Pull Up a Chair

London mornings feel different.

The light moves across old book spines, painted ceilings, walls of yarn, and rows of pigments that look like they belong on an artist’s palette. Bread is stacked proudly behind glass. Umbrellas drift overhead. Mosaic tiles tell their stories piece by piece. Even the markets feel thoughtfully arranged. This city doesn’t whisper its creativity. It shows it.

We’ve been here teaching a course to UT Knoxville honors students focused on Human Centered Leadership and Design, and I can’t imagine a better city to be inspired by. Everywhere we turn, there’s intention — in how people move about their day and how things are layered, displayed, and shared.

And after taking in all that texture, detail, and city noise, I find myself longing for my wide Tennessee skies and the quiet hum of crickets.

That contrast is part of the lesson.

The city sharpens my eye. It stretches how I see. It reminds me to be braver with color, more intentional in presentation, and more thoughtful in design.

Inspiration is everywhere — but what matters most is what you carry home. Inspiration that stays in the camera roll fades. Inspiration that reshapes how I plant, cook, gather, and design my days — that’s the part worth keeping.

With love,
Lane + Jules

From the Farm Kitchen

Sourdough Discard Scones (With or Without Discard)

One of the best treats I’ve discovered here in London is the simple scone — tender, lightly sweet, a little buttery, and perfect with tea. Scones feel like the crossroads of a Southern biscuit and a bakery cake.

The best part? You can use sourdough discard if you have it — but you absolutely do not have to. These scones are wonderful plain, with a glaze, with jam and butter, or just a sprinkle of sugar on top.

Out in the Garden

London Window Boxes as Teachers

Even in one of the world's busiest cities, flowers insist on softness.

London window boxes are layered and generous. Upright geraniums. Trailing ivy. Repetition of color. Herbs tucked between blooms. They soften iron, stone, and centuries-old architecture.

They’ve reminded me that you don’t need acreage for beauty, you just need intention!

Here are a few takeaways:

• Layer your heights — something tall, something full, something trailing.
• Repeat a dominant color to make it feel cohesive rather than chaotic.
• Tuck in herbs like rosemary or thyme for fragrance and usefulness.
• Let something spill over the edge — perfection is overrated.

Even small spaces can feel abundant when thoughtfully planted.

Curated Corner

A Victorian Compass & A Chicago Chain

This year’s London memento came together in two parts.

Our first weekend here, I found a small late-1800s Victorian compass fob at Portobello Road Market from our friend Robin. It’s old. The face is beautifully worn. And somehow, after more than a century, it still works. Completely intact. That alone feels special.

I loved it immediately, but I didn’t have the right chain for it.

Then at Old Spitalfields Market, I spotted one that stood out — strong, sculptural, distinctly Arts and Crafts in feel. When I turned it over, I saw the maker: KALO, a Chicago Arts and Crafts jewelry house from the early 1900s.

Late 1800s Victorian compass.
Early 1900s American Arts & Crafts chain.
Both found right here in London.

When I clipped them together, it just came alive.

Not flashy. Not trendy. Just solid craftsmanship layered across time. And yes — proof that you can still find a deal in London if you’re patient and paying attention.

Designing a Flourishing Life

Designing a flourishing life isn’t about chasing something new every season. It’s about paying attention to what is shaping you.

London doesn’t just inspire me — it challenges me.

• The window boxes remind me that beauty can be layered into tight spaces.
• The bakeries remind me that presentation matters.
• The tea culture reminds me that slowing down is a choice.

I don’t want to simply admire those things. I want to apply them. So here’s the question I’ve been asking myself: What am I learning — and where will I use it?

Not what am I buying? Not what am I posting? What am I actually learning?

Your turn. Where do you want to grow this season?
What are you willing to practice, not just appreciate?

Pick one small, concrete move this week:

• Plant something — even if it’s just herbs on a windowsill.
• Bake something that requires patience.
• Walk your own town like a visitor.
• Read something that stretches you.
• Have one deeper conversation.

A flourishing life isn’t built on inspiration alone. It’s built when curiosity turns into action.

Tuck it in Your Pocket

Have a question you'd love me to answer? A project you're proud of? Something inspiring you've seen? I’d love to hear it—and it might just show up in a future newsletter.

We’re building something beautiful here, together. Now that's BombDiggity!

Here’s to simple joys and big dreams,

​​​​​

360 Bethlehem Lane, La Follette, TN 37766
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​