about olive + yew
Are you overwhelmed with stuff, but minimalism seems too cold? olive + yew is a lifestyle blog that provides tips on how to life a life that’s simple and organized but still rich and abundant.
I discuss everything from the best parenting books to easy recipes to organizational tips. Every piece of advice is road-tested. I don’t want to just give you instructions – I want to share with you strategies that work. In every post, I give you a little glimmer of our home life – real life – and how to truly create more out of less.
So why olive + yew? The olive symbolizes peace, glory, and abundance - all things I work for and wish for my family, and all the things I wish for yours, too. Once I found that out, I looked up "yew." Turns out it symbolizes wonder, curiosity, change, and rebirth (that's why you often see yew trees in churchyards). And while I loathe change - well, aside from moving to Europe - it's so necessary. This is a reminder to me that very often, curiosity, change and growth are what's needed to live a life of peace and abundance, and one doesn't come without the other.
I hope that when you come here you find simple but satisfying solutions and ideas, whether a quick weeknight recipe, good book recommendation, or a yummy restaurant to visit in Florence, Italy. We don't do extravagant or over-the-top here. I'm just trying to live a life of simple abundance and pass what I learn along to you.
So why olive + yew? The olive symbolizes peace, glory, and abundance - all things I work for and wish for my family, and all the things I wish for yours, too. Once I found that out, I looked up "yew." Turns out it symbolizes wonder, curiosity, change, and rebirth (that's why you often see yew trees in churchyards). And while I loathe change - well, aside from moving to Europe - it's so necessary. This is a reminder to me that very often, curiosity, change and growth are what's needed to live a life of peace and abundance, and one doesn't come without the other.
I hope that when you come here you find simple but satisfying solutions and ideas, whether a quick weeknight recipe, good book recommendation, or a yummy restaurant to visit in Florence, Italy. We don't do extravagant or over-the-top here. I'm just trying to live a life of simple abundance and pass what I learn along to you.
New here? Start with the blog and catch up on the latest news. Or check out some of our most popular posts:
about Emily
Most of my life has been spent in the Carolinas, but in 2015, my husband, and I had a chance to live in France for six months for his job. Living in a tiny apartment (and having to haul and ship belongings trans-Atlantic!) really hammered home the need for less. The French emphasis on quality over quantity resonated with us deeply as well, particularly where food was concerned. Since returning home to South Carolina, we’ve made it our mission to buy less and do more.
I’ve been married to Brian for four and a half years, and we recently welcomed our first child, our son Graham, this April. His birth has given me renewed encouragement to focus on a simple lifestyle, because we want him to also place emphasis on experiences over material goods.
When I’m not writing or caring for a baby, my favorite things to do are read, eat and drink, and travel – and if I can do them all at the same time, even better!
I love hearing from my readers, so don't be shy about stopping over on the Contact page to say hi!
I love hearing from my readers, so don't be shy about stopping over on the Contact page to say hi!
Desk photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash
Kitchen photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
