How beautiful is the rain!
After the dust and heat,
In the broad and fiery street,
In the narrow lane,
How beautiful is the rain!How it clatters along the roofs,
Like the tramp of hoofs
How it gushes and struggles out
From the throat of the overflowing spout!
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Rain in Summer”
We’re transitioning from a rainy summer, punctuated by Hurricane Florence, into a rainy autumn. That’s life here along the Virginia coast. It would be easy to say to Fiona, “We can’t today, it’s raining.” or “Look how wet it is out there!” but we try our hardest not to. Because those little words we say, they sink in and inform her worldview. And I want her to be the kind of person to dance in the rain, not hide from it!
Someday, this will translate into tackling projects that look difficult, messy, or unapproachable. It will mean embracing the struggle in a college course or looking on the bright side of a career challenge. These are the values we want to instill in her. And it starts right here, on a rainy day.
This fall, we’re prepared for the rainy weather with our Jan&Jul waterproof, fleece-lined raincoat (in Rockies pattern) and natural rubber rain boots.
Interested in stocking up on rainy day gear? Use code ourbarefoothomestead1019 for 10% off and free shipping on eligible items from twinklebelle.com. You’ll be ready to face the next rainy day in your family’s life!
The coat is not only waterproof, it’s also windproof, soil repellent, breathable, plus PVC & fluorine free. The hood is especially designed to stay put, while a sturdy brim keeps rain at bay. The wrists are elastic, keeping any errant wetness out. And there are even reflective stripes for safety. We grabbed a size slightly large and the quality is such that I’m sure it will last multiple seasons and likely multiple kids. The boots are non-skid and easy enough Fiona can put them on herself (a HUGE plus as we’re constantly coming and going from the outdoors).
On top of all that, by purchasing Jan&Jul, you are supporting a small, woman-owned business out of Vancouver, BC. AND this business provides fair wages and sustainable income for women in China! Here’s a little more about the mother/daughter team behind Jan&Jul and Twinklebelle:
Life was hard for my family and everyone else. So I decided to study
Engineering to help my family. I left China in 1991 on a scholarship to
further my study at the Univ. of Minnesota. Later I worked for UC Santa
Barbara and other places as engineer or researcher. I am probably not a
bad engineer since there are two patents with my name on them.
I kept my hobby of knitting and sewing even while I was pursuing my
engineer career. It all came back to me when my first daughter was born.
I made many things including cloth diaper covers as there were almost
none available then. The first grow-with-me hat was conceived when all
her hats became too small too quickly. However, I only started making
hats as a business much later when we moved to Vancouver. I switched
from full-time working to teaching part-time at UBC so that I could have
more time with my two girls. So this is how Twinklebelle got started.
Now Twinklebelle is my full-time job and my elder daughter, Michelle,
also works for Twinklebelle as my social media and rep manager.
Since the beginning of Twinklebelle I have tried to empower other women
as best I could. It is very important to me that our products are made
with high ethical standards. The most important work I have done has
been for the women in my hometown in China, where most of our sewing is
done. I’m proud to be able to provide fair wages and a sustainable and
independent income to these women, most of whom are mamas too! They also
have flexible working hours so they can spend time taking care of their
kids. As Twinklebelle grows we have been able to provide more jobs and
upgrade the workspace to a much more spacious building.
I received these products complimentary from Jan&Jul, all opinions are 100% my own.
