Harvest time

The high tin ceilings, freshly painted and white, magnify the sheer height of the historic storefront space. Stacks of near-Tiffany-blue boxes fill tables engulfed by massive flower arrangements. On the walls, framed prints of elephants hang across from crisp photos of artwork-perfect cookies. Bustling from front counter to back room, Queen City Cookies founder Peggy Shannon pats her burgeoning bouffant and smiles.

It's her first day as a Findlay Market shopkeeper, and Peggy surrounds herself with cookies and to-die-for, blue-boxed schnecken. On the counter, a wire rack holds colorful, ornate and inspirational business cards, inscribed with quotes from philosopher and poet Rumi. The one I choose reads:

"When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy."

A few blocks away, still in Over-the-Rhine, that river of joy carries me to another smiling entrepreneur. Christine Scheadler cuts and measures each of her Be Happy Bars with care. She's been making the granola-like snacks for years, to rave reviews from family and friends. I am one of the latter, a lucky friend who met Christine in seventh grade. We traveled to Europe together post-college, counseled each other through relationships and job moves, and now embark on new paths that, though they may seem risky, tap into those inner spaces of joy.

As she preps a batch of Be Happy Bars to sell at Coffee Emporium, I think of the courage it takes to trust in that river, to let it take you into uncharted territory. It's exciting; it's scary; and it's the kind of spirit and energy we feature in each issue of Soapbox.

So it makes sense that Soapbox turns to the theme of harvest this month. Why? Because harvest depends on hard work and the aforementioned trust. I see that trust manifested in the stories of so many of our neighbors, whether they follow lifelong passions or jump headfirst into business ventures that spark their imaginations.

There's no better time to join Soapbox online, and visit us in person at our video boxtruck at Midpoint Music Festival. Find some way to add your story to our mix. Email me to tell me about someone we should write about. Share with us on Facebook. Tweet us about it.

And think of the power of all those rivers of joy moving us into the rich harvest of our region's future.

All photos by Scott Beseler.

Photos from top: Peggy Shannon behind the counter of her new Queen City Cookies shop on Elder Street in Findlay Market. Queen City Cookies' shop features an atmosphere Shannon likens to a mini-art gallery, where the art is made to be savored by the eyes and the taste buds.