Today’s “Notes from the Grooming Table” is about the things most people never really see. The trust built slowly with nervous dogs. The difference between speed and care. The tiny details that matter, even when nobody notices them but the groomer. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

Tonight’s piece is about getting older, surviving as a self-employed person, dreaming about harbors and motorcycles and Colorado mountain towns, and wondering whether there’s still time to build a meaningful second half of life. “The Kind of Rich I Think About” is up on Substack.

Today’s Notes from the Grooming Table ended with one of my favorite little pit bulls and a reminder that some appointments become more emotional than practical over time. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

“Luck of the Non-Irish” is a reflection on relationships, loyalty, disappointment, and the strange way certain cycles seem to repeat themselves until you finally stop long enough to recognize them. New essay on Substack - substack.com/@cassiesomas...

There’s a quiet space where things surface before we can explain them. This piece came from that place. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

Every once in a while, someone offers what they think is a favor. Cash. Scheduling. “Making it easier.” It’s always well-intentioned. It just doesn’t always work that way. This is about what actually does. open.substack.com/pub/cassieso...

“I don’t understand.” The truth is—I don’t fully either. I wrote about that. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

A quiet day at the grooming table—nothing dramatic, just small adjustments, patience, and trust building in real time. open.substack.com/pub/cassieso...

Some days start heavier than others. Today’s Notes from the Grooming Table is about showing up anyway—and how small, unexpected moments can shift the entire day. open.substack.com/pub/cassieso...?

Today’s Notes from the Grooming Table is a quiet one. Nothing dramatic—just a series of small moments and the patterns hidden inside them. open.substack.com/pub/cassieso...

Today’s Notes from the Grooming Table ended up being about the difference between persistence and knowing when to step back. #dogsofbluesky substack.com/@cassiesomas...

We provide boutique, time-efficient mobile grooming delivered privately to your door. Our studio operates on quiet shore power with solar assist, creating a calm, environmentally conscious experience for you and your dog.

Sometimes the smallest gestures carry the most meaning. Yesterday was one of those days that reminded me how much this work is about more than just the dogs. I wrote about it this morning. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

before… #embodiedart #figurativephotography #quietwork #slowburn #artpractice

A short piece about the bikes I kept—and why. If you ride, you’ll probably feel this. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

5:15am. Coffee. Quiet. Something shifts when your work is seen. Read: substack.com/@cassiesomas... #DogGroomer #PetStylist #Dogs

still #EmbodiedArt #FemininePresence #SlowBurnArt #LivingAsArt #StudioPractice

I groom dogs for a living—slow, maintenance-based care. I’m also building an embodied art + writing practice. Trying to make something that actually feels sustainable. cassiesomastudio.com #DogGrooming #EmbodiedArt #SlowLiving

Some days don’t follow the rhythm you expect. A quiet reflection on structure, change, and the dogs who stay with you. open.substack.com/pub/cassieso... #NotesFromTheGroomingTable #DogsOfBluesky

The dogs are usually the easy part. Something I was thinking about at the grooming table today— the difference between the dog and everything that comes with the dog. Wrote a little about it this morning 🤍 substack.com/@cassiesomas... #DogGrooming #NotesFromTheGroomingTable

Just being seen without trying to become anything.

There’s a strange silence when your routine disappears. Stranger still how quickly it returns— the sounds, the movement, the structure. Didn’t realize how much it held together until it was gone. Back in it now. substack.com/@cassiesomas... #NotesFromTheGroomingTable #CreativeWork #DailyRhythm

I used to think attraction was immediate. Visual. Obvious. Now it feels quieter. It’s how someone notices things. How they move. What they pay attention to. Intelligence, yes— but more like awareness. Presence. Restraint. That’s what stays with me.

Notes from the grooming table Their energy dropped with hers. It’s hard to explain how clearly animals read a room. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

Notes from the Grooming Table: Bailey reminds me trust is earned. Today’s spring color was soft, subtle, and just right for him. ✨ #DogsOfBluesky

Notes From The Grooming Table The most dangerous part of dog grooming isn’t the clippers—it’s the walk to the door. Uneven ground. A moving weight in your arms. Inside, everything softens into rhythm. Older dogs teach the rest: slow hands, patience. Still… that spark. #dogsofbluesky

Rode my motorcycle to a tattoo shop this morning with a group before their ride. They went riding. I stayed behind and got a tattoo I’ve been thinking about for a long time. Two words: Let Them. #motorcyclelife #tattoo #letThem #womenwhoride #motorcyclecommunity #arizonariders

Apparently my dogs are the world’s most relaxed security system. They’re all completely passed out right now, but if one single thing happens out of the ordinary they’ll wake up and bark like the apocalypse has arrived.🐾🐾 #dogsofbluesky

I usually don’t pay much attention to fuel prices. If there are multiple stations, I just pull into whichever one has the shortest line. Today though… this one definitely caught my attention. Very thankful my mobile grooming studio gets great mileage.

Notes from the grooming table Anyone outside my mobile grooming studio would hear: music drifting through the windows and a calm voice talking through the appointment. “Good girl.” “Let’s check this paw.” “You’re doing great.” Dogs may not understand the words. They understand the calm.

If I were a vampire choosing an age to live forever, it wouldn’t be 21. It would be somewhere in my 30s — when the body is still strong and effortless, and you’re mature enough to be capable of real critical thinking. What age would you choose to stay forever?

Demure is an interesting word. Quiet and reserved are often mistaken for weakness, but sometimes they’re actually a form of strength — the kind that doesn’t need to announce itself. #WordOfTheDay • #Language • #Vocabulary

Slow creative work has a different rhythm. It’s not about chasing attention — it’s about building something that deepens over time. Art, work, embodiment, identity… I don’t really believe these things belong in separate boxes. For me they’re all part of the same life. Slow burn. 🔥

Sometimes there is the animal and the human who loves it. And sometimes there is simply the human and the animal, and we are less certain about the love. A quiet truth from the grooming table. open.substack.com/pub/cassieso...

Notes from the Grooming Table This morning I said, “Rory, where are you? It’s time to get groomed.” This is how I found her. Apparently if you lie very still with your belly in the air, the groomer might not notice you. 😂

Notes from the grooming table: Quiet parallels run between my grooming work, my embodied art, and my writing. Patience. Intention. Trust. Different mediums. Still art. Thankfully, wagging tails are still wonderfully simple.

Notes from the grooming table Dreamy morning at the grooming table. All “pick me” dogs today — no resistance, just love, licks, and cooperation. One insisted on full face-to-face hugs like we weren’t done yet. Being chosen over and over again never gets old. 💛

These posts tend to move quickly here. Some thoughts are meant to linger. For those who prefer something more permanent and slower, I keep a growing archive on Substack. substack.com/@cassiesomas...

Purebred Yorkie. Teddy bear request from a fluffier mix photo. Silk ≠ fluff. Art adjusts. Client happiness wins. That’s the discipline of this craft.

Rory has officially promoted herself to Executive Assistant. She supervises all paperwork, insists on paw-approval for every decision, and takes her job very seriously…especially if snacks are involved. Honestly, I’ve never felt so micromanaged but she does look pretty cute running the office. 🐾📋💕

Nails matching my Vineyard Vines sandals — because I notice the details. 🐳💙

Notes from the grooming table Bath. Blow dry. Shape. Bandanna. They glance at the bandannas when it’s time. Then I lift the camera. Working with bodies teaches you this: Light shifts. Angles shift. Presence matters most. Today’s lesson arrived with a wagging tail.

Just Beautiful. 🥹🥹 #saytheirnames #pinks

Notes from the grooming table: I worked 7 days a week because I love my craft. But love shifts when it becomes constant output. So I moved to 5 days and updated my pricing. Fair exchange isn’t about squeezing anyone — including yourself. When it’s balanced, everything feels lighter.

Notes from the grooming table Mobile grooming doesn’t run on a rigid clock. Dogs don’t operate on schedules. Maintenance creates ease. First visits require margin. In this profession, time isn’t just a number — it’s respect.

❤️

This is Rory 🥰 Yes, she’s a Bichon. And no, the pink isn’t a fresh design — it’s just the ghost of a previous one growing out. Even groomers let things fade naturally sometimes. Still cute. Still iconic. Still my dog.

I’m still learning how to build things slowly in public. It feels vulnerable. It also feels right. How do you decide what’s worth building slowly?

Obama wrote the book on cool! Have a-great Saturday! @rebelb1ue.bsky.social @jules1212.bsky.social @hopeful66.bsky.social @raykwong.bsky.social @thewelshtaffy24.bsky.social @bluestormcomin1.bsky.social @seizeday.bsky.social

I’m still learning. That’s part of it. Slow doesn’t mean unsure. It means deliberate.