February 28, 2015

In The Winter

Sander's Beach, Bahamas
I realize that my intention as I grow older is to have as much fun as I can. Many times this means being alone unfortunately. I guess this is good however for growing old as I like to putter around the house by myself especially. Perhaps my love of aloneness is partly supported by the fact that I can still choose at this point in my life when to be sociable...

On the plane back from the Bahamas I read an article about Julianne Moore. She is one actress whom I really respect and feel a kindred spirit towards. Not just as an actress, or in the way she is choosing to age in Hollywood, but as a person in general. She said that what is most important to her in life are "people and relationships and language and feelings."

BINGO! Me too. Perhaps this rings true with you as well.

She went on to say that, " What you need in life is love and work. My mother used to say this to me all the time. Those are two really important things. And I don't mean work has to to be paid or love has to be a romantic relationship, but if you have people to love and stuff that you want to do, you're usually in pretty good shape."

It's similar to what my Dad use to say-

That it's important to have someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to.

Especially during such a long, FREAKING cold winter such as this one.

GRRR!

It's interesting how comfortable 15 degrees can grow to feel when it's been -15.

Stay warm chickies,

it's only 20 more days till spring :-)

February 23, 2015

Forty Photos in 40 Years




We were down in the Bahamas this week for a few days. Trying to escape the 4+ feet of snow in our yard and the below zero temperatures. However, we arrived to a land having strange weather all its own. The first day it poured. The second day, a wind storm rolled in but luckily the sun shone brightly. The third day it was cloudy and the coldest day the islanders had seen in seven years (62 degrees). It was so cold for them that they ended bus service early that night because they knew that no one would be going out!

It was nice to get away however and cut the engine on regular life and just drift.

It was also nice not to wear my hiking boots for the first time since the holidays...

I've been meaning to post this photo project that my sister sent me of four sisters who were photographed together, every year, for forty years. Perhaps you've seen it but in case you haven't here is a link in the NYTimes to all forty pictures of them together.

It's so interesting to see people morph physically. Both visually, as well as the energy that they radiate.

Morph...don't think that's quite the right word but you probably know what I mean.

As author Susan Minot notes, what is interesting is how the four sister's body language changes with one another as the years move along.

It's indicative of how much more grateful we are for loved ones as we grow older.

You  might want to turn your speaker down (or off) as I think the music is kind of haunting unfortunately. I enjoyed the video more without it.

XO


February 13, 2015

If Kisses Were Snowflakes

Click to enlarge


Welcome to my favorite day.

What could be better than love

and chocolate

and flowers?

Not much I must say.

Happy Valentine's Day from my home to yours.

xo,
Louise



February 07, 2015

This Is One Of Them

Photo by Caroline Fernandes
Cactus garden. Madeira, Portugal. Photo by Caroline Fernandes
It feels good to have a relatively unplanned weekend at home. As good, or better, as it sometimes does to have a full one.

Last week our eldest graduated from college and two days before that our youngest went off to a semester abroad in South Africa to study human rights and social change.

In the days before she left we were discussing favorite quotes. I thought the one below is good for younger people especially. I can remember thinking that the world might be over when I had a bad day.

But what does a mother say to a child when she is putting her on a plane, to the other side of the earth, to one of the ten most dangerous places in the world, especially for a woman ?

Don't go?

I love you?

I miss you already?

Come back to us safe and sound?

In the end what I came up with is my realization (not that long ago actually) that we need to be our own best friend.

Is this something that a mother should let her daughter discover for herself?

Maybe.

Do I wish that my mom had told me this?

I do.

So I told her that no one is really watching out for us or is as dependable as we are to ourselves.

This is because no one knows us as well as we know ourselves or cares about us as much we do.

I also told her to take good care of her "best friend". 

Body, mind, and spirit.

And to let the love for herself continue to grow. 


I weep as I write this now.

As I wept when she left.


I told her that I would be here, waiting for her,

being my own best friend too.