Adunate Word & Design

15th Anniversary

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade!

This, my first day back to work in the New Year, is always one of my favorites. I’ve got a new calendar all ready to go, the sun is shining, and I’m absolutely full of anticipation.

Don’t get me wrong, I had a wonderful holiday season. Here’s a quick recap.

For the Memory Bank

  • My husband and I always take vacation from Christmas to New Years. This year the holidays fell in such a way that we added a couple days on either side, making for a glorious two full weeks.
  • When politics threatened to invade my holidays, I deemed them Facebook-free. With the exception of tending my social media client’s weekly post, I truly enjoyed staying clear of the chaos.
  • The food! Need I say more?
  • We relished precious time with friends and family. From intimate, small get-togethers to raucous, large gatherings, we banked a load of fun memories.
  • I read for pleasure! Including three books; The Dutch House, The Last Romantics, and She Said.
  • The weather, oh, my goodness. We may have had snow for Halloween, but we had mid-50s for Christmas. Unseasonable, yes. Nice, oh, yes! One day I hiked through Lapham Peak State Park and even the monotones were beautiful (goodness, there are still leaves on some of the trees!).

Our holidays finalized the decade in such a blessed way. And now, I’m ready to move on to 2020. Life is an adventure, is it not?!

Anticipating 2020

  • Fifteen years! I can hardly believe it. I’m anticipating an interesting pipeline for 2020.
  • Looking for a 90-day Flourishing challenge? It doesn’t start until Jaunary 13, so you’ve got a week to get ready. Check it out here (the video comes out on Tuesday—well worth the wait).
  • I’m starting the year with two website projects; Hymns in My Heart and The Real Estate Duo. Very different projects, both very meaningful.
  • Snow! As comfortable as 50 degrees in January is, I’m a winter outdoor enthusiast. My snowshoes await, so bring on the white stuff!
  • The Practical Farmers of Iowa Conference is in two weeks! I’m honored to be presenting “Marketing Your Uniqueness.”
  • Resolutions? Well, you know how those go. Nonetheless, I’m hoping to continue reading more books and less Facebook.
  • I’m learning something new: Video. It’s about time, right? I’ve specialized on words and design, but sometimes you have to step out of your box. Especially when clients are asking!
  • Last, and certainly most exciting…Today, yes, TODAY, I’m awaiting a new grandbaby! Needless to say, anticipation abounds. Please, please, please, take a minute for a prayer!

Happy 2020 everyone! May it be blessed!

Looking Back at 2019

Isn’t this a cool tractor? It’s a 1939 Ford 9N, packing in 80 years of all-purpose, workhorse reliability. These days its main jobs are moving our chicken coops in summer and hauling wood in winter. With a bit of patience on the startup, this ol’ boy has as much get-up-and-go as the day its treads first hit the soil.

On that mark, we’re coming up on the winter solstice and I’m in full reflection mode of this past year. I smile to think how this vintage tractor was part of our family’s big year of zeroes. My husband and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in February. We then celebrated our 60th birthdays and our daughter’s 40th. On top of that, we’ve got a new grandbaby coming who will laud either the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. Yes, it’s been a monumental year and, no, none of us have aged at all (an obvious wink comes with that last part).

This year has been meaningful for Adunate as well. Here are a few highlights.

Workshop Presentations (aka Personal Growth)

I was proud to present workshops at the MOSES Organic Conference and the Women in Sustainable Ag Conference (WISA). Public speaking was a leap outside my comfort zone but I found it a compelling way to connect with the most interesting people. I love working with small, family farmers as they brand and market their businesses.

Meaningful Clients

In my 14 years of business, I’ve been blessed with wonderful clients doing exceptionally meaningful things. These are people who I not only work with in multitude of capacities but with whom I share great friendships. This year I was proud to add The Cider Farm and The Farmory to my list. I’ve also got upcoming projects for two very amazing clients and I can’t wait to showcase them.

An Upcoming Anniversary

Finally, as this decade comes to a close, I’m excited for 2020. It’s another big anniversary—15 years for Adunate! I’d be remiss without saying how much I appreciate everyone; from clients, to colleagues, to mentors. Thanks for being the Ford 9Ns in my world and letting me be the same in yours!

Happy Winter Solstice and God’s blessings to all!