letters from the wilderness
Grief breaks through the carefully crafted facade. It seeps through the cracks. Like lava. Loss. Loss. Loss. You were in the middle. Alive. Whole. Vibrant with being. Loved. Today, a black hole. Because everything does inexorably move towards you. You were there. And then not. Being. Absence. And, we all have to pick up the... Continue Reading →
One of my fitness goals for 2023 is to repeat the trail half marathon race I did last spring. I have no expectation of improving my time. I'll be happy to simply train well and finish well. But, I chose the race to give myself something to work towards. My plan was to start the... Continue Reading →
With the holidays over, I've been getting back into the frugality swing of things full-time. As I mentioned previously, Greg and I are challenging ourselves to eat out of the pantry and freezer as much as possible this month. When we moved over a year ago, we brought along food items that we should have... Continue Reading →
No knead bread is my go-to bread. I make it every other day. My husband and I eat every morning with our coffee before everyone else gets up. I think I first learned about the bread from Mark Bittman. It’s an easy bread to make, and requires little hands-on time. I keep mine in the... Continue Reading →
My husband and I are challenging ourselves to eat from the pantry as much as possible during January. Quiche is a great way for me to use up the bits and bobs in the fridge while staying low-carb. Basically, I use 6 eggs and 1/2 cup of heavy cream whisked together and go from there.... Continue Reading →
Grief, a companion I name them all. Fear, anger, love, shame, guilt, grief, and love. Yet grief remains in front, a walking, running, screaming hole of fullness. Deep sorrow. Sorrow so deep the words barely touch the loss, the hole. On this first day of the new year, I cry. The first act, emotion, thought... Continue Reading →
I decided to do a year in pictures, not knowing what I'd find on my phone. I was pleasantly surprised to see how many places we went to in Virginia, in addition to my second son's graduation. Here they are starting with December and ending with January. Mount Rogers, Summit, VA Christmas Day Sharp Top,... 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 →
Welcome to our revamped gym! We have a few items to finish however I like the new layout. The power rack used to be where the pink mats were. In its new spot, two people can use the rack and we can leave the dip bar in place. I also have a new trainer, Winston,... Continue Reading →
We hiked to the highest point in Virginia today, Mount Rogers. We did about 8.5 miles in total. As the highest natural point in VA, the summit is 5,729 feet above sea level. The wild ponies found in the area have been there since the 1940’s.
2 dogs and a house 