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Autumn Begins — Checking in


Happy Fall! The photo above is a red abutilon flower on my porch backlit by the afternoon sun. I love the light this time of year.

I wanted to give a little update about SSS and what’s been going on in my life.

SSS Site: If anyone noticed that the SSS site was down for a few days (Sept 21-24), the reason was a web host transfer that took a little longer than planned. If you emailed info@sonomascentstudio.com during that time and did not hear back, you might want to re-send your email.

I will probably replace the SSS home page soon with a notice about closing and I will restrict access to the rest of the site. I’ve left the site up while deciding what do with SSS, but some people miss the messages on the site about the closure so I will restrict the site to the home page and put a message there.

SSS Company Sale: I was communicating with someone who wanted to purchase SSS. In the process of working on the sales contract, I learned about some changes to tax laws that mean I need to sell SSS over time instead of an all-cash, all-in-one-year deal. I was not able to work out that sort of plan with the people who had made the offer, so I’m not sure what I will do now. I am in no hurry because I’ve been working on my health (my wrists are improving all the time!) and working on cleaning up. I’m still interested in finding the right person to carry on with SSS or to take over some of the top-selling scents, but I’m working on other things in the meantime.

SSS Remaining Bottle Sale: All the bottles I had offered in previous blog posts are in the hands of people who requested them. I don’t have anything else for sale at this time, but if that changes I will post again.

Family: Four weeks ago my sweet Dad fell and broke his right upper arm (humerus) clear through. He has weekly doctor appointments for x-rays and adjustment of the brace, and we’re hoping he can heal and avoid surgery.  Today the doctor referred him to a specialist for another opinion because the injury is borderline for whether surgery needs to be done. We’re keeping our fingers crossed. He is right-handed, so this has been very challenging for him, and he is not the sort of person who likes a lot of down time.

Photos: I’ll finish this post by sharing a few pictures I’ve taken this summer. First up is a picture of a monarch butterfly in the garden, taken yesterday. The monarchs will be migrating south (Pacific Grove in CA is one spot in which they gather).

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Here is my new garden gate. We replaced the old wooden gate this summer because it had deteriorated too much to be latched and couldn’t be repaired anymore. This iron gate won’t shrink/swell in the summer/winter so it should last much longer. So easy for me to use too!

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Here are a couple photos of one of the fawns that has been living here this summer. We’ve had one doe with two fawns and one doe with one fawn. They love to eat acorns this time of year (the acorns drop to the ground in fall). Low res pics because I was too far away, but still cute.

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I had a great crop of tomatoes in June/July (Sweet 100 and Early Girl) and now I’m getting another crop of the cherry tomatoes this fall. I’ve already frozen lots of tomatoes to use later, so I’m juicing some of this crop. They make amazing, thick, tomato juice. Yum.

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The juice collects in one bowl and the seeds/skins collect in the other bowl. I’ve set up a juicing/food prep station in what used to be my lab. Unlike the kitchen sink, the sink in the old lab room allows my chair to roll under, so it is easy to use.

I love this time of year, as long as fires don’t strike. Fall is fire season in CA, and we’ve already had serious fires in 2018 even before heading into fall. Hoping we do not have a repeat of last year.

I will post more when I can!

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14 Comments

  1. Dear Laurie,
    Happy autumn to you too! It’s always so nice hearing from you… Thank you for sharing the pictures. I also think there is something special about the light in fall. You can see it 🙂
    I hope your dad gets well soon and there will be no need for surgery.
    I’m sending him and you my warmest wishes.

  2. Sorry to hear about your dad. I hope he has a speedy recovery. Also sorry to hear the sale fell through. If I knew more about what was involved I might consider throwing my hat into the ring. A creative career change would be great because my current job is just awful at the moment.
    I’m jealous of your tomato crop. I didn’t grow any veggies this year. I was too busy focusing on getting the grass regrown where our greyhound destroyed it. Hopefully I’ll have some veggies next summer.
    Happy to hear you’re feeling well too.

    1. Thanks, poodle! Hope your job situation improves. The sale is frustrating because it was my situation that limited our options. I think they would have been good. I still think there are ways to make it work with the right person, but we’ll see.

      Home-grown tomatoes are so much better, such a treat. Good luck with that grass!

  3. So sorry about your father; I wish him a smooth recovery! Thanks for the lovely pictures and for the update 🙂 I’m envious of your tomato crop. My Early Girls all taste a bit mealy this year. Sigh.

    It’s a real shame about the sale of the company. I hope you find a sale that works for you soon!

    1. Thanks for the good wishes, Koyel! My Early Girls did fine in summer but then passed out. The cherries are still going strong. Funny though how one year can be better/worse than the next. The cherries seem more foolproof here.

        1. Oh, I’m sorry to be confusing; I meant cherry tomatoes. I grow them in pots on the porch (big pots) and they do amazingly well. The cherry tomatoes are easier than the larger tomato varieties, at least for me.

  4. I just wanted to thank you, Laurie– first for keeping your fans up-to-date, and second for all the marvellous scents you’ve released into the world over the years. I have largely been a lurker, with a few samples and only one FB of yours (came to the SSS party too late, plus I’m in Canada)… but I am grateful for everything you’ve done and wish you and your family all the very best.

    1. Thank you, Julia! That’s sweet of you! Dad just saw the surgeon yesterday and he is healing, albeit slowly, so he can wait a few more weeks to see if he can avoid surgery. Good news. 🙂

  5. Good news about your dad, and I was glad to hear that your own wrists are improving. Keep on keeping well, good people.

  6. Laurie,

    I’ve been thinking about you lately and it’s so good to see this post! I wish your Dad a whole recovery with no need for surgery. Your deer pics are adorable! I continue to wear your fragrances and now that it’s fall, I’m wearing Winter Woods, so delicious and comforting. I count myself one of the lucky ones who own and enjoy your unique interpretation of scent. Glad you’re doing well. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Sharon

    1. Hi, Sharon! Thanks for stopping by and for the good wishes! Dad continues to heal and is doing physical therapy. He sees the surgeon again next week to see whether things are healing well enough without surgery. We’re having a nice family Thanksgiving today with my brother and his family. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving too! ❤️

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