letters from the wilderness
I'm doing a no-spend month for April. Since I jumped in at the last minute, I'm quickly pulling together my list of things to do for this challenge. I'll be popping in with periodic updates as we move through the month. Identify need-to-buy purchases My daughter's prom tickets, dress, and up-do—While the prom tickets and... Continue Reading →
On June 1st my sister-in-law and I began our summer soul camp, a challenge/reset/something. She had done a workshop through North Ridge Farm a few years ago called "Summer Soul Camp." Feeling like she needed a reset, a time of shutting the garden gate to reconnect with family, home, and self, my sister-in-law proposed we... Continue Reading →
As I've mentioned recently, I'm struggling with how my blood pressure medicine affects my food choices. I've put on 10 lbs since I started the medicine last August though it feels like a 50/50 split between muscle mass and fluff thanks to my strength training. All I know is that I feel the fluff and... Continue Reading →
Last weekend, we took our second son back to college for the spring semester. While we were in Pennsylvania, we visited our oldest son who is in an accelerated program in graduate school in Bethlehem. We ate lunch and spent time walking around Bethlehem and doing a driving tour of campus. It was hard to... Continue Reading →
When I choose the title for this post, I thought I would write about the community that came around us after we lost John almost 3 years ago. Something sparked that thought this morning, though it feels like such a long time ago now at 3:30 pm. Perhaps I was thinking of our experiences of... Continue Reading →
It’s hard to believe this sweet lab with his appetite for socks, pillows, rugs, bedspreads, underwear and my pants entered our lives a year ago today. He’s a serious guy next to our Bernese Mountain Dog. He just looks at you while Tobey’s next him with his tongue hanging out and a big doggie smile... Continue Reading →
As I spent time figuring out what kind of environment I needed in order to create a new home for myself and my family in Virginia, I decided to revisit an old tool, the Annual Review. Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, Forest, VA 2015 was the last time I did the Annual Review, a concept I... Continue Reading →
A few trees still have their leaves today. The brilliant red of the Japanese maple outside my kitchen window never fails to catch my eye when I'm in the kitchen area of our house. Today is a Thanksgiving Day I could not have imagined or anticipated. March 5, 2020 will always be the day that... Continue Reading →
Welcome to my new tradition for my children - the Christmas box. Two of my sons are away at college and grad school. It will be the second year they aren't with us during Advent. I decided to send them some Christmas cheer to have in their rooms until they're home with us at Christmastime.... Continue Reading →
2 dogs and a house 