I feel deeply
good and bad
I am so tenderhearted that my body has physical aches
…as fellow human beings are treated as less than.
I also feel joy deeply.
The late September days have been rainy and chilly.
So grateful the have the wildfire no longer be a threat.
As I write, it is the first day of autumn.
It was very satisfying making the first fire of the season this morning.
Husband was in the shower.
The dogs were fed and outside.
I was cozy and quiet sitting in the dawn’s soft light – being grateful
and praying for healing for our country / world.
My practical husband comes into the room saying, “I thought I heard a fire.
That means the disengaging the attic fan. Taking the screens off the windows.
Cutting, splitting and bringing up firewood.”
I cannot get a grip on the days passing so quickly.
More than ever I feel the need to spend my time wisely.
My husband and I and Bliss and Faith, generally get up about 6AM.
I do my back PT. We take Bliss and Faith on our first of 5 daily walks on our nature trail; if we don’t go up into the mountains.
Our happy 20-month- border collies Bliss (blonde) and Faith
We walk a lot.
Everyday.
We keep each other going!
It’s very satisfying for me
to take photographs all day long;
in this postcard pretty place we get to call home.
Walking as much as we do, allows for many opportunities
to take unusually great pictures.
My newspaper column from last week
Writing is my work. Creative nonfiction writing
is a large part of how I spend most of my days.
My writing and photography are married.
Generally, my pictures accompany my writing.
It is most satisfying when a reader tells me
how my writing made them feel.
A summer person made a point of finding me
and telling me that my column meant a lot to her;
because sunflowers were her deceased son’s favorite flower.
Recently I sent a poem to a university contest
and submitted 2 essays to the Writer’s Digest contest.
I will look for literary magazines for some of my other poems and essays.
An agent / publisher has shown interest in my picture book: MAGICAL MOUNTAIN SEASONS.
It feels great throughout the day to get up from writing and go on a family walk.
I believe in science.
Bruce and I received our covid and flu vaccines a few weeks ago.
Science is like gravity.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in it.
It’s real anyway.
We mask on planes.
The air is recycled on planes
and people carry germs.
The only time we caught covid
was when the government let the insurance companies
get the vaccines to the people and it took forever for that to happen.
We couldn’t get our covid vaccines
before we left for Greece in 2023
and we caught covid.
We take avoiding covid seriously.
I know someone who died from covid .
I have known people who suffer from lingering covid effects.
It was disappointing to have the technician doing my mammogram
tell me how she would never have the covid vaccine.
She must cherry pick her scientific beliefs.
***I was so relieved that Bruce and I were able to get our covid vaccines
and well in advance of our upcoming international flight.
My husband bought me these beautiful yellow roses
because he saw them and knows how I like yellow roses.
It’s fun to have something different to eat.
We get Hello Fresh every other week.
We each pick a meal and Bruce cooks it!
So generally, every other Thursday and Friday
we enjoy something different to eat for dinner.
It’s like eating out at home – which we would rather do.
I appreciate the opportunity for the volunteer work I do.
I am grateful to give of my time to help others.
I am blessed beyond what I could have ever imagined
and feel the need to give back.
We raised our kids that way
and I am proud that they carry on with giving back
in their community, church, children’s schools, etc.…
Thank you, God, for the beauty of nature we get to live in.
The full moon was amazing – God’s spotlight!
Tell me how you find joy in your life
“Walks in nature are hugs for my soul.” Julie A R Stephens
julie@handsbestrong.com