creative invitations, and select recordings from Guest Creative sessions with makers I love.

• Substack Lives: Conversations, casual drop-ins and make-alongs

• A welcome gift: A Manifesto for Women, permission granted to make yourself a priority. Yours to print off and keep close, read slowly, and return to often.

And then the doors open wider, into all three rooms, every month:

The Kitchen Table. One live gathering, offered twice each month so you can find a time that works. Candlelight, a story bowl of questions, and honest conversation with women in the same season of life. This is not a webinar. It’s a table, and there’s a seat with your name on it. Time for you, in the company of women who love creativity & connection as much as you do.

The Creativity Studio. Each month brings a Guest Creative session: a skill to learn, a process to explore, something to make together. Plus a creative invitation, something simple to make for the joy of it. Join live, catch the replay, or browse the full archive anytime.

The Garden. One recorded stillness practice each month, yours to return to whenever your week asks too much of you. Step into the stillness and exhale.

The Archive. You don’t start empty-handed. Three years of monthly articles, creative sessions, stillness practices, and gathering notes are yours the moment you join. And if life gets in the way one month, nothing is lost, everything waits for you here.

The Members’ Chat. A quiet corner for conversation between gatherings. Ask a question, show us what’s on your table this week, or simply say hello. The kettle’s always on.

A peek at November

November’s theme is Comfortable in Our Own Skin, and I’ll share more about it in my next letter, including two gatherings with our guest creative, Rachel Hewitt of Wild Wellness.

Thank you for gathering in with me this month.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

I was 67 years old. You’d think by then I would know what I value, and I guess I did, somewhat. I knew creativity mattered to me, and so did connection. What I hadn’t fully acknowledged was how much I need calm.

I found that out while working with Josette. Looking closely at my values gave me the confidence to start building The Hummingbird Nest.

Knowing my values hasn’t made every choice easy, but it has made them clearer. This month I’d hoped to hold a half-day retreat on friendship. I was also preparing for the barn warming, Thanksgiving, and my granddaughter’s 16th birthday, and I’d been invited to join a craft fair and lead a craft group in my building. You can imagine what my value of calm was doing with all of that. I moved the friendship retreat to February and said no to the craft fair and the craft group. It felt like I could breathe again.

So when we opened the barn doors for our first barn-warming celebration on Saturday, October 17th, and went around the fire naming what we’re gathering this season, mine came easily: boundaries.

In The Creativity Studio with Josette Diaz

At our barn warming, Josette Diaz of Seasons of the Soul® guided us through The Seeds of Life, a values process she created. It was so much fun, and an eye-opener for everyone who came.

If you’d like to understand how your values shape your life, and how they can make decisions and boundaries simpler, I highly recommend working with Josette and this process. It has made a real difference for me.

Josette has generously offered a discount for anyone who’d like to explore their values more deeply with her. Contact Josette directly through Seasons of the Soul®, or reach out to me for more information.

Before the barn warming, Josette and I sat down for a live conversation about values and why they matter so much in midlife. If you’d like to hear more from her, you can watch it here.

Next month in The Creativity Studio: Caring for the Woman You’ve Become

As we grow older, we begin to appreciate the importance of caring for ourselves in new ways. Sometimes it’s found in the simplest of things: a quiet moment, a little nourishment, or the pleasure of making something just for ourselves.

Join us on Thursday, November 19 at 10:00 am MT for a restful Guest Creative experience with Rachel Hewitt of Wild Wellness, where we’ll make a peppermint body butter together, perfect for dry winter skin.

Rachel is a Holistic Wellness Treatment Therapist and Coach for women. She loves weaving holistic wellness, faith, nervous-system care, and creativity through community and retreats.

We’ll begin our time together with a guided meditation before learning how to make our own body butter.

You’re welcome to make your body butter alongside Rachel, or to sit back, watch, and enjoy. This is an opportunity to slow down, explore something new, and give yourself a little care.

You’ll find a supply list when you register at the link below.

Registration & Supply List

Come meet Rachel first
Before the session, Rachel and I will be together for a live conversation on Thursday, November 5 at 10:00 am MT. We’ll talk about self-care for women who have spent years caring for everyone else, how our skin changes as we age, and getting through a cold, dry winter. Rachel will also share what you’ll need to gather for our body butter. Come say hello and listen in.

Save Your Spot & Get a Reminder

I hope you enjoyed another peek inside The Creativity Studio. See you next month.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Here’s a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

A special note just for you!

I want to start by thanking each of you. Your support means the world to me.

This is the first of many letters written just for you.

Although our community is small, it’s mighty. I love coming together at The Kitchen Table each month, and I love even more the friendships growing between us. It just fills me with so much joy.

If I could, I’d pop over today and leave this on your doorstep.

Since I can’t quite manage that, I’ve made something new just for you. A virtual basket called The Members’ Basket.

Tucked into the menu at the top of the website, you’ll now find the Members' Basket. It’s a small corner set aside only for paid members, a calendar showing our live calls and perks that hold special offers and small gifts.

Inside the perks section, you’ll find two of my favourite gifts from the barn warming.

A Retreat of Your Own. Answer a few questions, and the Nest’s retreat builder creates a retreat designed around you and the season you’re in.

Your Own Meditation. You fill out a questionnaire about what you’re carrying and what you need, and I’ll write and record a meditation just for you, one you can come back to whenever you need it.

Read more

You’re invited to This Month’s Guest Creative, Josette Diaz, Seasons of the Soul® | The Arriving at the Barn Warming Celebration on Saturday, October 17, 10:30 am - 1:00 pm MT via zoom.

She’ll guide us through The Seeds of Life, a values discovery process Josette created for Seasons of the Soul®. She believes we find what we seek in life by living by what we value most. Each value is a seed, and this process invites you to hold each one in your hands, consider what it would ask of you, and choose the seeds that are truly yours to grow. Josette will show you how your values impact your life and what you can do to simplify decisions, choices, and boundaries.

Register Here!

Join me for my next live video in the app.

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The Hummingbird Nest is a virtual retreat center for women in midlife, and everything I make here comes back to what I value most: calm, creativity, and connection. This morning, connection is on my mind. So pull up a chair, because I have a story to tell you about a fun weekend getaway, a Saturday evening in Victoria, a table full of women, and a few unfinished pumpkins.

Before we begin, I'd love for you to take a moment to arrive. I've recorded a short practice for you, just a few minutes of breathing and settling in. Press play below, close your eyes if you like, and come back to the story when you're ready. You'll find it in The Garden too, whenever you need a moment to arrive.

A long line of connectors

Connection is in my DNA. My grandma and my mom were both great connectors. They were always looking for the next opportunity to make a connection, chat with a stranger, meet a new friend, or discover in conversation some surprise link that proves how small the world is. Most of all, they made time to connect with friends and family. I come by it honestly.

A weekend by the sea

Last weekend I travelled to Victoria, BC, for a getaway with two of my besties, one who lives in Victoria and one who flew in from Quebec. We had so much fun dining and crafting together, scouring the beach for beach glass and tossing wish stones into the Salish Sea. We even took the ferry to Salt Spring Island for the apple festival, a sure sign that autumn has arrived.

Around the table at Imagine Studio Cafe

On the Saturday evening, I gathered with a group of women at Imagine Studio Cafe for my in-person event, Experience Your Inner Cozy. Another friend travelled all the way from Ontario to join us. Five of us around that table are part of The Kitchen Table, our monthly virtual gathering, and this was our chance to sit side by side in person. Joining us were women from Victoria, whom I was so happy to welcome, and before long it was hard to tell who knew whom from where.

We took a moment to arrive, shared a seasonal ritual, and passed the story bowl, then settled in to stitch little pumpkin wall hangings.

Partway through, I felt a pang of disappointment in myself. I hadn’t left enough time. Wool pumpkins and leaves were still waiting to be stitched to their linen, needles were half-threaded, and I could see no one would finish.

Then something arrived. Call it a message or a feeling. I realized the pumpkin was only ever a doorway.

In 35 years of gathering women, I’ve seen it again and again. We come for the project, and we stay for each other. A little wool pumpkin gives our hands something to do, and busy hands seem to make room for open hearts. Somewhere between threading a needle and choosing a leaf, someone shares a story she hadn’t planned to tell, and someone else across the table says, “Me too.”

With each stitch, the conversation opened a little more, and that’s where the evening came alive.

Afterwards, one woman told me that making something together was bonding. I think she named what so many of us are hungry for. We want connection, and so often it begins around a kitchen table, with something shared in the middle and room for everyone to pull up a chair.

Everyone went home with an unfinished pumpkin, finishing instructions, and a little box that said “a little cozy to carry home.” I love that the evening held both: something still in progress, and something complete to hold.

Coming this autumn: a retreat for friendship

I keep thinking about how many ways friendship finds us. Some friends we’ve known for decades. Others we meet in a cafe, on a beach walk, or in a little square on a screen once a month, and then one day we’re stitching pumpkins side by side.

That’s what I’ll be gathering around this autumn. I'm hosting a half-day retreat devoted to friendship: the friends we already have, the friends we've lost, and the ones we're still finding. The date and details will be announced very soon.

Whoever you're sitting with this week, near or far, I hope you make time to connect.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Some days we move from one thing to the next without a breath in between. A full morning runs into a busy afternoon, or we walk away from a hard conversation still carrying it in our shoulders.

I made this practice for those moments. It’s only a few minutes long, and all it asks is that you sit down at a quiet kitchen table, breathe, and remember someone who has made you feel at home.

Come back to it whenever you need to. The chair is always pulled out for you.

Warmly, Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing myself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

A barn warming is what neighbours do when something new has been built. They gather to see it, celebrate it, and stay a while to visit.

It’s happening, free on Zoom.

a note from The Nest

Imagine with me for a moment. In the Alberta foothills, where the prairie rolls up to meet the Canadian Rockies, there’s an old barn, weathered and warm. It’s been lovingly restored with retreat experiences for women, with a garden out by the fence, a creativity studio filled with light, and a long kitchen table where there’s always room for one more. Tucked up in the rafters is a nest.

That barn is a dream I’ve carried for a long time, and it’s the reason The Hummingbird Nest exists. For now, its doors are open online. It’s a virtual retreat center where women gather from their own kitchens and cozy corners, wherever they happen to be.

What women tell me they love most about The Hummingbird Nest is each other. One woman shares a story at the Kitchen Table, and a month later another asks how it turned out. Friendships grow from small moments like that. On the 17th, I'd love to show you around and introduce you to the women who gather here.

How the gathering will unfold

Saturday, October 17th, 10:30 am to 1:00 pm (MT) via Zoom

10:30 am Welcome and Introductions
10:45 am A Stillness Moment in the Garden
10:50 am Tour with Me Inside the Nest
11:00 am Guest Creative Series: The Seeds of Life with Josette Diaz
12:00 pm A Little Nest Break
12:10 pm A Little Something from the Nest
12:20 pm The Kitchen Table:
12:50 pm Closing: A Little Light to Carry

Save Your Seat

We’ll gather around the fire by the garden fence and begin our Barn Warming Celebration with a warm welcome and introductions.

A few quiet minutes to notice what this season has placed in our arms, and what we’re ready to carry inside.

A little look at what The Hummingbird Nest is becoming, the rooms, the gatherings, and the ways we’ll continue to gather together.

This Month’s Guest: Josette Diaz, Seasons of the Soul® | The Arriving

The Seeds of Life is a values discovery process Josette created for Seasons of the Soul®. She believes we find what we seek in life by living by what we value most. Each value is a seed, and this process invites you to hold each one in your hands, consider what it would ask of you, and choose the seeds that are truly yours to grow. Josette will show you how your values impact your life and what you can do to simplify decisions, choices, and boundaries.

Time to stretch, pour a cup of tea, and visit a little.

A little spin, a few surprises, and perhaps a little luck.

​Where conversation and creativity meet.

We’ll gather around the table for Story Bowls, a little laughter, and some easy conversation before making a sweet little fabric pumpkin to decorate your home for the season.

A blessing before you leave.

Who’s invited

Open to everyone who subscribes to The Hummingbird Nest. We’ll gather on Zoom from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm Mountain Time. That’s 9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 pm Eastern and 5:30 pm in the UK.

What to have on hand

A warm cup of tea or coffee.

For Josette’s Seeds of Life & The Kitchen Table: A supply list will be provided through Luma once you’ve registered.

Register Me!

A few small things before you go

Josette and I will be chatting live here on Substack on Friday, October 9, 12:00 noon MT. Come say hello and meet her before the big day.

Watch Us Live

And if you know a woman who would love a gathering like this, please pass this letter along. Barn warmings are always better with neighbours.

Warmly,
Kathy

P.S. There's nothing quite like being at the table together, but if you can't join us live, a replay will be available.

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Hello, and welcome to The Hummingbird Nest. I'm Kathy Barlow, your hostess, writing from near the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, where the larches have turned the high slopes gold and the mornings have a bite to them. The Hummingbird Nest is a virtual retreat center for women in midlife, and everything I make here comes back to what I value most: calm, creativity, and connection. Over the past 35 years, I've gathered women in kitchens and by the seaside, in the middle of the forest, and in cafés almost too relaxing to leave. Now we gather in a barn I call my virtual home. So pull up a chair, because October is here, and I'd love to tell you what we'll be gathering around this month.

ON THIS MONTH’S THEME:
A Season of Gathering

Every October, the signs start showing up before I’ve quite noticed the calendar has turned. These are the four that tell me gathering season has arrived.

Leaves on the ground
Leaves are falling and being raked into large piles. Some will be bagged and taken away. Others will be spread over flower beds, giving insects a place to shelter and, as they break down, enriching the soil below.

All around us, people are gathering, sometimes to work, sometimes to celebrate, and often a little of both. And when the work is finished, there’s time to celebrate.

That’s the feeling I want to bring to The Hummingbird Nest this month. The building work is done, the doors are open, and on October 17th we’re gathering for a barn warming.

Before I go, I'd love to hear from you. What tells you gathering season has arrived where you live? Leave a comment, and I'll share a few of your answers at the barn warming.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Sick Days

When I was a little girl, five or six years old, I loved being sick. It meant extra special attention, especially from my dad.

We lived in a small town on the Canadian prairies. My dad was the local jeweler and owned a jewelry store. When he came home at lunch, he would sit down beside me as I lay on the sofa, bringing paper doll cutouts bound in a book. It’s fun to imagine him now, stopping at the drugstore on his way home to purchase a book of paper dolls just for me.

Back in the early 1960s, I don’t recall there being perforated edges to punch out the dolls and clothing. Instead, everything was cut by hand, a great sick-day activity that entertained me for hours. It was tedious and oh so creative. I remember having to be extra careful not to cut off the small tabs on the shoulder and arms, as that’s how the clothing attached to the doll.

I also remember a bowl of boiling water with Vicks VapoRub stirred in. My mom would drape a towel over my head and have me breathe in the medicated steam. I’m pretty sure I’d avoid this practice now, opting instead for pure essential oils.

My husband has his own version of being tended to while home sick. Growing up in a two-story house, sick in bed, his mom gave him a bell to ring when he needed her. He caught on fast. Ding-a-ling-a-ling, up she’d come. A few minutes later, ding-a-ling-a-ling again. It didn’t take long before she said, “Give me that bell.”

Different homes, different rituals, but the same thing underneath: being sick as a child meant being looked after, fully and without question. As adults, we mostly have to care for ourselves now. This month’s Guest Creative showed us some ways.

Nourish Your Immune System for the Season Ahead

✨Nance Scott of joined me as September’s Guest Creative, just in time for the arrival of autumn. She demonstrated the method she uses for making elderberry syrup and guided us through simple, hands-on techniques you can use anytime, including thymus tapping and acupressure points for immune and nervous system support (included in the following video and summarized below).

Nance showed us the kind of care I love best: simple enough to do today, and generous enough to carry you through the whole season.✨

The notes that follow were summarized from the Zoom video with the help of AI.

Elderberry Syrup

Nance simmers the berries into a decoction and adds honey once it cools.

• 2 cups water

• 1/2 cup dried black elderberries (1 cup if fresh)

• 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon powdered, which leaves a little residue that sinks, so shake the jar)

• 3 whole cloves (up to 5 if you love them)

• Optional: about an inch of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced, or 1 teaspoon powdered

• 1/2 to 1 cup raw honey, added at the end

Method: Put everything except the honey in a pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. The liquid cooks down to about a cup. Mash the berries with a wooden spoon, then press everything through a mesh strainer. Let the juice cool for about 10 minutes, until it is warm but no longer hot, then stir in the honey. Nance explained that adding honey while the liquid is still at simmering temperature damages the good qualities of the honey. Pour into a mason jar and keep it in the fridge.

Shopping notes: Look for organic, non-irradiated black elderberries (Sambucus nigra on the label). Nance orders hers online and mentioned Frontier and Purify Life.

A note on the simmer: Undercooked elderberries can upset the stomach, so the full 30 minutes matters.

Storage: With honey, the syrup keeps about 2 months in the fridge, even with the smaller half-cup amount. Without honey, expect about a week, maybe two.

Labels: Nance shared label ideas, from a drawing of berries and leaves to a piece of masking tape with the date. Whatever you choose, write the date you made it. The back of the label can hold the ingredients and dosage.

Elderberry Syrup Label Ideas

189KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Dosage (general guidelines from Nance)

• Daily support: about 1 tablespoon for adults, 1 teaspoon for kids. Take it straight, or stir it into juice or tea.

• When something is coming on: about 1 tablespoon every 4 hours for adults, 1 teaspoon for kids.

• Babies under one year: none, because of the raw honey.

Why each ingredient is there

• Elderberry: Nance explained that compounds in the berries coat viruses so they can’t attach to cells and replicate. Other compounds help the body build antibodies. It is also an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. She said it can shorten a cold or flu by about four days, depending on how early you start.

• Cinnamon: warming, anti-inflammatory, and soothing for a dry cough.

• Cloves: help with sore throats and coughs, and offer some pain relief.

• Ginger: warming, eases spasming coughs, and helps loosen mucus.

• Honey: antimicrobial, soothing for the throat, a natural preservative, and it makes the syrup taste good.

• Black pepper: some people add it to boost the other ingredients. Nance skips it for the flavour.

Three practices to go with it

Thymus tapping. The thymus sits just under the breastbone. Make a light fist (or use your fingertips) and tap while you take three slow breaths in and three out, for about 30 seconds. Feel your feet on the floor and close your eyes if you can. Nance does this every morning. She described it as a steady, settled kind of energy that calms the nervous system and supports immunity.

LI11. Bend your arm and find the crease at the elbow. The point is in the soft, fleshy space at the outer end of that crease. Press gently or make small circles for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Nance uses it for general immune support and inflammation.

LU7. Interlock your thumbs and let your index finger rest on the ridge of the other wrist, or find the indent at the base of your thumb and measure two finger widths up. The point sits between two tendons. Nance suggests it for a nagging cough or a stiff neck at the start of a cold.

For all acupressure, keep the pressure gentle and breathe slowly. If a spot feels tender, Nance said that can be a sign of built-up inflammation. Go easy, do 30 seconds, and come back in an hour. A yawn is a good sign that your vagus nerve is relaxing.

Questions from the group

I’m sensitive to sugar. Do I need a full cup of honey?
No. Half a cup still gives you about two months in the fridge, and the syrup will be a little thinner, more like juice. You can also use agave or maple syrup, or leave the sweetener out and use it within a week or so.

Is elderberry only for colds and flu, and only in winter? Do I need to take it every day?
It works against viruses in general. Nance takes it daily when exposure is high, like back-to-school season, and eases off in spring, then increases it again if she has been around someone sick. It is also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, though she said other herbs work better for allergies. She often drinks a tea that combines elderberry and echinacea.

Can I use monk fruit?
Yes, but it's very potent, so the amounts differ a lot from honey, and each brand has a different ratio. Add it a little at a time and test as you go until it tastes right to you. Monk fruit isn't a preservative the way honey is, so the syrup will last 10 to 14 days in the fridge. For longer storage, or if you're skipping sweetener altogether, pour it into ice cube trays, freeze, then move the cubes to an airtight freezer bag. It should keep about 6 months that way, and you can pull a cube whenever you need one.

What kind of honey?
Raw, ideally local and organic. If you can’t find the ideal one, use what you have. Nance doesn’t want anyone skipping the syrup over it.

Where do you buy elderberries?
Online. Local health food stores sometimes carry them.

Does it need to steep before I use it?
No. The 30-minute simmer makes it ready right away, so you can take your first serving while you bottle the rest.

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A Barn Warming Celebration

​The Guest Creative Series in October will be included in a very special gathering I’m hosting. One visit, three rooms, the whole nest on full display: a stillness moment in the Garden, a hands-on session in the Creativity Studio with our guest creative, and connection at The Kitchen Table.

​Join me on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 10:30 am – 1:00 pm (MT), via Zoom.

Watch for more announcements coming soon.

I LOVE CELEBRATIONS. REGISTER ME NOW!

I hope you enjoyed another peek inside The Creativity Studio. See you next month.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Autumn is on the horizon, and honestly, that makes me happy - it’s my favorite season of the year.

With just a handful of weeks left until the end of summer, my feet are starting to smile. I’m embarrassed to admit the amount of money I’ve spent unsuccessfully trying to find cozy sandals. Friends and family have recommended what they love, yet my feet still aren’t happy - guess you might call them fussy feet.

Over the summer I finally made time to declutter my bedroom. I made sure the coziest socks were carefully placed, and they’re anxiously waiting for my return. I also dream of knitting a new pair of socks. It’s been years since I knitted. I’m hoping it’s just like riding a bike. You never really forget; you just need a little practice.

One of the ladies who pulls up a chair at The Kitchen Table gatherings shared that she’s making socks with hand-dyed self-striping yarn. What? No changing colors or weaving in ends. Yes please! Just what I need as I return to the creative practice of knitting. I’m planning a road trip to a neighbouring town very soon to visit Polka Dot Creek Yarn. It’s not only a cute shop name, but they also name their sock sets. I’m thinking my feet will be happy with the Thankful Fingering Self-Striping Sock Set.

Flip-flops get ready! Just a few more weeks and you’ll be kicked to the curb.

ON THIS MONTH’S THEME:
EXPERIENCE YOUR INNER COZY

I’ve been pondering what inner cozy actually means - past the cozy socks and candles. Yesterday I shared this in Substack Notes.

To me, Inner Cozy is more than a blanket wrapped around my shoulders as I sit in front of a fireplace. It’s the smell of apple pandowdy drifting out the kitchen window when I arrived home from elementary school. Before I even got to the door, I already felt held.

To which one reader replied. “The first thing that popped in for me was walking through (kicking up) fallen dried autumn leaves and picking up brown shiny conkers before heading home for cups of tea and crumpets. Definitely a lovely childhood memory and something that still feels special.” She shared something even more tender, too, that the memory carried a quiet sense of her late mum's presence with it.

That is an experience of Inner Cozy.

We’ll be exploring more about what creates inner cozy as the month continues.

What’s your inner cozy? Not the aesthetic version. The real one. A smell, a sound, a room, a person. What comes to mind first? Please share in the comment section below. I’d love to hear what came up for you.

Welcome to those of you who’ve found your way here this past month. I’m so happy you’re here.

And to those who’ve been sitting at this table with me for a while, thank you for staying. You know how much this space has grown and changed, and I’m grateful you’ve come along for it.

The Hummingbird Nest is a gentle gathering place for women who are longing to slow down and reconnect with themselves. Here you’ll find stillness, creativity, and connection. I’d suggest beginning with just one thing.

The Garden…is here if you need to exhale.

If you’ve arrived feeling a little frayed, a little overfull, this is where to start. Step into the quiet. There’s nothing to do here except let yourself land. Here’s a meditation to walk you in.

Connection at The Kitchen Table…is here if you’re craving connection.

Pull up a chair. This is where stories get told, and where you get to be fully seen and heard. There’s no performance here, no perfect thing to say. Just a table, open hearts, and the kind of company that lingers after you’ve gone.

SAVE MY SEAT AT THE TABLE

The Creativity Studio …is here if something in you wants to make.

There’s a creative self in you, tucked behind everything else, waiting patiently. The projects are simple. The supplies are minimal. You don’t need to be creative here, only curious.

This month you'll find one planned gathering and creative invitations scattered throughout, whenever I'm inspired to share by newsletter or Substack Live.

REGISTER FOR FREE

A Pop-Up Retreat by The Hummingbird Nest

REGISTER HERE

​Just a reminder that my full archive (three years of content) is available to access for free until I officially swing the barn doors open at The Hummingbird Nest sometime in the next few months.

There, you’ll find:

🌸 personal stories of my own journey, shared in hopes they’ll inspire you on your own - fireside reading

🌻creative invitations - gather a group of friends for some creative fun, or find a simple project to do solo or with your kids

🌷stillness practices - meditations, journaling prompts, and rituals

💐and so much more

Wherever you find your inner cozy this month, I hope you'll come sit with us awhile and tell us about it. The conversation is just getting started.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

Before I said much of anything, we took a moment to arrive. I led listeners through a portion of the Arrival Meditation we listened to. The full version is here if you’d like to listen.

What I’ve been making

I’ve been busy the past little while making, and it truly helped me move through feelings of fear, confusion, and worry. Let me take you on a tour.

• A backdrop that replicates a barn wall for my virtual retreat center

• An embroidered wildflower garden that will become a pocket for an apron my sister made me, which I hang on the barn wall.

• Pressed Flower Coasters - samples for a crafternoon I’m hosting at my home this coming week.

  

• A Story Bowl I just finished, made especially for our Kitchen Table gatherings. Story Bowl time is one of the favorites at The Kitchen Table. It’s how we connect and learn about one another through prompts that invite the most interesting stories. The Story Bowl idea isn’t mine. The practice of pulling a question from a bowl and going around the table belongs to Andrea Scher. I borrowed it and made it part of how we gather here, but the heart of it is hers. I’ll be sharing a creative invitation and tutorial soon so you can make your own bowl(s).

How Making Helps

The theme at last night’s Kitchen Table was Make Something, It Helps. I asked the room some questions, and what came back was so much wiser than anything I could have planned. On my live, I read you the stories just as they were told.

Making helps in more ways than we usually give it credit for. It slows a busy mind and lets the body settle. It carries us through grief and hard seasons, one stitch or one fold at a time. It connects us to the people we make for, sometimes more honestly than words could. It can even show us something about ourselves we couldn't see on our own, whether that's discovering you're creative after years of believing otherwise, or realizing a handmade card is really just proof that you were paying attention to someone. However it shows up, making rarely asks to be finished or perfect. It just asks for our hands, and in return, it helps.

Something to sit with

I want to leave you with a few questions. Not to answer right away, but to sit with in your own journal, whenever you get a quiet minute.

• When has making helped you through a difficult time?

• What do you notice happens inside you when your hands are busy?

• Is there something handmade that you treasure because of who made it?

• Is there something you used to make that you’d love to return to?

You don’t need all four. Pick the one that catches on something.

If you make something this week, however small, I’d love to hear about it.

Thank you for being here, with your hands and your attention.

Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video and to everyone who paused to listen to this replay! Join me for my next live video in the app.

Get more from Kathy Barlow in the Substack app

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Warmly,
Kathy

WHAT IT'S FOR

Any season you're moving through, grief, an ending, an illness, a decision you're still finding your way into. This isn't about finishing anything. It's about giving your hands something to do while your heart does its own slower work.

This ritual was inspired by a woman at our Kitchen Table, who folded a thousand paper cranes for someone she knew while he was ill. Every fold carried a thought, a prayer, a wish. This is her practice, offered to you.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Paper, any kind. Origami paper if you have it, but a square cut from a magazine page or an old letter works just as well. Nothing about this ritual asks for the right materials.

THE PRACTICE

Before you fold, take a breath and name, even just to yourself, what you're folding for. A person. A season. A version of yourself you're saying goodbye to, or one you're welcoming in.

Fold one crane.

With each fold, let a single thought accompany it. A wish. A worry you're setting down. A hope you're not ready to say out loud yet. It doesn't need to be the same thought twice.

You don't need to fold a thousand. You don't even need to fold ten. One crane, made with real attention, still counts. The number was never really the point -the intention behind each fold is.

When you're done, however many you've made, set them somewhere you'll see them. A windowsill. A bowl. A string, if you make enough. You don't have to give them to anyone. You don't have to keep them forever, either. Some people burn them when they're ready to let go. Some people keep them for years.

HOW TO FOLD

If you'd like a guide for the fold itself, the video below walks you through it gently, step by step.

The second video is a beautiful story about finding meaning in every fold.

Warmly, Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing myself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

The Hummingbird Nest is a warm, inclusive community for women in midlife. If you’ve just wandered in, welcome. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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🪹August has arrived at The Hummingbird Nest, and with it, a new theme. This month we’ll be making. I’ll be sharing projects I’m working on and revisiting some of the things we’ve made together at The Kitchen Table gatherings. 🪹

An announcement about a schedule change this month!

The Guest Creative Session with Jennifer Zarin won’t be happening on Thursday, August 6th after all. With summer in full swing and many people busy enjoying all that the season has to offer, we’ve decided to bring this session to you in the New Year.

I remember the day.
A market in the city.
A woman with the cutest display.
Stitched pictures were her forte.

She made cards and artwork. I fell in love with her style. She has since moved on to new things, and I’m fortunate to have many of her cards and permission to use this one. Thank you, Caroline Storie, for your creativity.

How I See The Month Unfolding

The theme, Make Something, It Helps, will fall loosely over the month. Things won’t be planned. Unlike July, there isn’t a calendar of dates to reserve or a schedule to follow. I’m letting my creativity take the lead. I plan to write about what I’m working on and how the making is helping me. And, if inspired to do so, I’ll share my process with you.

The one exception is The Kitchen Table. You can always pull up a chair for creativity and connection, with the invitation falling on the second Friday of each month, including August. There are still seats available. And it’s still free to attend.

Save My Seat

Sourdough Bread & Mixed Feelings

Remember the craze during the pandemic? Everyone was making it. I tried it without success, and a few times since then too. Then my daughter shared a starter that is so easy. No feeding for what seems like days on end. Three days from starter to loaf on the cooling rack. Easy, at least that’s what I thought.

The first two times I made it, I was a little more than overwhelmed. Thank goodness for my daughter. She guided me through the steps. I wasn’t convinced bread-making was for me. Until I made it the third time. I made two loaves this time, one to eat ourselves and one to give away.

How making bread helped and what the bread taught me

Before I began on Saturday, I was feeling a little out of sorts. Can’t really explain why. What I do know is that turning my attention to starter, flour, and water gave me something new to focus on. That simple act began clearing the way for new thoughts and ideas to bubble up.

The other thing it taught me: not to give up. With practice, the process becomes so much simpler. And the rewards speak for themselves.

Gardening & Flowers of the Month

How many of you are gardeners? I’ve had gardens of my own over the years, and only have room for a few flower pots on my balcony now. I know others whose gardens are their lifeline, their joy. Veggies and cut flowers, grown by their own hands in the soil, tended with love. Rewards beyond measure.

Whether your garden is a large plot or a balcony pot or even a memory, August hands each of us two flowers of its own. The gladiolus and the poppy.

The gladiolus is the tall one, named for the Latin word for sword because of those blade-shaped leaves. It stands for strength of character and integrity, standing tall through whatever the season brings.

But it’s the poppy I’m keeping close this month. She’s the flower of rest and consolation, of imagination and peaceful sleep. She closes her petals at night and opens them again with the morning sun. And here’s the part I love: poppy seeds can wait in the soil for years, sometimes decades, and bloom when the ground around them is stirred up. A flower that rests until it’s ready. That feels about right for The Hummingbird Nest.

So while our hands are busy making this month, the poppy will be nearby, reminding us that rest is part of the making too.

Just a reminder that my full archive (three years of content) is available to access for free until I officially swing the barn doors open at The Hummingbird Nest in early September.

There, you’ll find:

🌸 personal stories of my own journey, shared in hopes they’ll inspire you on your own - vacation reading

🌻creative invitations - gather a group of friends for some creative fun, or find a simple project to do solo or with your kids

🌷stillness practices - meditations, journaling prompts, and rituals

💐and so much more

Make something if it calls to you. Rest if that’s what you need. Wishing you a beautiful August, full of memories and summer fun.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

At first it was ok. Then after many changes, I was starting to feel bad about myself, and that I may have been letting you down.

In need a little bit of self-compassion, I spotted a beautiful little book, Lil Grace, sitting on the corner of my desk, waiting to be read.

On the spur of the moment, I decided to go live and read it, not only to you, but to me as well.

Lil Grace was written by my friend Shannon Speaks and illustrated by Terry Stefanko. It’s a book for helpers and caregivers, for anyone who spends their days showing up for other people and quietly puts their own needs last. I was part of the group that helped shape the book before it was published, so reading it out loud this morning felt like it landed twice as close to home.

What if something kinder could be true? That question followed me through the whole reading.

But the line that stayed with me most was simpler: self-compassion isn’t selfish. It’s essential.

If you’ve had a summer like mine, canceling more than you’d like, feeling the guilt pile up around it, I hope this reading gives you what it gave me. A little grace.

You can watch the replay above. I didn’t read the neuroscience section of the book during the live, that part is there waiting for you when you get your own copy. And if this resonates, Lil Grace is available on Amazon, worth having on your own desk or gifting to someone in your life who never stops giving to others.

Warmly,
Kathy

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“The Hummingbird Nest has never been about being perfect. And that includes me and you.”

“I’ve stopped waiting for it to be polished and to still invite you in.”

“I’d like to invite you to consider this journey as permission to begin before you’re ready.”

We ended with a short garden visualization - picturing a flower that opened in its own time, petal by petal, and letting ourselves do the same.

I promised to share the full flower pounding tutorial, which I did in a newsletter that day. If you missed it, you can view it below.

The Hummingbird Nest

Flower Pounding Art

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3 months ago · 4 likes · 2 comments · Kathy Barlow

Thank you , & Nikki for joining me live. Join me for my next live video in the app.

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On July 20, right in the heart of our In Full Bloom month, The Creativity Studio welcomed its second Guest Creative: Lise-Lotte Loomer, who joined us from her urban flower farm on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. What followed was an hour of flowers, friendship, and the gentle reminder that creativity is about presence, not perfection.

We opened, as we always do, by arriving together, and since we were a cozy group, we went around the circle with a question: if you were a flower, what kind would you be? I’d love for you to think about this question yourself. What flower would you be?

💐Our little bouquet of answers was lovely.

A peony, for being beautiful, scented, and sweet. A stargazer lily, fragrant and simply a favourite. A rose - twice over, once for the way roses come back and bloom again after being cut back, and once for the variety of colours and the softness of the scent. And a chrysanthemum, for all the detail in the petals - no matter how many times you look, there’s always something interesting to see.

One guest arrived partway through. She’s planning an in-person women’s circle for flower arranging at the end of August and came to soak it all in. Watching is always welcome here.

The Arrival Practice

Every gathering at The Hummingbird Nest begins with an arrival practice. Here is the one we shared that day:

You’re welcome to close your eyes, or to soften your gaze.

Imagine you’re standing at the edge of a garden, in the fullness of summer. Behind you is everything that has filled your week. Ahead of you, a path winds between the flower beds.

Take a slow breath in, as if you’re catching the scent of something blooming nearby. And a gentle breath out.

Now picture a single flower. Any flower you love. Notice how it doesn’t hurry. It opened in its own time, petal by petal, and it’s simply here now, being exactly what it is.

Let yourself do the same today. Nothing to tend. Nothing to prove.

One more slow breath in. And out.

Lise-Lotte’s Presentation: Fun with Flowers

Lise-Lotte had wandered her garden that morning, gathering with purpose, and then walked us through it all: how to get more stems from a single cut, why the big leaves are removed, the magic of a tape grid across a vase, cutting stems on an angle so they can drink, playing with shape and scale and scent, and finding beauty in the unexpected - strawberry leaves, seed pods, even a radish gone to seed.

Woven through all of it was her gentle philosophy:

And she explained that there’s nothing to lose with flowers. It’s a flower; you can pull it out if you don’t like it or if it’s placed incorrectly.

You can watch her full presentation here:

A small note about the recording: the video I captured during our session didn’t spotlight Lise-Lotte on screen, so I wasn’t able to use it. Luckily, she had recorded one as well - that’s the version linked above. As you watch, you may need to adjust your volume from time to time, as it varies throughout.

Arranging Alongside Her

The best part. We didn’t just watch, we arranged right along with her. Vases, tape grids, and garden gatherings at the ready, each of us built a bouquet as she guided us, and at the end we shared them in a little show and tell. Here’s what bloomed at our tables:

What Is a Petal Potluck?

The Petal Potluck is Lise-Lotte’s own creation, and it’s just how it sounds - a gathering where friends bring flowers, greens, branches, or seed pods to share, along with a vase they never want to see again. Everyone arranges a bouquet, names are drawn, and each guest gives away the arrangement they made and receives one made by someone else. There’s something about making flowers for somebody, even someone you don’t know yet, and something equally lovely about receiving them. The Petal Potluck captures both.

A few things that make it work so beautifully:

• It’s not a contest. No judgment, no competition - just the freedom to play, so everyone can stay in the relaxed, curious, “what if?” part of the brain where creativity lives.

• The invitation is written for you. The wording is ready to go in her handout, so you can skip the overthinking and get on with the fun.

• The conversation goes deeper. Her guide includes suggested questions to draw out real conversation around the table - the kind where a friend answers questions like, “What’s your favourite thing to make?”

Get the Free Handout Here

Signing up adds you to her lovely weekly newsletter (you can unsubscribe anytime), and the free resource gives you everything you need to host your own - the invitation, the name-draw envelopes, the discussion questions, and all her tips.

The August Guest Creative has been postponed until January, 2027.

Coming in August: Journaling for Creative Nourishment with Jennifer Zarin, Thursday, August 6th, 11:00 am MDT

Join us in The Creativity Studio as Jennifer Zarin leads a session of mindful journaling prompts for creative nourishment.

​Jennifer has spent years witnessing what the page can hold, and she knows the quiet magic of journaling in community.

​There’s no right or wrong way to do this, and no experience is needed.

​Meet Jennifer: ​Jennifer was dubbed a Promptologist by one of her subscribers, and the name fits. She has nearly twenty years of experience as a mindful expressive writing and journaling facilitator, coach, and creative arts therapist. Jennifer is a writer and speaker with a background in theatre, and a singer and songwriter as well. She lives in New York City with her husband and three-year-old son. She is the Founder and Writer at Journal Your Path (journalyourpath.substack.com), a newsletter and intergenerational journaling community. Her work is rooted in connection and compassion, which makes her a natural fit for our August gathering in The Creativity Studio.

What to bring: ​A notebook, a pen you like, and a cozy spot to settle in.

I can’t wait to gather with you at the page. To receive the Zoom link, please register at the link below.

Come Journal with Us!

I hope you enjoyed another peek inside The Creativity Studio. See you next month.

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website

✨This letter is for the reader who loves flowers in any form, growing in the garden, tucked in a teacup, or pressed flat and saved for later. And it's for the one who thinks she isn't creative, because I promise this project will change her mind. Everything here is simple on purpose. A few blooms, a hammer, an afternoon, and something beautiful to show for it. That's the kind of creativity I love best: easy on the hands, generous to the heart.✨

I had good intentions of delivering my flower pounding demo live on Substack this morning. Truth be told, I ran into some technical difficulties and decided to deliver it to you in a newsletter instead. I did go live, shared some behind-the-scenes challenges, and spoke about the difficulties I've been having and the Substack Live learning curve. I love going live. It's great practice, and I'll keep at it.

What is Flower Pounding?

Flower pounding is a natural art technique where you gently hammer fresh flowers or leaves onto fabric or paper. With each tap, the plant’s natural pigments are released, leaving behind delicate, one-of-a-kind botanical imprints.

This meditative craft invites us to slow down, connect with nature, and create something beautiful with our hands. No two pieces are ever the same.

You can use your imprints to make heartfelt cards, meaningful wall art, table placecards, gift tags, or simple keepsakes. All you need are a few blooms, some paper or fabric, and something to gently tap with.

🌿 Supplies

• Fresh flowers and leaves (see list below for what works best)

• Watercolor paper, cardstock, or fabric

• Paper towel (to place over the flowers)

• Parchment paper (to place on the cutting board)

• Hammer or mallet

• Hard, flat surface (like a cutting board)

• Tweezers (optional, for removing petal bits after pounding)

🌸 Flowers That Work Well

If gathering flowers ahead of time, here’s a little guidance on what works well:

• Pansies & Violas: high pigment, great detail

• Coreopsis: brilliant orange and yellow

• Cosmos: soft but vibrant imprint

• Ferns & Herbs: lovely shapes and greens

• Roses: juicy, but can bleed heavily

• Petunias: deep color, may need blotting

Flower Pounding on Paper

We tried this activity at one of the Kitchen Table gatherings last year. Each woman created a unique design using various flowers. Here are some samples of what we created. I love them.

Flower Pounding on Fabric

I love to pound flowers on fabric. I mostly use the imprints to make my slow-stitch cards. Here are a few examples.

This piece was made into a card by simply gluing the fabric onto a blank card. It carries so much meaning. I gifted it to my mom’s friend Ruth for her 100th birthday. Pansies are Ruth’s favorite flower. The blue fabric was cut from one of my mom’s wool jackets, and the floral blue from a napkin she lined her makeup basket with. The hearts, of course, signify their friendship and love for one another.

This piece was made for a card gifted to my sister. The yellow background is a vintage quilted piece of fabric that she gifted me. The pansy, her late husband’s favorite flower, was pounded on a piece of our Grandmother’s linen doily, and the lace is also from her stash.

Bonus: Pressed Flower Stickers

As a little bonus, I'm sharing the video from the live where we made pressed flower stickers together. I absolutely love to have a supply of stickers to attach to envelopes when you're sending out mail or giving a special occasion card. They're lovely in journals as well.

And with this letter, we almost wrap up our month of In Full Bloom in The Creativity Studio. What a month it has been. We made flower stickers, pounded petals into paper and fabric, gathered around the screen with Lise-Lotte Loomer to arrange floral bouquets and learn about Petal Potlucks (more on that to come soon). Simple projects, a few blooms, and so much joy along the way. Thank you for blooming right alongside me.

Before You Go: A Short Visualization

Warmly,
Kathy

A little about me

Hi, I’m Kathy. A guide, a gatherer, a maker of sacred space, and a woman who found her way home to herself after years of putting everyone else first.

For years, I wore many hats at once. Single parent, community manager in a role I was promoted into before I believed I deserved it, event organizer. And later, a family caregiver. Learning all over again how to give without losing yourself in the giving. Caring for everyone, in every direction, all at the same time. What I had to learn, slowly and imperfectly, was that I mattered too. What I found on the other side of that, through stillness, creativity, and the women who gathered around my table, became everything I now offer.

There’s a place at the table with your name on it.

I’m excited to share a glimpse of The Hummingbird Nest. Here’s a snapshot of the home page. Come on in for a visit.

Visit The Hummingbird Nest Website