the diary key
a prologue to the enchanted “secret garden” of longview cottage, a flower farm in birmingham, alabama
WELCOMEkindred soul
I see you’ve found my hidden key, a key for curious souls to unlock this diary. This is a journal for those who feel drawn to the quiet, unfolding magic of Longview Cottage and wish to step further inside.
This diary is my way of keeping record of the Cottage as it moves through the seasons. Its soft winter hush; its sleepy spring awakening; the summer hum of flower farming and sun; and its golden autumn finale. I write what I see, what I feel, and sometimes what I can only sense at the edge of things. These writings are not meant to instruct, but are an invitation into stillness, color, and the small moments that anchor a life lived close to the land.
If you continue beyond this key, you’ll find The Written Pages of my diary.
Each chapter in The Written Pages is a small window into this life: a record of flowers and light; of quiet mornings and shifting skies. It gives a glimpse into the Cottage’s days. Some are ordinary. Some are not. All are true enough.
You’ll soon meet Sokka, my ever-watchful companion, who claims my lap as his rightful post. He’s the Cottage’s resident charmer – part supervisor, part shadow, part spell – in warm, purring feline form.
And if you venture further still, you may find The Cottage Cupboard.
This is where I keep a curated assortment of bits and bobs that accompany the stories found in these pages. Think of it as a cupboard in an old home where tools, trinkets, and other keepsakes quietly gather over time.
All that waits beyond this key, the pages, the cupboard, the memories held between, belongs to what I call my Curio, a gathering of stories, artifacts, and seasons the Cottage has entrusted to my care.
You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, whether you’re visiting from nearby Homewood or from far away. Read a single chapter, or wander through them all. The garden gate is always open, and the tea is always warm.
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN