06/18/2026
As I sit here with my coffee, looking down the hill at my little bake stand, reflecting on the year since I started this adventure, I realize how much this bake stand has given me.
It's so much more than a cute little side hustle.
After surviving meningitis, there was a time when I could barely walk. Some people questioned my decision to start a bake stand, but in my heart I knew it was the right thing to do.
A year ago, I was ordering supplies online because I couldn't walk from the truck to the store. I baked sitting on a rolling stool in my kitchen. My family helped with dishes, cleanup, and carrying everything down to the stand. On the first day my daughter came and sat with me the whole day for support, watching quietly in the background, cheering me on..
Slowly, things began to change.
I started shopping in person. I started doing more for myself.
When I first opened, I couldn't even lift my roadside signs. Fred helped me every step of the way. It's probably a good thing my following was tiny because I could only bake for a few hours before I needed to rest.
But I kept going.
And slowly, almost without noticing, things got easier.
Today, I can spend days baking. I can walk through multiple stores hunting for the best deals on ingredients. A few weeks ago, I grabbed one of my roadside signs, carried it out to the sidewalk, and put it up myself without even thinking about it.
(Fred still helps, but now it's because we enjoy spending time together, not because I can't do it on my own.)
My original goal was simple: get stronger for my granddaughter.
Because of this little bake stand, I can now walk the big hill to pick her up from school. On a good day, I can even take her to the park.
So while the bake stand has helped bring in a little extra income, what it has really given me is something far more valuable.
It gave me my life back.
And as an added bonus, it brought me the sweetest customers a baker could ask for.
Thank you for being part of the journey. ❤️
