IS THERE A ROAD MAP?

Is there a road map?

Coyotes howl in the too near distance as nighttime descends here in the canyon. Busy mind wrestles with the cares of the day even as some small creature is probably losing its last hold on life.

On my mind: Our parents lived to be 90 and 104 so people tend to say things about the long life my siblings and I should expect. But, even without a pandemic, that isn't necessarily so. As I worked on things related to our mother's trust earlier in the day, the fact that my brother had passed not long after mother even though he was just 75 was on my mind. No guarantees.

And so, no guarantees? Then shouldn't we rightly grab onto all of life that we can while we can, living it to what is fullness for each of us? I say yes. Grab onto the mane of that horse called Life and ride for all you are worth.

Sure, there's Covid-19 and I am not advocating tossing your mask, foregoing social distancing, or any other foolhardy actions. But what can you do to live fully within the confines of what is given? Find it. We do not have to live in fear, negativity, and anger. Seek the joy in each day that fulfills you. As that slogan says, "Just do it!" 

Ride with the wind at your back and a smile on your face.

WHY???

Awake at three a.m. I really tried hard to return to sleep, but it just wasn't happening, so here I am at 4-something...

Heeeeey macarena!

Busy brain so I guess I will just put it to work solving things and getting things done around here. There is always plenty to do.

Guess I will start with the pile of laundry and then wait for enough light to head out on a morning walk.

Eager to work on a new art journal I started recently. There are some fun techniques I can hardly wait to try.

So....here I go...HEEEEY MACARENA!

WHY NOT...?

Why not holiday butterflies?

In the midst of working the early shift and dealing with what life brings into play, the holidays just seem to have taken a bit of a "back seat."

When I blithely said to a friend yesterday that maybe I would just have the ingredients on hand for a nice spaghetti dinner for Christmas day, she was aghast. "Wasn't tradition important to me?"

Don't get me wrong, I love traditions and place value on them.  But...when it comes right down to it, what really matters to me is not the tree, not the presents, not the wrapping, the songs, or the holiday baking. What really matters is having those I love near me, not only at this holiday season, but all the time.

So butterflies, spaghetti,...why not?

LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY...AND NOT EVEN IRISH

An angel for today

At play today with myriad projects, I feel so very lucky. Simply to be. Simply to be able. Simply to be able to play at the joyful things that pop into my head on this beautiful, warm, sunny day. 

Maybe it's the change after days and weeks of rain. Perhaps it is that, after months of caregiving, there is light at the end of that tunnel. Likely, it is only the joy of being.

At any rate, on this glorious day, I feel lucky, Irish or not.

JOYS OF GRANDPARENTING

Daughter Kendall

Oh, the joys of parenting and grandparenting!
I know some of you might put a question mark there instead of the exclamation, but I choose to linger on the joys even while knowing there are times when it feels more like struggle.

Today is oldest grandson Christian's 14th birthday and I choose to not only remember the joyful moments, but celebrate him here today.

Star-bellied sneetch Christian

Blue seems his color

Two years ago--some middle school madness?

So here's to Christian--also known as CEMA...and here's to the JOYS to come!

Happy 14th Birthday!!!