Grow Your Own Way

In the tarot the Tower is an ominous structure on fire, looming in the distance, usually greeted with groans when it emerges in a reading. It is a message about the necessary end of something. If you can overcome the fear to strike the match or if you can embrace the fire, you will be gifted explosive growth. The message comes with reassurance that you can always rebuild, brick by brick.

A little over a year ago, we set up an appointment to view what would become Thistle's Summit. We did it on a whim— as much as two earth signs can ever do something on a whim. We had been joking about what it would look like to live "the bed & breakfast lifestyle."

We both had successful jobs and a great community in Des Moines and even though most days it felt a little stagnate and tight for our ambitions, we didn't really think we were going to leave.

Blowing down a country road en route with the windows open, the Talking Heads' This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) came on. We wrote off the sign from the universe until we walked into Thistle's Summit. It was irrefutable. We were called to do this. This scary, exhilarating zygote of an idea had been planted and there was no turning back. The hand of fate pushed us towards the unknown.

This journey has not been without growing pains, self-doubt and frustrations. And literal pains. Our bodies hurt in places we didn't know existed from ripping up floors, building stairs, tiling and stripping and painting nearly every surface. We never want to see a heat gun ever again. Almost a year to the date of purchasing 812 Summit Avenue SW, we are ready to open. It feels just as scary and exhilarating as that Tower card, though we now know a little more about construction, building ourselves up, brick by brick. 

Home is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there. 

We know you will think so, too.