Creating Community | Lessons on Opening Our Home and Thinking Beyond Ourselves

Episode 4: Creating Community – A Conversation on Opening Our Home and How Experience Shaped the Creation of a Special CommunityIn this fourth episode of Things I Learned From My Mother, I’m once again joined by my mom, Dee Bowyer for a heartfelt conversation about what it means to create community.This episode centers around the legacy of the seasonal craft shows my mother hosted for decades, events that were not just about handmade goods, but about building a home-based business rooted in people, the environment, and shared experience. We reflect on how these gatherings, often timed with the start of the holiday season (especially the week leading up to Thanksgiving), became annual rituals for so many in our Ohio hometown. Hundreds would come through our doors over the years, not only to support local artisans and small businesses, but to feel part of something meaningful, warm, and connected. I wish I could bring you there now. We also explore how those early memories shaped the work I do now through Arcadian Revival, creating a sense of place, belonging, and intentional living here in Saratoga Springs, New York. From porch gatherings to pop up shops and workshops and the stories we share through this very podcast, community remains a cornerstone of everything we build.This episode is a reflection on how giving to community nourishes not only others but ourselves. It’s a story about humble beginnings, handmade treasures, and the significance of connection. We hope you’ll listen in as we trace the roots of what “creating community” has meant across generations, and how it continues to grow.Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts, and remember to subscribe so you won’t miss what’s next.