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Hey, friends. It’s been a while. I thought I’d share a bit about life, lately.

The mornings here in the mountains have been cool and crisp. The air smells like fall, despite the date on the calendar. I’ve been bundling up in a sweater and having my morning tea on the front porch, watching the trees sway the in breeze, the first light of the day filtering through the leaves, the tips of which are already turning golden & red. It feels like a reward for enduring the hot & sticky days of summer.

I’ve always been someone who loves those small, quiet moments. Lately, though, I’ve come to appreciate them more than ever. They buoy the spirit like little else.

You see, life has been a little (or a lot) rocky for a while now. For myself, and my entire family. The days stretch on, seem to last a little bit longer than they should, tough and draining. The kind that leave you asking for a little gentleness.  I’ve felt tossed about, a little worse for wear. More than any other time in my life, I’ve been holding onto God’s promises, and trying to find beauty in the every day. And you know what? There's so much beauty out there.

I’m not one to share things this personal online (frankly, I’m a little hesitant to press publish on this!), but I felt I should. It’s part apology, in a way, for not being around. This time has left me feeling disconnected from this space, from the kitchen, from photography. I’m hoping to be back here soon, though the focus might shift a bit. I might have mentioned before that my oven is broken and I'm unsure as to when I'll have a working one again. That makes the baking part of h&j a little difficult (although it has forced me to get creative with the slow cooker. Bread baked in the crock pot? Totally possible.). You might see more lifestyle type posts, and whatever I can cook up on the stove top. Until then, you can follow me on instagram, where I update regularly.

This is more than an explanation for absence, though. It's a little note for people who're going through something similar, a "hey, you're not alone!". Whenever I come across someone writing about difficult times, it's such a comfort to know I'm not the only one. I'm hoping it might be the same for some of you.