Salut! I’m Carrie, and it is so nice to swirl a glass with you.
Life has taken a few twists, turns, and got a little corked. But it is what you make it. So, I made it fun, fabulous and a true grand cru.
A few years back I started a wonderful new job in organizational development, bought a beautiful house with an amazing yard, planned a much-too-much wedding…then turned around and planned to leave my dream job for my husband’s out-of-state job, sell the house, and pack up to move across the country. It was a bit much, and it took a toll. My health spiraled and I was in a world of hurt. My skin was inflamed and, little did I know, my insides were worse. I say, essentially, my inner voice was scratching her way out because I was not listening. And, wow, is she a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Healing, not only my guts, but my spirit and my soul, has been a long, crisscross road with lots of growth opportunities and a few bitch slaps. Western med was encouraging, but point-blank told me they could only deal with the symptoms. That was not acceptable. I dug into alternative choices to find the root cause and understand what was going on with my body. I wanted to heal, not just band-aid things.
That’s when I got carried away.
My body was so sensitive to, it seemed, everything; I had to change who I was. I researched functional medicine and met with amazing practitioners. I cleaned up my eating and learned the importance of and how to read labels. I tried Rolfing, Reiki, acupuncture, meditation, therapy, EMDR, saunas, nutritional IVs, hot springs, yoga, and a revamped exercise routine. My body had changed, and my mind needed to follow.
Moving to a new state meant starting over, so that’s what I did. I pursued the wonderful world of wine. What an absolutely fascinating subject: geography, geology, climate, tradition, culture, terroir, alchemy, history…and on and on. I was hooked. Currently, I am undertaking WSET Level 4 Diploma and am swirlin’ in a lot of grapey gratification.
My love for flowers and gardening goes back as far as I can remember. Starting in the Midwest planting celosia and marigolds using my plastic Barbie trowel with my mom, to understanding xeric landscaping around large critters such as elk and mountain lions out west. There are a lot of commonalities I found while getting my Master Gardener’s certification in a new western state and my WSET Level 3 wine certification.
I have journeyed the globe, sipped breathtaking wines, nibbled diverse dishes, and been engulfed in amazing flowers and gardens from around the world. Sharing a bottle and engaging conversation with some really fine people along the way.
Not only were these great adventures tied into what I was personally dealing with but what I was putting in and on myself and my surroundings had/have a huge impact. Wine, food, and flowers can have some interesting things added to them that aren’t the most appealing…. but their beauty and wonder are beyond words. Wine elevates the dinner and pops the celebration. Food dazzles the palate and tantalizes its territory. Flowers zhuzh up the ambiance and dance blithely anywhere they make their acquaintance. Exploring these has been an alluring, grounding escapade.
Crack open the vintage bottle of wine and let it gush into your glass. Dabble in a new adventure that will make your heart flip. Plant the most voluminous dahlias and then pick ’em for your heirloom vase. Relish every single morsel of the ooey, gooey decadent chocolate cake. Listen to, read, and watch things that makes your spirit smile. Breathe in the ambiance you want to create. Let your imagination soar and dazzle in it all now.
You have one grand, audacious life ~ get carried away!