@ The National Arboretum

After four full days in the new flat, I've decided to dub our new home Cox Quarters.  This place has been occupied by a steady stream of testosterone-charged young men for the last five years and the scuffed walls, layers of kitchen grime and utilitarian decor are all in serious need of a tasteful touch.

As I've been thinking about my plans for the flat, my mind keeps going back to the National Bansai and Penjing Museum at the National Arboretum in DC.  Ever since visiting a couple weeks ago, I've been obsessed with the chlorophyll rich greens, the teak wood, and subtle greys and browns of the bonsai trees.  The bonsai exhibit was breathtaking (I love that the trees are described as being "in training") and the crisp colors made me feel clean, serene and refreshed.  I'm thinking some grey-white paint, teak furniture and manicured houseplants are definitely in my future.

As much as I'm drawn to the beauty of bonsai, I'm also fascinated by the art and philosophy of bonsai.  How lovely that some of these trees have been in training for hundreds and hundreds of years and have been cared for by just as many people.  Just as a bonsai artist must know when to trim and edit a tree's growth pattern, so must a small business owner know when to trim and edit their business growth (and an artist their craft).   As much as you try, you oftentimes can't plan exactly how your business will grow and change over time, but you can adapt to make sure your growth is properly tended to.  Bonsai business- how lovely! 

And just to update everyone- Le Chat safely arrived in the UK on Friday.  She's acclimated wonderfully to the new space, though she is quite afraid of the step-sons who are approximately 2,000 times her size and 100 times louder.  Let's just say she and I are having a lot of quiet time together in the bedroom, with the door closed.   xox