welcome to 2023
—
“just a reminder that you don’t have to make resolutions, or huge decisions, or big proclamations.
you can just set some sweet intentions and take each day as it comes.”
-victoria erickson
—
vintage illustration: moon and stars tree
it has been one year
since the global pandemic coronavirus began to shut much of our nation down
so much loss and so many sacrifices and lessons learned
everyone waiting for a return to fully living life
with hope on the horizon.
—
“there are 31,536,000 seconds in a year. i am counting down every second.”
-ljupka cvetanova, the new land
aftermath of our afternoon trip down the river – 2020 style
—
what started out as a promising enterprise
full of air and up on top
waylaid by the first set of cascades
day’s lazy dreams dashed against the rocks
so quickly deflated
yet just as suddenly
floated back up
found a way
after all
not as planned
this will always be remembered as the year that was
for so many reasons
that taught us how to make it to the end
safety vests strapped on and fingers crossed
even if we had to body surf our way through it
or borrow a raft now and then.
—
“there is even rhythm in being empty.”
-miyamoto musashi
what a year it’s been
on July 15th of last year
I put my 100+ year old cottage up for sale
through 2 sales – (the first a near miss, the second a hit)
showings, open houses, fixing, cleaning, clearing, minimizing, negotiating
a roller coaster ride
filled with lots of ups and downs
lessons learned
money spent
tears and laughs
fingers crossed
then moving and storing and staying with family
while waiting for the place I wanted to be next
hoping someone would be wiling to sell it
at just the right time
at just the right price
and with all this
somehow
it has fallen into place
here I am
exactly 1 year later
on july 15th once again
and today
I’ll be taking ownership
of the place that is exactly where I want to be
a simplified life begins
in the perfect home for me
happy to make it my own
in the ‘july’ of my life
near family, near the trees, near the water, near the town
what a wonderful difference 1 year can make.
—
“my life, i realize suddenly, is july.
childhood is june, and old age is august,
but here it is, july, and my life, this year, is july inside of july.”
-rick bass
—
photo credit: mark bugnaski – MLive.com
kids from school days long since past
happy that this day was last.
—
“the biggest happiness is when at the end of the year
you feel better than at the beginning. “
-henry david thoreau
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image credit: ann arbor news, ann arbor public library vintage collection
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july 2016 – kenmare, county kerry, ireland
and it is upon us.
welcome it with open antlers.
—-
image credit: edgemagazine.net
I didn't have my glasses on.... 