✨ Advertise in The Townie ✨
Want your business to be top of mind in Mason County and beyond? The Townie offers powerful ad packages designed to fit your goals and budget.
✉️ Just hit reply to get started.

🪶 Letter from the Editor

There's a particular kind of cold that settles into February mornings out here—not bitter, just honest. The kind that makes you pour your coffee a little slower and watch the steam curl before you step outside.

This week, I've been thinking about what lasts.

Not in a wistful way, but in a practical one. What makes a business stay open when the flashier ones fold? What makes a neighbor keep showing up to the same counter, the same pew, the same stretch of fence line? There's a thread that runs through the Hill Country—through the people who build here, who stay here—and it has less to do with ambition than it does with rhythm. Knowing when to push. Knowing when to rest. Knowing that some seasons are for planting and some are for simply not losing ground.

This edition leans into that thread.

Our featured story, What Makes a Business Last Out Here, explores the quiet math of sustainability—the kind that doesn't show up in headlines but keeps the lights on decade after decade. Our business insights dig into seasonal cash flow and pricing that's built to carry you, not crush you. And Hazel Mae and Fern are out in the garden (where else?) talking about feeding the soil before you ask it for anything—a lesson that applies far beyond the raised beds.

Meanwhile, there's no shortage of reasons to get out this week. The Chamber's kicking off the quarter with a mixer Thursday evening. Sandstone Winery's hosting an art opening. There's a local history talk at the library, live music in the vineyard Saturday, and a scholarship fundraiser dinner that pairs five courses with Mason County wines. If you've been waiting for a sign to show up somewhere, consider this it.

And if you're in the mood for something a little softer, meet Mandy—our Pet of the Week. She's 8 months old, sweet as they come, and ready to find her people.

Here's to the work that stays. The people who stay. And the places worth staying for.

See y'all out there.

— Katie Milton Jordan
Editor, The Townie
📬 [email protected] // 📞 325-475-4991

The Two Insights Your Business Needs Right Now

Running a business in this region has never been simple — but right now, it’s especially easy to misread the signals.

Some things are working better than they look. Other things feel “fine” right up until they aren’t. Based on what we’re seeing across shops, services, ranch-adjacent businesses, and Main Street operations, here are two insights worth sitting with this week.

Insight #1: Seasonal Cash Flow Realism

There's a certain kind of optimism that gets rural business owners in trouble—the kind that looks at a good October and assumes the whole year will follow suit. It's not foolish. It's hopeful. And hope is what keeps Main Street lights on.

But hope doesn't pay the note in February.

Seasonal cash flow isn't a problem to solve—it's a pattern to plan around. The businesses that last out here aren't the ones pretending the slow months won't come. They're the ones who build the slow months into the blueprint from the start.

That might mean holding back 20% of every good month into a buffer account that doesn't get touched until the calendar says so. It might mean renegotiating vendor terms so payments align with revenue cycles, not arbitrary billing dates. It might mean saying no to an expansion that looks good on paper but lands in the wrong quarter.

The real skill isn't generating cash—it's directing it. Knowing when money needs to sit still, when it needs to move, and when it needs to wait.

Seasonal doesn't mean unstable. It means predictable, if you're paying attention.

Insight #2: Pricing for Sustainability, Not Volume

Somewhere along the way, "more customers" became the default answer to every business question. Revenue down? Get more customers. Margins thin? Get more customers. Exhausted? Well... get more customers, then hire help.

But volume is a treadmill. And treadmills don't get you anywhere—they just keep you running.

The businesses that last in small towns aren't usually the busiest ones. They're the ones that figured out how to charge enough to breathe. Enough to take a Tuesday off. Enough to say no to a job that doesn't fit.

Pricing for sustainability means building margin into every transaction—not as profit-hoarding, but as capacity. Capacity to weather a slow month. Capacity to do the work well instead of fast. Capacity to stay in business long enough to become the place people trust.

If your prices require you to be at full capacity just to break even, that's not a pricing strategy. That's a countdown.

Raise your prices or lower your volume. But don't try to outrun the math.

A Small Townie Takeaway

Most of what keeps a business alive out here isn't clever—it's clear. Clear about what the slow months cost. Clear about what the work is worth. Clear about what "enough" actually looks like.

The pressure to grow can drown out the quieter, truer question: Can we keep doing this?

Sustainability isn't a ceiling. It's a floor. And floors are what you stand on when everything else shakes.

This week, may your numbers tell the truth—and may you have the clarity to listen.

Don’t Build Alone. Join the Circle.

The Townie Business Circle isn't just a newsletter; it's your insider pass to the most motivated leaders in Greater Mason Co.

For just $10/MO, you get:

• Immediate access to the archive.

• Exclusive Monthly Business Tips and local marketing support.

• A front-row seat to shaping local prosperity and human flourishing.

• A ticket to our EXCLUSIVE Business Networking Events (Wine, ideas, and real-talk— Feb 24th 4:30-6:30p, location TBD).

[Upgrade and Join The Townie Business Circle Today] $10/MO for your exclusive pass to a more resilient region.

Fresh off the Porch

Events

• [Mason] — Wilson Sharpening Services (Thu, Feb 5, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM, Kneading Faith Sourdough Company) — Wilson Sharpening Services. Bring your kitchen knives, scissors, or tools and get them sharpened while you're grabbing sourdough. Easy errand, big quality-of-life upgrade.

• [Mason] — First Quarter Chamber Mixer (Thu, Feb 5, 4:30–6:00 PM, The Alamo Wedding Venue & Events Center) — Mason County Chamber of Commerce. A relaxed networking evening to catch up with neighbors and meet new faces. Great "show up for one hour" kind of event.

• [Mason] — Making Visible Opening Reception (Thu, Feb 5, 6:00–8:00 PM, Sandstone Winery) — Sandstone Winery. Swing by for an opening reception featuring new work across embroidery, oil painting, and textiles. Wine + art + friendly hellos.

• [Mason] — Reconstructing History: Fort Mason (Thu, Feb 5, 6:00–7:00 PM, Eckert Memorial Library — Stribling Room) — Eckert Memorial Library. A free local-history program on Fort Mason's restoration and reconstruction work. Perfect if you love "how it was built" stories.

• [Mason] — Katemcy Kickoff (Fri, Feb 6, 1:00 PM, Katemcy Rocks) — Katemcy Rocks. Season opener time. If you've been itching to get outside and do something a little adventurous, this is your sign.

• [Mason] — Anaconda at The Odeon Theater (Fri–Mon, Feb 6–9, 7:00–9:00 PM, Odeon Theater) — The Odeon Theater. A four-night run, so you've got options. Make it a casual date night or a "popcorn and nostalgia" hang.

• [Mason] — Music in the Vineyard: Justin McFarland (Sat, Feb 7, 2:00–4:00 PM, vineyard venue) — vineyard host. An easy Saturday: live music, a glass of wine, and that Hill Country exhale.

• [Mason] — Mason County Wineries Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner (Sat, Feb 7, 6:00–9:00 PM) — Mason County Wineries. A five-course dinner paired with Mason County wines, raising scholarship funds for graduating Mason ISD seniors. Come hungry, leave happy.

• [Mason] — Seaquist House First Saturday Tour (Sat, Feb 7, 10:00 AM–1:30 PM, Seaquist House) — Seaquist House Foundation. First Saturday tours run with a 10:00 AM start and a 1:30 PM last tour start. Adults $15; youth pricing available.

• [Mason] — Super Bowl Sunday at Willow Creek Café (Sun, Feb 8, 5:30–11:00 PM, Willow Creek Café) — Willow Creek Café. Food specials + game-day energy without having to host a living-room party. Show up, cheer, eat wings.

• [Mason] — Valentine's Weekend Carriage Rides (Fri–Sat, Feb 13–14, 3:00–10:00 PM, around Mason Square) — Old-school romantic, in the best way. Bundle up, take a lap around the Square, and make it a memory.

• [Mason] — Solo Mio at The Odeon Theater (Fri–Mon, Feb 13–16, 7:00–9:00 PM, Odeon Theater) — The Odeon Theater. Valentine's weekend movie option with multiple nights to choose from. Easy yes.

• [Mason] — Valentine's Surf & Turf & Comedy Night (Sat, Feb 14, 6:00–9:00 PM) — Dinner plus a comedy lineup—perfect if your love language is "laugh at the same thing."

• [Mason] — Free Classic Movie Night (Wed, Feb 18, 7:00–9:00 PM, Odeon Theater) — The Odeon Theater. A free showing of It Happened One Night. Bring a friend who appreciates a classic.

• [Mason] — Lunch & Learn: Basics of Marketing and Branding (Thu, Feb 19, 12:00–1:00 PM) — Mason County Chamber (lunch sponsored by The Commercial Bank). Practical, local, and short enough to fit into a workday. If you've been meaning to tighten up your messaging, start here.

• [Mason] — Rock Hunt (Sat, Feb 21, 8:00 AM–3:00 PM) — An outdoorsy day with the chance of finding something truly cool. Pack water, snacks, and your curious brain.

• [Castell] — Castell General Store Chili Cook-Off (Sat, Feb 21, 12:00–5:00 PM, Castell General Store) — Castell General Store. Bragging rights, hot prizes, and the kind of small-town competitive spirit we all secretly love.

• [Mason] — Apex Adventure Series Season Opener (Fri–Sun, Feb 27–Mar 1, 1:00 PM) — Apex Chassis. A weekend "come out and play" opener with normal rates. If you like dirt, engines, and adventure—this is it.

• [Mason] — Mason County Farmers Market (Sat, Feb 28, 11:00 AM–4:00 PM, N. Spring St.) — Mason County Farmers Market. A market-day stroll with live music and local vendors. Great for stocking up and bumping into people you know.

• [Junction] — Texas Sheep Dog Trials (Thu–Sun, Feb 12–15, Daylight–Dark, Hill Country Fair Association Grounds — FM 2169) — TSDA-sanctioned. Spectator-friendly with bleachers (or bring lawn chairs). It's genuinely amazing watching dogs and handlers work—worth the drive.

• [Menard] — Menard Chamber Annual Banquet (Thu, Mar 5, 6:00 PM, Club Victoria) — Menard County Chamber of Commerce. A true "community living room" night—recognitions, visiting, and celebrating local wins.

• [Fredericksburg] — Ribbon Cutting: Texas Wanderer (Sat, Feb 7, 2:00–3:00 PM) — Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce. If you like being first to see what's new in town, ribbon cuttings are a sweet way to show support.

• [Fredericksburg] — Fun After 5 (Thu, Feb 19, 5:00–7:00 PM, hosted by Halter Ranch) — Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce. A friendly networking happy-hour vibe—come as you are, leave with a few new connections.

• [Mason] — Mason Arts & Wine Festival (Sat, Apr 4, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM) — A spring classic: art, wine, and a full day of browsing + visiting. Pencil it in now.

• [Fredericksburg] — Master Class: AI (Tue, Apr 7, 1:30–5:30 PM) — Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce. A deeper-dive session for anyone wanting practical AI direction for business (not just hype).

• [Mason] — Joint Chamber Mixer (Thu, Apr 9, 5:00–7:00 PM) — Mason County Chamber + Brady/McCulloch County Chamber. A cross-community mixer that's built for real collaboration. Go meet the neighbors-to-the-north.

Community Features

• [Mason] — Take a Tour Day (Seaquist House First Saturday Tours) — A gorgeous Hill Country landmark that's actively being restored for the community, with posted "first Saturday" public tour hours. If you've never been inside, this is your nudge—history, architecture, and a little bit of time travel.

Business/School Highlights

• [Fredericksburg] — The Hive Gets a Ribbon Cutting — "Inspiring Youth, Building Community, Creating Hope." It's always a good week when something opens that's built around kids and community strength.

Awards/Recognitions

• [Fredericksburg] — Forging Futures Education Fund Ribbon Cutting — Celebrating a scholarship year milestone. Scholarship momentum is community momentum—small towns know that better than anyone.

Hill Country Weather

Weekly outlook for Mason County: a mix of cooler mornings and milder afternoons, with periodic precipitation chances. Keep an eye out for any quick-moving fronts that can spike winds and fire danger on dry days.

Rural Policy & Funding Watch

Fredericksburg ISD's new Texas Forest Service office build is a reminder that state capacity (forestry, wildfire coordination, land stewardship) keeps expanding in our region—good news for rural readiness. Also: watch local chambers for spring business trainings and compliance updates tied to state/local rule changes.

Economic & Small Business Intel

Chamber mixers in Mason and the joint Mason–Brady event signal an active Q1 for relationship-based business growth—still the Hill Country's most reliable "marketing channel." Fredericksburg's chamber lineup leans into skills-building (including AI), which is increasingly becoming a small-business differentiator.

Agriculture & Livestock Notes

Outdoor event season is ramping up (markets, festivals, trail events), which usually tracks with land-use realities: wind, dry grass, and quick weather swings. If you're running pasture or doing brush work, plan around fronts and keep an eye on burn conditions—February can be deceptively spicy.

Market Snapshot

Local market days are stacking up from late February into spring—good timing for producers and makers to test new products before peak tourist season. If you sell shelf-stable goods, start prepping now for April foot traffic.

Grant Watch

Seaquist House is actively fundraising with a posted matching-grant effort to support major exterior repairs—if you're looking for a hyperlocal preservation cause, that's a strong one. Also keep an eye on local tourism/chamber channels for spring visitor-program funding and event support opportunities.

Tourism Pulse

Expect a steady uptick in weekend traffic tied to heritage + experience events: Seaquist tours, farmers markets, and festivals are exactly what day-trippers plan around. Junction's Sheep Dog Trials also pulls spectators from well beyond the county line—book early if you're staying overnight.

Editor's note: All listings verified and current for the February 5, 2026 edition of The Townie.

✨ Advertise in The Townie ✨
Want your business to be top of mind in Mason County and beyond? The Townie offers powerful ad packages designed to fit your goals and budget.
✉️ Just hit reply to get started.

What Makes a Business Last Out Here

There's a particular kind of building you notice when you drive the backroads of the Hill Country long enough and look at the landscape.

Not the new ones with the fresh paint and the clever signage. Those are easy to spot. I'm talking about the ones that have been there so long they've started to look like the land itself — the feed stores with faded awnings, the cafes with cracked vinyl booths, the welding shops that have fixed every trailer in the county at least twice.

These places don't look like much in photographs. But if you've lived here long enough, you know what they are: proof that something can last.

I've been thinking a lot about what makes a business survive out here. Not thrive in the Instagram sense — not "scale" or "disrupt" or whatever word the business podcasts are using this month. I mean last. The kind of lasting where your grandfather remembers when it opened, and your kids will remember when you took them there.

It's a different question than what makes a business successful in Austin or Dallas. Out here, the rules are quieter. The margins are thinner. The audience is smaller but fiercer in their loyalty — and longer in their memory.

What I've noticed, after years of watching businesses come and go in towns like Mason and Menard and Brady, is that the ones that last share a few things in common. And none of them are what you'd read in a business book.

They're built for seasons, not just sales.

The Hill Country has rhythms. Deer season brings the hunters. January brings a hush. Summer tourists fill the weekends; winter weekdays echo. A business that lasts out here doesn't fight those rhythms — it learns to breathe with them.

The rancher who sells beef knows there are months when cash is tight and months when it flows. The gift shop owner knows Christmas will carry the spring. The mechanic knows that everyone waits until the last minute before a long haul, and plans accordingly.

Building for seasons means accepting that not every month will look the same — and that's not failure, it's reality. The businesses that chase constant growth often burn out before their fifth anniversary. The ones that plan for the slow times, that save when it's good and hold steady when it's lean, are still here twenty years later.

They know their role in the ecosystem.

Every small town is a web. The feed store owner knows the ranchers. The ranchers know the equipment dealer. The equipment dealer's wife runs the diner where everyone hears the news. Pull one thread, and the whole thing shifts.

The businesses that last understand they're not just selling a product — they're holding a place in the web. When the hardware store stays open late during a cold snap, it's not because the margins are good on space heaters. It's because that's what you do. When the café sends coffee to the volunteer firefighters, they're not thinking about ROI. They're thinking about what neighbors owe each other.

This isn't charity. It's ecosystem thinking. The businesses that treat their town like a customer — not just the individuals who walk through the door — are the ones that become irreplaceable.

They stay boring on purpose.

There's a temptation, especially when things get slow, to chase the new thing. A new product line. A new location. A new brand refresh. Maybe a pivot toward tourists instead of locals.

The businesses that last resist this. Not because they're stubborn or stuck, but because they've learned something important: consistency is its own kind of value.

When you know exactly what you're going to get at the same place you've been going for years, that reliability becomes a form of trust. And trust, out here, is currency. It's what keeps people driving past three other options to get to you.

This doesn't mean never changing. It means changing slowly, and only when the change serves the people you've already built trust with. It means being "boring" in the best sense — steady, predictable, there.

They're owned by someone who stayed.

This one's harder to talk about, because it touches on something tender: the question of who gets to run a business in a small town.

The truth is, many of the businesses that last out here are owned by people with roots. Not because outsiders can't succeed — some do, beautifully — but because lasting requires a kind of patience that's easier when you're not planning your exit. It requires knowing the names of the people who walk in, knowing their parents' names, knowing who they married and which kid played football and what happened to their brother back in '09.

That kind of knowledge doesn't transfer in a sale. It doesn't show up on a balance sheet. But it's part of what makes a business feel like part of the town rather than just a business in the town.

The owners who stayed — or came back — often have a longer view. They're not building something to sell. They're building something to hand down, or at least something they'll be proud to have their name on for the next thirty years.

They let the town change them, too.

Here's the part that doesn't get talked about much: the businesses that last don't just serve the town. They let the town change them.

The cafe that started with one menu now has gluten-free options because three regulars needed them. The hardware store stocks more fencing supplies because the small-acreage folks kept asking. The gym changed its hours because the nurses at the clinic couldn't make the old ones.

This isn't weakness or lack of vision. It's listening. It's the recognition that lasting means evolving — not in the Silicon Valley sense of "disruption," but in the slow, organic sense of a tree growing toward the light.

The businesses that think they know better than their customers rarely survive the first generation. The ones that stay curious, that keep asking what's needed, that adjust without losing themselves — those are the ones you see on the courthouse square for decades.

I think about this a lot because I think about small towns a lot. About what makes them live or fade. About why some places feel like they're holding on and others feel like they're held together.

What I keep coming back to is this: the businesses that last aren't just economic units. They're load-bearing walls in the structure of a community. When they close, something more than a storefront goes dark.

And when they stay — when they weather the slow seasons and the tight years and the temptation to chase something shinier — they become something more than a business. They become a landmark. A gathering place. A reason the town still feels like a town.

That's not something you can scale. But it's something you can build, if you're willing to think in decades instead of quarters.

Out here, that's what lasting looks like.

Dear Hazel Mae & Fern,

Every February I get antsy. The nurseries start putting out transplants, and I want to rush out and plant something—anything—just to feel like I'm doing something productive. But the beds from last year are tired. I skipped fall cleanup, and now the soil looks hard and gray. My neighbor keeps talking about "feeding the soil," but honestly, it feels like busywork when nothing's even growing yet. Is it really worth the effort to prep soil when there's nothing to show for it?

— Impatient in Pontotoc

Hazel Mae says:

Well now, sugar, I understand that itch. February is the cruelest tease—warm enough to dream, cold enough to doubt. But here's the plain truth: you can't plant your way out of tired soil.

That gray, hard look you're seeing? That's soil that gave everything it had last year and got nothing back. It's not dead—it's depleted. And if you shove transplants into it now just to feel productive, you'll spend all spring wondering why nothing's thriving.

Feeding the soil isn't busywork. It's the work that makes all the other work worth doing.

Here's what actually matters right now:

• Compost. Even a thin layer. Work it in gently if the ground's soft enough.

• Check your drainage. February rains will show you where water pools.

• Pull any stubborn weeds before they get ambitious.

• Leave the nursery transplants alone for now. They'll still be there in March.

Your neighbor's right, even if the advice sounds boring. The flashy part of gardening is planting. The lasting part is what you do before anyone can see results.

Patience isn't glamorous, but neither is replanting the same bed three times.

Fern says:

February asks us to trust what we cannot yet see.

The soil is not empty—it is waiting. Beneath that gray surface, whole worlds are stirring: microbes waking, roots remembering, earthworms beginning their quiet tunneling. When you feed the soil now, you are not performing for an audience. You are having a private conversation with the ground itself.

This is the season of invisible work. The kind that doesn't photograph well, that no one congratulates you for, that only reveals itself months later when your tomatoes hold strong through July heat or your zinnias bloom without bolting.

In the garden, as in life, the most important preparations happen before anyone is watching. Feeding tired soil is an act of faith—a promise that what you tend now will return to you, even if you can't yet imagine the shape it will take.

Don't rush toward the visible. Let February be slow. Let the soil receive what it needs. Spring will come whether you're ready or not—but readiness makes all the difference.

Hazel Mae (one last word):

If you've got the itch to do something useful this week, here's your list:

• Spread compost or aged manure—nothing fancy, just fed

• Turn the top few inches if it's not waterlogged

• Walk your beds and notice where soil's compacted

• Resist the nursery aisle. I mean it.

• Write down what you want to plant and when—dreaming counts

The beds will thank you come April. And you'll thank yourself for not panic-planting petunias into concrete.

Groundwork isn't glamorous. But it's what lasts.

Got a question for Hazel Mae & Fern? Send it in. We'll put the kettle on, pull on our boots, and walk it out with you. [email protected]

✨ Advertise in The Townie ✨
Want your business to be top of mind in Mason County and beyond? The Townie offers powerful ad packages designed to fit your goals and budget:
✉️ Hit reply to get started.

🌿 Grounding & Work-Focus Readings — Week of February 5, 2026

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19) You've been running hot lately—ideas sparking, plans half-formed, momentum building like a truck barreling down 87. But this week asks you to pull over. Not to stop, but to check what's actually in the bed before you drive any further. The work that lasts isn't always the work that moves fastest. There's fire in focus, too. Let your restlessness settle into something you can actually build. The stars aren't slowing you down—they're giving you traction.

Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20) This is your kind of week: unhurried, practical, rooted in what you can touch. The sky favors steady hands and patient plans. You don't need a grand vision right now—just the next right thing. Tend to the work already in front of you. Oil the hinges. Sharpen the blade. There's deep satisfaction waiting in the unglamorous middle of a project done well. Trust the pace your bones already know. The soil doesn't rush, and neither should you.

Gemini (May 21 – Jun 20) Your mind's been a hummingbird lately—darting, curious, delightfully distracted. But this week, the universe is handing you a clipboard and asking you to pick a lane. Not forever. Just for now. What would happen if you gave one idea your full attention? Not your scattered attention, but the kind that sits down at the table and stays awhile. You might surprise yourself. Focus isn't a cage, Gemini—it's a magnifying glass. Point it somewhere interesting.

Cancer (Jun 21 – Jul 22) Home has been asking more of you than usual, hasn't it? The emotional labor, the invisible upkeep, the tending no one notices until it stops. This week, turn some of that care toward your work. Not the frantic kind—the nourishing kind. What would it look like to approach your tasks the way you approach a pot of soup: slowly, with attention, trusting the simmer? Your instincts are sharp right now. Let them guide what you build.

Leo (Jul 23 – Aug 22) You've been craving recognition—and honestly, you've earned it. But this week isn't about applause. It's about craftsmanship. The kind of work you do when no one's watching. The kind that holds up in weather. There's a quiet pride waiting for you in the details: the email you rewrite, the estimate you double-check, the thing you finish instead of abandoning. Let your light shine in the unglamorous corners. It still counts. Maybe more.

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sep 22) If anyone understands that good work is built in the margins, it's you. This week amplifies that knowing. You'll find clarity in the small refinements—the process improved, the system tightened, the thing finally labeled correctly. Don't mistake this for boring. This is your superpower operating at full capacity. Others may chase the dramatic. You're building something that won't fall down when the wind picks up. Keep going.

Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 22) You've been weighing options so long the scale's getting tired. This week offers relief—not in certainty, but in action. Choose something. Not because it's perfect, but because standing still has its own cost. The work in front of you doesn't need you to be sure. It just needs you to show up. Balance isn't about staying frozen in the middle; it's about moving gracefully even when the ground shifts. Trust your feet.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) Something's been building beneath the surface—an intensity you haven't named yet. This week invites you to channel it. Not into drama, but into depth. Pour yourself into the work that asks for your whole attention. The kind that doesn't let you hide. You've never been afraid of going deep; now's the time to let that serve you. What you build in this energy will have roots. Let it be something worth tending.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) You've been chasing horizons again—restless for what's next, what's bigger, what's out there. But this week, the adventure is in the ordinary. Can you find meaning in the meeting? Discover something new in the routine? Your optimism doesn't require novelty. Try aiming it at the work you've been avoiding. You might find it's not as dull as you thought. Sometimes the wide-open sky is right above the task list.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19) You don't need anyone to tell you to work hard—that's already baked in. But this week asks you to work wisely. Not more hours, but better ones. Not more effort, but more intention. You've been grinding; now it's time to sharpen. Look at your load and ask: what actually moves things forward? What's just motion? The mountain doesn't reward exhaustion. It rewards strategy. You already know this. Act on it.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18) Your mind is fizzing with ideas—some brilliant, some half-baked, all interesting. This week, the stars ask you to build a bridge between vision and execution. Pick one idea and give it legs. Not the most revolutionary one, necessarily—the most doable one. Innovation means nothing if it never leaves the whiteboard. Your future self will thank you for the prototype, the first draft, the messy beginning. Start somewhere real.

Pisces (Feb 19 – Mar 20) The world feels a little heavy right now, doesn't it? You're absorbing more than you realize—other people's stress, the ambient hum of too much information, the weight of things unsaid. This week, let your work be a refuge. Not an escape, but a container. Something you can pour yourself into that gives shape to the formless. Create, organize, finish something small. The grounding you need is waiting in the doing.

💫 Until next week, may your work feel like tending—steady hands, clear eyes, and roots growing where no one can see.

🐾 Townie Pet of the Week: Meet Mandy!

Some dogs walk into a room like they've got something to prove. Mandy? She walks in like she's already decided you're her person—she's just waiting for you to catch up. At 8 months old, this Black Mouth Cur mix has the kind of gentle, knowing eyes that make you want to tell her your whole life story over coffee. She's sweet-natured, loving, and comes with all her vet work done—ready to settle into a family who appreciates a dog with both heart and smarts. Black Mouth Curs are known as versatile working dogs, but Mandy seems equally content to work on perfecting the art of the afternoon nap beside you.

Did we nail it? Drop a 🐾 if you see the resemblance!

💌 SHARE THE LOVE

Small businesses like yours don’t survive on hopes and wishes — and neither do we.

If you enjoyed this edition of The Townie, hit the button below and share it with a friend, your neighbor, or that one cousin who’s always “thinking about moving out here.”

It costs nothing to click “Share,” tell a friend, or hit reply and tell us what you think — the good, the bad, or the “y’all missed a comma.”

Every click, comment, and forward helps keep this modern-day front porch going. We appreciate the heck out of you.