Wilder Side

if you’ve been around for a while, you probably already know this about me…..

although i love many things about where i live, part of me has always craved the wilder side…. the place where i can be close to nature all the time. 

 

 

 not sure where this comes from – i seem to be the only one in my family with this obsession.  but it goes back to childhood and is, no doubt, with me for life. 

so when we travel, it tends to be a move in that direction.  i’m not a city girl.  you can have your lights and noise and excitement.  parties, shows and congestion.  

 

 give me the wide open spaces.  the forest floor.  the lapping water or raging river.   the towering peaks.  the sun on my back.  a camera and a notebook…  i’m a happy girl. 

 looking forward to the wild places we will encounter in the next few weeks.  i will be out of touch for a bit…. but i will be back! 

Creative Direction

i’ve been struggling a bit with creative direction…. it happens.  my creativity and photography classes are finished for the time being – i have nothing else scheduled and i need a little time to figure out what is going to be next.  

 i love teaching…. i know that it is in my blood.  i have no problem devoting massive amounts of time and energy to prepping and planning.  it does not feel like work to me!  but unless i can figure out a way to at least break even on my ventures…. well, i’m not sure it will continue to happen. 

My last class

i like the idea of staying local.  i really prefer face-to-face encounters – hands on, live conversations, real-time exchanges.  so i have resisted the suggestion to take my classes online.  not only do i lack the technical skills, i also lack (at this time) the enthusiasm to make that happen. 

but that could change.  it’s definitely a journey and i am open to possibility!  i also have a bunch of ideas for a fall retreat..... we'll see..... 

from bald eagles.....

to hummingbirds

next week we will be heading out on the road for a few weeks to (again!) the coast of oregon.  hopefully the time away will give me a dose of inspiration and maybe even a clear direction for the future.

in the meantime, i hope you enjoy these pics from green valley lake and the surrounding area!

Life is a Mystery

lots of folks think they know all the answers…. but despite the huge burst of information and knowledge of the last century, and all the conjecture and speculation, the details of where we came from, why we’re here and where we’re going remain pretty much as big a mystery as ever.....

and that’s perfectly ok with me…

 because i don’t believe life would be nearly as interesting if we knew all the answers. i like a good mystery, don't you?

(pics taken last week at green valley lake on our little anniversary mini-vaca)

Time Sure Does Fly!!

i’m not one to get into a lot of personal stuff on my blog if it doesn’t have to do with art or creativity, so i don’t often write about my marriage.  but 35 years is a pretty long time…so i thought maybe i would make an exception.

1977 visiting relatives at Tahoe

 when stu and i got together in the 70’s, things were pretty laid back.  i really had no agenda or list of what i wanted in a guy.  i just went with the flow and had a good time.  i dated a lot of guys and had a series of semi-serious relationships, none of which stuck, for one reason or another. 

1978 with my first special ed. class in Ramona

 so when we met (at a bar in san diego) i was open to a relationship, but not necessarily looking to settle down.  from the git-go, we felt very comfortable together.  we enjoyed spending time together.  it all sounds kinda simple, but friends, that’s the thing that has lasted.  after all these years, we still do!

1982 - gettting my master's degree

1987

 yes, there have been some tough times.  i was the primary breadwinner and there were years when he wasn’t working or wasn’t working much.  it took its toll.  he’s a total jock.  i’m more into art and poetry.  compromises needed  to be made.

Early 90's - can you believe these hair styles??

1997

2000 or so

 but we share strong interests in travel, hiking and cocker spaniels. we enjoy the same basic (simple) life-style and are on the same page spiritually.  we appreciate and encourage each other (most of the time!) and still like hanging out together.

we’ve bought/built and sold 12 homes, traveled to 39 states as well as mexico, canada, the carribean and spain, hiked thousands of miles, owned 5 motorhomes and the same number of cocker spaniels. we have piles of memories and stories to tell and are continuing to make new ones!

we both feel so lucky and blessed to have had these years together!!  we don’t ever take it for granted and enjoy every single day.

Last Friday