Posts by Melissa McKay

I’m already halfway through Winter Sabbatical 2024. My freezer is pretty well stocked at the moment (especially with ice cream. Resistance is futile.). The pantry is holding up. So far, I’ve only needed to supplement with fresh produce. I have ordered takeout a few times. I’m mostly relying on frozen prepared meals I purchase at…

We’ve had a few windy/overcast/cool-ish/drizzly days here. The forecast called for rain this morning so I was dreading my bike ride to market. Fortunately, it held off, though the wind resistance on the return trip was brutal. I pulled out my graph paper, pencils, pens, and Post-Its last week to begin farm planning. Man oh…

I’m just back from the Monday farmer’s market. My eyes were bigger than my stomach this week, which made for a full backpack and a challenging haul back to the condo. Definitely my most strenuous ride this year. The weather here continues to be wonderful, though we do have a few rainy/cloudy days ahead in…

When Tim and I arrived on Christmas Day, I was not in a good place mentally. As fall morphs into winter every year, I watch the color drain from my garden, the lawn, and the trees and I die a little. In November I’m too busy with garden cleanup, fall planting, and dahlia digging/dividing to…

Feliz Año Nuevo! Bienvenidos a Sabática de Invierno 2024! It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Chelem. Tim and I arrived on Christmas Day without any travel complications this year. I’ve been solo since Saturday afternoon. This is the first NYE in 49 years I’ve spent alone, which was weird and kind of a bummer.…

This was the subject line of the email I received from my publisher last week. As far as printing goes, all things have been finalized (manuscript, cover art, back cover blurb) and signed off on by me. Kristina is officially passing me off to the publicity team, who will be in touch when they have…

Fall has always competed with spring as my favorite season. This year, there’s a little more excitement in the air. I’m in the home stretch; less than 2 weeks left at Bates Nursery before I can claim full-time status as a flower farmer and florist. I upped my departure by a week because an incredible…

It’s almost fall and I’ve made it to another September. Huzzah! The last 12 months have been an emotional roller coaster. August is usually a tough month for me. It’s painfully slow at the nursery, and I’m working outside in hellish temperatures. This time last year, I was experiencing some pretty serious burnout. Because my…

Our family spent a fabulous week in Chelem earlier this month. It was just what we needed; chill and low stress. We had thunderstorms every afternoon, but otherwise, the weather was beautiful. We stayed pretty close to the beach most days but did venture out a few times. We drove out to Homun to visit…

I’m still here! The craziness of spring has begun to ease, and I’m feeling a little more sane every day. Our family will be vacationing soon in my home away from home; I’m counting down the days until I wake up with the ocean outside my back door.  My book continues its stay in publishing…