My mailbox is a disappointment. But my mom isn’t!
Most days, I walk out to the mailbox with a small, irrational hope. Most days, it's a bill, a postcard from a realtor, and a catalog for something I definitely didn’t sign up for.
The exception is my mom. Every so often she sends me an actual letter, in the actual mail, and it makes my whole day. We talk on the phone almost every single day, so a letter isn’t really necessary because by the time I get it (and let’s be real, the post office is SLOW), I know what her days have been filled with, but it’s still the best. I have every single letter that she has sent me saved in a box, and just about once a year I go through them and read them.
Good mail, on purpose
So here's the thought: what if you knew the highlight of your day was coming? Not maybe, not someday when someone remembers your birthday. Every month, on purpose, something good in the mailbox. You won’t know exactly when, and that’s part of the point. I want it to feel like comfort. Like home. Like opening a letter from your best friend.
The local makers who make this place
When I moved to Southern Oregon, it didn't take long to figure out what makes it special. It's the people making things. Meeting the person behind the goat cheese, walking down the road to the farm stand and buying a Sunday morning breakfast treat. I moved from Denver, where every weekend was full of beer festivals and concerts. Here, we go to harvest festivals and farmers markets.
Since then I've met a handful of Rogue Valley makers, and every one of them lights up talking about what they do. That kind of passion deserves a bigger audience than a booth at a market. So each letter will introduce you to someone from right here, what they make, and why they make it.
And if I'm lucky, I'll sneak in a few of my own passion projects too…(moss boxes, anyone?)
Meet Howdy, Neighbor: a Southern Oregon snail mail club
It's called Howdy, Neighbor: letters from Southern Oregon. It's a monthly snail mail subscription featuring local makers, starting in January.
A few things I already know for sure:
Founding members are capped at 50. Those folks get first dibs and an invite to quarterly get-togethers to meet the makers and fellow members.
Canceling will be easy. I hate businesses that make you jump through hoops to leave, so I won't be one.
The pre-sale opens in mid-November, just in time to give it as a holiday gift.
If a guaranteed good day sounds nice, you can save your spot on the pre-sale list OR if you’re a local maker, I’d love to talk to you about being a part of Howdy, Neighbor.
Howdy, neighbor. Talk soon.
