Phebe Phillips

"Simplicity of Life Allows Freedom"

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
    • Sign up for our newsletter

Leaving the City for Nature

By Phebe Phillips 13 Comments

Our 2021 Move to Nature

“It’s time to leave the city.” I never thought I would write or say these words, but here they are. We’re headed East, into the Deep Piney Woods of East Texas. As I’ve always said, “I’m from the Upper East Side. Oh, no silly—not New York, Texas!“

Last year we bought acres to build on, but with the supply chain in a mess, we were advised to wait to build, so we bought an existing home about a mile away in the same area. We will revisit building when things settle down.

The city has become too chaotic, busy, dense.

I worked with a Huna Shaman at the beginning of this century. In an interesting twist she told me in 2002, “A time will come when you will leave the city. It will become too dark. Your light cannot live in darkness. My advice, when that time arrives, is to not live directly on an ocean, but do live in nature with a close body of water.” And the time is here!

When we build, we will name the home, Murder Mittens Ridge.

Murder Mittens is cat-speak for cats with claws. Their paws are called Murder Mittens.

We live with six cats. So, for now, this home will be Murder Mittens Cottage.

A Photo Collage of the House and Yard

Collage photos of leaving the city for nature

A Christmas Story on The Literary Catcast Podcast

This is the first chapter reading of Cleveland Amory’s 1977 rescue of a stray cat from a NYC alley on Christmas Eve. It’s from his famous book, The Cat Who Came for Christmas. If you don’t have time to listen to the whole chapter, at least listen to the opening introduction about Cleveland and how his ashes were distributed.

The link above is to Amazon. There are several versions of this book, so shop around.

For more stories visit your favorite podcast platform, or the homepage of The Literary Catcast. The Literary Catcast Podcast is dedicated to the preservation of vintage books and writings with cats as main characters, bringing their awareness into the modern form of a podcast.

May 2022 help you find where you need to be.

Me and Mac today
…and here we are today. One of my favorite photos taken in 2018 by Felt Artist, Dawn Edwards at Living Felt in Austin.

Comments

  1. Stephannie Mower says

    December 21, 2021 at 6:48 pm

    Phebe ,
    Sooo great .
    Let me know if you are ready for raccoon baby rescue and release training .
    🎄
    Stephannie Mower

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      April 17, 2022 at 3:29 pm

      Always…always…always. ~P

      Reply
  2. Peter Gebhardt says

    December 21, 2021 at 8:40 pm

    💕So happy for you Phebe & Mac & your 6 kittens! We understand the pull definitely..We love where you’ve landed.
    🙏 Aurin & I got flooded out of our townhome on Routh St. in February,
    & so we’ve been living ever since on McKinney Ave. in the Sawyer Flats, kitty korner from West Village.
    🌷We’ll probably get home to a brand new townhome in February! All in divine order. Happy Winter Solstice guys!
    🧚‍♀️ We are proud of you, that you followed your hearts. It’s time for all of us now, to do the same, to create the world we want to live in.👍🎄💜🎄💜🤩💕🙏🥰🌈🦋🌷🧚‍♀️ Ta Ta 4 now😅

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      April 17, 2022 at 3:29 pm

      Oh dear, Peter,

      I hope everything works out. It is time to follow our hearts. The city has come to mean nothing to us.

      Love, Love, ~P

      Reply
  3. Debbie Ohara says

    December 24, 2021 at 8:58 am

    I know you love east texas! Merry Christmas to you and mac!

    Reply
  4. Lauren Parish says

    December 24, 2021 at 12:24 pm

    What a journey. So thankful to have you and Mac close by. You and your murder mitten babies will thrive in your new environment.

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      April 17, 2022 at 3:28 pm

      Hi Laurie,

      I know we will thrive…and so looking forward to new adventures.

      Love, love, ~P

      Reply
  5. Sharon c. Broaddus says

    January 1, 2022 at 8:25 pm

    Glad to be able to keep up with you. ~Sharon Broaddus

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      April 16, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      Hi Sharon,

      I feel like we know each other…almost pen pals. We certainly have come to know each other’s pets.

      Love, love, to you and George. ~Phebe

      Reply
  6. Linda Kay Dean says

    January 2, 2022 at 9:38 am

    What a delight you truly are Phebe❤️

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      April 16, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      Oh Linda Kay,

      Thank you so much. You have shared many opportunities with me. I love you and appreciate you.

      With friendship,
      Phebe

      Reply
  7. Kathy Ethridge says

    April 17, 2022 at 12:25 pm

    Hi Phoebe! Your name came up Easter Morning. My cousin in CT. Sent me a picture of a bunny you created and signed in 1990 at a show. I gifted it to her son when it was a little boy. She is a designer so he was properly displayed for Easter! Her husband sent the picture to the grown son in Miami Easter morning and he exclaimed “My Bunny”! My cousin the designer loves bunnies and has a very whimsical side. She had a childrens pajama line called Skivvydoodles for years. I will follow you on Twitter and Instagram. Thanks for all the wonderful creations! Kathy Ethridge.

    Reply
    • Phebe Phillips says

      April 17, 2022 at 3:27 pm

      Hi Kathy,

      Wow…your message makes my Easter! Thank you so much for reaching out. I love the special connections my business created.

      With friendship,
      Phebe

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Phebe Phillips, 2021, Podcaster, Cat Lover, Poet, Storyteller

Phebe Phillips is best known for whimsical plush toys that filled the shelves of Neiman Marcus, FAO, and many fine retailers for 25-years. Today, she creates The Literary Catcast Podcast—dedicated to the preservation of vintage books and writings with cats as main characters, bringing them into the modern awareness of a podcast. She writes poetry and short essays for publication in journals. She has two upcoming books, Sleeping With Louie—a daughter’s soul journey as an only child of a mother with Borderline Personality Disorder, who was also an only child, and Upper East Side of The Pines—growing up in East Texas during the sweetness of the 1960s. She is married to Mac. They live with six cats! For now, they live in Dallas, Texas until they move deep into the East Texas piney woods in 2022.

What Can I Help You Find

Stay in touch with Phebe, and never miss a blog post

The Literary CatCast Podcast
Why Me Book Cover

Copyright © 2023