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The Ozark Soul Journal September – Week Four Sometimes the Best Finds Aren’t Things Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. This has been one of those weeks that leaves me feeling grateful when I stop long enough to think about it. Country Bathworks is officially underway for a wonderful fall vendor season, and the soap room has been busy getting everything ready. There are boxes to pac

The Ozark Soul Journal September – Week Three Coming Home to Community Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. This past week has been a busy one, but it’s been the kind of busy that leaves you smiling when you finally sit down at the end of the day. Last weekend found me at the Old Time Farm Festival in Cabool, Missouri. After spending so much of the hot part of the summer traveling fo

The Ozark Soul Journal September – Week Two There’s Always Time for Family Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. This week has been a pleasant one despite the heat… very hot, actually. The temperatures may be telling us that summer isn’t quite ready to let go, but around here, my mind has already moved on to fall. I arrived home Tuesday after another three-day pet transport route, and

The Ozark Soul Journal September – Week One It’s Still Progress Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. This week didn’t bring anything particularly extraordinary. And yet, when I look back over it, I realize there was a lot of life tucked into the ordinary moments. I finished up another short pet transport route and pulled back into Missouri early Monday morning. By 9:00, I was home. A

The Ozark Soul Journal August – Week Five Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. Sometimes life has a way of putting a thought in your head when you least expect it. This past week, I was finishing up the last pet transport route for the season and heading back west toward Missouri. Somewhere between Knoxville and Nashville, during a pitstop, I had the urge to check Facebook. That’s wh

August – Week Four A Little Kindness Along the Way Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. This week found me back out on the road again, making another pet transport run. Thankfully, the weather cooperated beautifully. Every destination along the way gave me pleasant weather, which is always something to be grateful for when you’re spending so many hours behind the wheel. When you trav

The Ozark Soul Journal August – Week Three Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. Well, this week has been one of those weeks where I’m not entirely sure where the days went. I made it home safely from my last pet transport route on Thursday, and by the time I walked through the door, I already had a long list of things waiting for me. Thankfully, all the supplies I had ordered while I

The Ozark Soul Journal August – Week Two Welcome Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. This week finds me somewhere out on the highway. As I write this, I’m traveling with another pet transport route, watching the miles roll by and thinking about home. One of the unexpected blessings of transporting puppies over the years has been seeing so much of our beautiful country. Every state seems to h

The Ozark Soul Journal August – Week One The Seasons Begin Long Before the Leaves Change Welcome. Pull up a chair for a little while. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for one more neighbor. While many folks are soaking up these last weeks of summer, life around our place has already begun shifting toward autumn. Earlier this month, our family gathered for our annual vacation on beautiful Norfork Lake. It’s become one of those traditions we all lo

Spring 2026 The Season That Started It All Welcome. Sit down for a bit. The coffee’s warm, the porch is quiet, and there’s always room for another neighbor. ⸻ When I was growing up, I never thought about making memories. I just lived in the moment. People would pass by and wave, just to be friendly. If a fence was down or a car was stranded, there was always someone willing to help. Folks exchanged garden harvest; local ladies would bring pies or cakes just for fellow

There’s something satisfying about a hard day’s work. Whether you’ve spent the afternoon tending a garden, mowing the yard, working on the farm, casting a fishing line, or simply trying to keep up with the kids during summer break, one thing is certain… By the end of the day, you’re ready for a shower. There’s something almost magical about washing away the sweat, dust, sunscreen, and long hours spent in the summer sun. It’s a chance to slow down, cool off, and reset before t

It’s Never Too Early to Think About Christmas

Why Country Bathworks Chose Oat Milk/No Milk Soap: Supporting the Alpha-Gal Community One of the things I enjoy most about attending vendor events is meeting fellow small business owners. There’s something special about seeing local makers share their talents, whether they’re crafting candles, woodworking, baking, sewing, or creating handmade bath products. Whenever possible, I encourage people to shop local and support the small businesses in their own communities. Local bus

Even though summer is just getting started, I have a confession to make… I’ve already started thinking about fall. It’s one of the perks of being a soap maker. While most people are enjoying sunshine, backyard pool’s and cookouts, I’m already brainstorming autumn scents, holiday collections, and vendor events that seem far away but will be here before I know it. One of my favorite parts of preparing for a new season is hearing from customers about the fragrances they look for

Have you ever flipped over a soap label and wondered what all those ingredients actually do? The truth is, every ingredient serves a purpose. When combined correctly, they create a balanced bar that cleanses, moisturizes, and produces a satisfying lather. Let’s take a closer look. Oils and Butters The oils used in soap are what give each bar its unique qualities. Different oils contribute different benefits. Some oils create fluffy lather. Others add conditioning properties o

Every small business begins with a dream, and Country Bathworks is no exception. What started as a career change from pet transport to curiosity about handcrafted bath products, quickly grew into something much larger—a passion for creating everyday products that bring a little handmade comfort into daily life. Living in rural Missouri has taught me to appreciate simple things. The changing seasons, the beauty of nature, and the importance of community needs all inspire the p

Have you ever picked up a bar of handmade soap and wondered what makes it so different from the bars lining grocery store shelves? It’s a question I hear often, and the answer goes beyond beautiful swirls, unique scents, and handcrafted designs. The difference begins with the ingredients and the process itself.