Part One: A hundred miles of highway, stunning spring sunshine, and a great find.
A Spring Morning Road Trip
It was a clear spring day, with sunlight slanting just enough to catch my eye and warm my skin. The brightness of the sun lit something in me. It lifted my mood and gave me a spark of energy.
I hit the road, solo in my truck, with the skylight open to the fresh spring air and the streaming sunbeams. I was headed a hundred miles of blacktop and a couple dozen small towns away to a tucked-away treasure trove of vintage, collectibles, and odds and ends.
The Vintage Table With A Bulge
I’d come for a coffee table that I won at auction. This table was fashioned as a bombe-style trunk, complete with leather straps and handles, and an ornately carved base with animal paw feet – deeply rich with patina and character. When I first laid eyes on it, I found it was much larger than I had imagined. Thankfully, when I backed up to the loading dock behind the shop, the proprietor and his team were quick to muscle it into the back of my truck. I felt fortunate to have their help, and for this beautiful find.
A Sweet Detour
My mom had mentioned to me that she would like to visit all the bakeries in the state. I thought, “Wow! That’s ambitious!” Still, we’d visited a couple bakeries together already.
This is why I planned to make a second stop on my drive that day. I couldn’t resist stopping into the small town bakery on my own. With the table now safely stowed in the back of my truck, I made my way across the railroad tracks.
The inside of the bakery was retro and heavy with the smell of sugar. I bought treats for my mom including a caramel roll, rosettes, and their “famous” peanut butter bar. For me? Iced donuts! They boxed everything up at the counter. I grabbed some napkins and returned to my truck to make the trip home.
What I Didn't Know Yet
The day had already given me everything I needed—a treasure for the atelier, bakery goods for my mom, and… that high that only comes from good light, good sugar, and a sense of purpose.
I didn’t know it yet, but this wasn’t just a road trip. In my soul, it was the quiet spark of a new venture to feed my creative and entrepreneurial spirit.
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