Susan's Soaps & More

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is focus on something outside of whatever is worrying or stressing you. Sketching is a simple, calming ritual that helps you slow down, shift your focus, and step outside your thoughts for just a little while. 🤍

Sometimes, remembering how small we are in the grand scheme of things can be surprisingly comforting. 🤍 We’re here, doing the best we can, trying to live meaningful lives—and maybe that's enough. Take a moment to look around, breathe deeply, and let yourself feel grounded in the bigger picture.

**What if the quiet you’re looking for is right here? 🌿**

At 69, I began a journey to visit all **88 Texas State Parks**—not to rush through a checklist, but to slow down, spend time in nature, sketch what I notice, and discover what each place might have to teach me.

Along the way, I found that the most meaningful moments weren’t always the grand ones. Sometimes they were the quiet moments—the little things I might have missed if I hadn’t slowed down enough to notice.

Those experiences became my book, ***Right Here, All Along: Finding Quiet Moments in Texas State Parks.*** 💚

It’s a collection of my sketches, reflections, park stories, and the lessons I’ve discovered along this journey.

📖 **My eBook is now available on Amazon.**

If you’ve been looking for a little more nature, reflection, and quiet in your everyday life, I hope you’ll come along on the journey with me.

**Read my book on Amazon — link in bio.**

Some moments in nature are so quiet, you begin to notice the smallest things. The birds in the distance, insects moving through the air, and tiny ripples across the water’s surface. Sometimes, slowing down enough to simply listen is all the reset we need.

📖🌿 It’s here!

Right Here, All Along is a gentle invitation to slow down, step outside, and notice the beauty that’s been around you all along.

And now you have two ways to enjoy it:
📖 The Book — Right Here, All Along
👜 The Book + Tote — add the beautiful Leaf & Ink Press tote to carry your book wherever your adventures take you.
✨ Or choose the Bundle:
📖 Book + 👜 Tote + 🧼 Soap + 🧼 Soap Dish

A thoughtful gift for anyone who loves nature, mindful moments, slow living, and a little everyday self-care. 🌿💚

Which would you choose—the Book + Tote or the Bundle?

You never really know what to expect when you visit a new park—and maybe that’s part of the beauty of it. Almost every visit brings something different: a new experience, an unexpected moment, and sometimes, a deeper feeling of calm. All you have to do is show up and see what you discover. 🤍

A wide-open lake. A quiet river. Birds in the trees. A gentle ripple on the water—and in some places, stillness so deep you can hear insects touching the surface. 🤍

Sometimes, the most beautiful places aren't made of just one thing. It's the different sounds, spaces, and little moments coming together that make the experience unforgettable. Take a moment today to listen a little closer. 🌿

You never really know what to expect when you visit a new park—and maybe that's part of the beauty of it. Almost every visit brings something different: a new experience, an unexpected moment, and sometimes, a deeper feeling of calm. All you have to do is show up and see what you discover. 🤍

What did I take away from Mission Tejas State Park? 🌿

More than anything, I think it was a feeling of connection.

Walking where others have walked for generations, learning about the history of El Camino Real, and standing near a place connected to so many lives from the past reminded me how small our individual moment in time really is.

And strangely, I find that comforting. 💚

We do our best. We live our lives. We try to be good to one another. And somehow, we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves.

Every park has something to share—if we slow down long enough to listen. 🌲✨

Sometimes, all you need is a quiet place, a sketchbook, and a little time to simply notice. 🌿✏️

At Mission Tejas State Park, I found this little bench overlooking a peaceful pond and decided to stop and sketch.

The birds were singing, the water was still, and for a little while, there was nowhere else I needed to be.

Sketching has a way of helping me slow down and notice the details I might otherwise walk right past. 💚

Here’s my finished sketch of this peaceful little pond. What do you think?