in a time when so much joy is obstructed by a failing economy and dwindling finances and now swine flu(!@#$!)... we fail to realize there are still blessings in the world. being here, i do feel somewhat removed or sheltered from life's harsher realities because my immediate surroundings demand my attention so often every day. it is sort of like being in a bubble of beauty...and if i could somehow capture it and share it with all of you, i would! i now know that the bay area holds no monopoly on beauty.
i truly believe spending time somewhere beautiful changes our perspective, fills us with hope and renews our spirit. with spring FULLY sprung, flowers, trees, bees, birds, frogs, bunnies and all growing things, are bountiful. nature in springtime is unstoppable! the gardens here on bob's property are bursting, the trees all blooming and the hills green and lush. it relaxes me, bringing balance to any fears or anxieties that might crop up. i hope you will find some quiet time to spend in nature and that it fills you with peace during these uncertain times.
with only 2 months left, we treasure every moment fiercely. borrowing my sister-in-law's motorcycle (thank you thierrie!), and donned in our new helmets, we now tour a new area every day, viewing country life as we cruise along. the history of this area is felt deeply in every rickety paint-peeled barn, built hundreds of years ago, the well-kept farmhouses that dot the area, and the crisp, tidy, colonial charm of the architecture. large stone churches and arches, mossy rock walls demarkating property lines and perimeters, rolling hills undulating toward the mountains. and every so often, we run into horses, cows, sheep, llama and buffalo. (well, not literally run into)
reminders of my childhood are everywhere. being on the east coast is like walking down memory lane: the bright yellow forsythia that lined the yard of my childhood home, the so red cardinals, lightening and thunderstorms, warm nights, jimmies on black raspberry ice cream..oh the list goes on and on! meeting up with some friends from high school and college reminded me of who i was when i was young. parts of myself that i had long ago forgotten. these visits have been priceless and a reminder of all the growing pains i had while still learning who i was. i had a youth full of experimentation and boundary-pushing. somehow, gratefully, my parents still talk to me!
family life is great. time with my sister michele has been so wonderful-when she left for college in 1976, i was 9 years old. since then it's only been sporatic visits, until now. it has been really rewarding spending time together as adults. and soooo much fun getting to know her husband eiran, and their sons adam, lior and matan-they are super cool, i adore them. i love how unique each of them are. we all convene weekly for family dinners at kimball farms with the folks. my mom is managing her sanity and her ailing memory. this woman's spirit still bright and sense of humor keen in every moment. always an inspiration to me. my dad is doing fair, losing weight but tries to power through the day best he can. naps are frequent. he is enjoying our visits. i see such a bond of trust that has developed between him and casey, it is a gift to see their relationship flourish. yesterday, we took my dad to the bowling alley. he is having a hard time walking, so he sat and coached us. his magic words led to more pins falling, more so with casey, than with me, but at least we both scored over 100. not quite the 185 average my dad had in his day! it was nice to have him experience the sights, smells and sounds of a place he so loved so dearly in his life.
we recently spent a week in nyc, visiting old friends, seeing musuems, chilling in central park with the coopman, seeing some shows (fun!) and eating yummy food and even a day at the jersey shore. staying at my friend fenners in hoboken, we returned each night exhausted and full of city life! it feels like the city is bursting at the seams with people, lights, action. and the pace beyond fast. have i gone soft, or what?! just walking down the street made me feel like i was on speed! well...maybe i'm not quite the urban girl i used to be. after an incredible time visiting with dear old friends, some i hadn't seen since the 80's!, we were ready to return to the country. and so, here we are reaping the rewards for having survived the winter...as a local friend said, we've earned this profusion of new life. the sunshine, the birdsongs. so for those moments when we get swept up by the intricacies of living in today's world...i invite you to make time for a walk in the sun, a moment in the sand or even, sitting mindfully with a healthy meal. where is the beauty in your world...where do you look for reminders of what is positive and thriving and alive?
hope to hear from you soon...wishing you all well!
with gratitude, jen
with only 2 months left, we treasure every moment fiercely. borrowing my sister-in-law's motorcycle (thank you thierrie!), and donned in our new helmets, we now tour a new area every day, viewing country life as we cruise along. the history of this area is felt deeply in every rickety paint-peeled barn, built hundreds of years ago, the well-kept farmhouses that dot the area, and the crisp, tidy, colonial charm of the architecture. large stone churches and arches, mossy rock walls demarkating property lines and perimeters, rolling hills undulating toward the mountains. and every so often, we run into horses, cows, sheep, llama and buffalo. (well, not literally run into)
reminders of my childhood are everywhere. being on the east coast is like walking down memory lane: the bright yellow forsythia that lined the yard of my childhood home, the so red cardinals, lightening and thunderstorms, warm nights, jimmies on black raspberry ice cream..oh the list goes on and on! meeting up with some friends from high school and college reminded me of who i was when i was young. parts of myself that i had long ago forgotten. these visits have been priceless and a reminder of all the growing pains i had while still learning who i was. i had a youth full of experimentation and boundary-pushing. somehow, gratefully, my parents still talk to me!
family life is great. time with my sister michele has been so wonderful-when she left for college in 1976, i was 9 years old. since then it's only been sporatic visits, until now. it has been really rewarding spending time together as adults. and soooo much fun getting to know her husband eiran, and their sons adam, lior and matan-they are super cool, i adore them. i love how unique each of them are. we all convene weekly for family dinners at kimball farms with the folks. my mom is managing her sanity and her ailing memory. this woman's spirit still bright and sense of humor keen in every moment. always an inspiration to me. my dad is doing fair, losing weight but tries to power through the day best he can. naps are frequent. he is enjoying our visits. i see such a bond of trust that has developed between him and casey, it is a gift to see their relationship flourish. yesterday, we took my dad to the bowling alley. he is having a hard time walking, so he sat and coached us. his magic words led to more pins falling, more so with casey, than with me, but at least we both scored over 100. not quite the 185 average my dad had in his day! it was nice to have him experience the sights, smells and sounds of a place he so loved so dearly in his life.
we recently spent a week in nyc, visiting old friends, seeing musuems, chilling in central park with the coopman, seeing some shows (fun!) and eating yummy food and even a day at the jersey shore. staying at my friend fenners in hoboken, we returned each night exhausted and full of city life! it feels like the city is bursting at the seams with people, lights, action. and the pace beyond fast. have i gone soft, or what?! just walking down the street made me feel like i was on speed! well...maybe i'm not quite the urban girl i used to be. after an incredible time visiting with dear old friends, some i hadn't seen since the 80's!, we were ready to return to the country. and so, here we are reaping the rewards for having survived the winter...as a local friend said, we've earned this profusion of new life. the sunshine, the birdsongs. so for those moments when we get swept up by the intricacies of living in today's world...i invite you to make time for a walk in the sun, a moment in the sand or even, sitting mindfully with a healthy meal. where is the beauty in your world...where do you look for reminders of what is positive and thriving and alive?
hope to hear from you soon...wishing you all well!
with gratitude, jen
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