Duck, Duck, Goose

July 4, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Thanks to Our Eyes Open for hosting the Bird Weekly challenge and indulging my obsession. This week’s prompt is ducks and geese. The featured mallard found himself ditched.

Painted End

July 3, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Creatively painted front porch for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge and a final photo for Bushboy’s last photo of the month, which also happens to be something painted (by yours truly).

Interesting Signs

July 1, 2020.Reading time less than 1 minute.

(Store signs from Stratford, Ontario for Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Store Front Signs.)

VJ’s Weekly Challenge #102: Pace

June 29, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

“Don’t worry Grandma; I can go at a sloth’s pace!” my granddaughter once reassured me when I confessed that I can’t keep up. So, I’m a sloth. I like to think I’m more of an old tortoise: lumbering but steady. There was a time when I was the hare: fast, but not always winning the […]

VJ’s Weekly Challenge #101: decisions

June 22, 2020.Reading time 3 minutes.

I love our home. It’s the perfect size for the two of us plus our two doggies. We have all the amenities we need. The only thing that is missing, I confide to a friend, is nature. For two years, we lived in our 41′ motor home, traversing North America and discovering many wondrous places. […]

VJ’s Weekly Challenge #100: Pause

June 15, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

The world is a noisy place at the moment, and rightfully so. The bubble of denial has burst when it comes to systemic racism. As people march in protest demanding change, a virus lurks, threatening further losses. And, I haven’t even mentioned the absurdity of political ranting that seems so inappropriately off base right now. […]

What’s In A Name

June 14, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

What’s her name?Simple questionfrom mother to son –recognizing the love-liftedjoy of his countenance. I cannot tell, said he,you’ll ask too many questions.Do I know her?No, Mom, she’s Somali.And Muslim. I felt my whitenessand all its privilegeslap me, stumbled Of course she is welcome,of course it does not matter. Had no sense of the depthof my […]

Unexpected Treasure

June 12, 2020.Reading time 1 minute.

Summer arrives on its own schedule, painting the landscape a luscious green. The heat of the day keeps us tucked in a cool house, but not without restlessness. Ric offers a late afternoon drive and parks near a trail so I can wander in. Tall oaks, beech trees, and maples create a canopy of shade. […]

VJ’s Weekly Challenge #99: privilege

June 8, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

“A store in town has activity books for the kids; can we go?” Now that we’ve expanded our bubble, I’m thinking of ways to entertain the grandchildren. I haven’t set foot in a store for three months. The idea excites me. “Better put on something decent,” I tell Ric laughingly. I pull out a top […]

Heart Full, No Words

June 7, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

“I sleep all night with my eyes closed!” This from our four-year-old granddaughter in response to the question of whether or not she could sleep at our house. We’ve expanded our bubble. It came in response to our oldest daughter’s concerns about her child: “She’s not interested in doing anything, won’t eat, can’t sleep, and […]

Resilience

Boxes are filling up around us. We’re making a dent in our to-do lists. Doubt seeps in. Are we doing the right thing? Then I remember all the reasons behind making this choice and affirm: We are dismantling one life to build another, purposeful existence.

Monday Mood: squirrely

The movers need to be arranged, and the closets sorted and packed, and when was the last time we bought groceries…. Head and attention are going in too many directions at once, and I’m exhausted before I get started. Might be a little cranky too. The stress of moving is real.