Category: family

The Happening You Must Focus On

 

 

     It is easy to mourn the lives we aren’t living. Easy to wish we’d developed other talents, said yes to different offers. Easy to wish we’d worked harder, loved better, handled our finances more astutely, been more popular, stayed in the band, gone to Australia, said yes to the coffee or done more bloody yoga.
     It takes no effort to miss the friends we didn’t make and the work we didn’t do and the people we didn’t marry and the children we didn’t have. It is not difficult to see yourself through the lens of other people, and to wish you were all the different kaleidoscopic versions of you they wanted you to be. It is easy to regret, and keep regretting, ad infinitum, until our time runs out.
     But it is not the lives we regret not living that are the real problem. It is the regret itself. It’s the regret that makes us shrivel and wither and feel like our own and other people’s worst enemy.
     We can’t tell if any of those other versions would have been better or worse.      Those lives are happening, it is true, but you are happening as well, and that is the happening we have to focus on. ~Matt Haig
(Book: The Midnight Library) 
    I love that passage so much!  I also read the book, and while it wasn’t one of my favorite reads, it’s a good one… and that group of text above? Spot on.  Who among us hasn’t dreamed another dream, had a few regrets, wasted too much time on what isn’t.  And we all know, life is short and too precious for such nonsense.  I am a firm believer in making the best of every day, even when I catch myself doing anything but.  Then I readjust the sails.
     The new barn has been a Godsend here on the farm. Both of our girlies are very pregnant and I’ve taken over all barn chores again, which means a lot of water buckets and hay bales and stall mucking etc. etc.   With the yoga and stretching/meditation I’ve taken up, my body is faring better than I had expected. 40 plus years of all that work  has left me with some arthritis and worn parts, blah blah. But it’s also made me a strong work horse and I’m grateful to  still be able to do it. And I love those animals so.  They are my heart and my peace and my salvation often.  We got our first real snow of the winter on march 1st.  In New England, that’s just strange. But it’s made all that work easier on this older girl.
      I have always felt the sky is like  a painting we live under, it’s landscape always changing, and all we ever need to do is look up to see the mood of the moment, the beauty of nature, the temperament of the weather gods.  Who hasn’t marveled at a full moon rising, the night stars on a cloudless night, the rolling roiling storm clouds coming across the horizon or the gorgeous colors of a beautiful sunrise-sunset.  On the hill and fields of this farm we have what I call big sky country, a big patch of blue  with  many glorious sunrises and sunsets.
  I made a few more recipes from The Lost Kitchen files…
New England baked beans and brown bread –  first time I ever bought a slab of salt pork, had to ask the butcher where to find it at the store.
 And Waldorf Salad – with apples, celery, Fennel, arugula, lemon juice and zest,  candied walnuts, mayo, salt & pepper… SOOO GOOD!
     The Mr. turned 59!  We had a lovely family dinner at one of our favorite restaurants near our Stella by the Sea.  Our mothers are still with us and we are so grateful they are here to meet their first great grands.
 Cheers to many more years!
 I completed the Woodstock, VT  Middle bridge painting, whose true angles are a bit skewed in any photo taken, so this was a real challenge and it’s far from perfection, but I’m glad I attempted it.  The bridge for me  represents many happy family memories there  and hopefully more to come.  The lighted star up on the hill is the first thing I look for when we drive into town.
   Had a physical this week, and it’s clear I need to get serious about cleaning up my diet.  Cholesterol numbers less than stellar, weight – about 25 pounds overweight.  Bleh.  I get plenty of exercise, so… as the doctor has often said… it’s what you put in your mouth.   Each new day is a chance to get it right.. right? I’m making a concerted effort to improve those numbers.  Being a food loving person and one who likes to cook and bake for others, it ain’t easy.
      I hope all is well in your neck of the woods – till soon 🌹

The State of Things…

 

I don’t even watch the news anymore, rarely skim the headlines, truly shy away from anyone posting political crap on social media, and I used to be one who chirped.. a lot!  I just cannot believe the utter shit show across the entire political system, our governing bodies.    I decided my sanity and well being is more important than absorbing all the toxic noise, misinformation, ignorance.  And we all know in our deepest well of knowledge that we don’t change the heart or mind of another person who will believe what they want to believe, no matter the detriment to themselves or others.  So I stopped trying to do that, too.  And I must admit, I’m not so sure those I trusted are trustworthy enough.

It’s freeing!  I’m spending more time improving the quality of the work I put into my day job, this farm, the critters in my care, my family, myself. I picked up the paint brush again and completed a piece for a friend, and I have a new one on the easel.  It all feels like the right thing to do.

The completed piece –  this tells the beginning story of an immigrant who was born in this house ( no hospitals anywhere near) and raised here until his family moved (legally!) to this country for a better way of life.  They have worked very hard for a long time with two successful businesses now  and just built a beautiful barn and home  here in town.  He wanted this painting made as a reminder of their journey.

New on the easel… when completed it will be a snowy scene of a Vermont covered bridge in a  town we visit often, many good memories and hopefully more to be made.

The weather has been good and bad and iffy and good and bad again. In between raindrops or frigid temps I’ve been walking with Kai again, and recently my son and I have gone on a few short hikes. It feels good to keep going.. and we’ll get more hikes in when weather permits.

This is Deer Lake Reservation, which has just been sold by the Boy Scouts of America after a lengthy campaign by locals and state representatives to save it from development, to Pathfinders, which will keep it as a camp and public recreation area and wildlife refuge.  There are extensive trails, too.. this is a BIG WIN for nature, for campers and the general public who appreciate and recognize the value of open space.  There are many cabins the scouts and other campers used, and they will be kept up by the new owner and used in summer camp programs.

This quartz wedged in a large boulder looks like teeth!

We’ve also been down to the shore for some winter walks…

This next scene is going to be my next painting, on a bigger canvas for the living room if it comes out decent.  I am so grateful for this New England lanscape, diverse and beautiful in all seasons.

Our girls are in the second trimester of their pregnancies now, we are all so exciting for  Jonathan and Mia to arrive.  The eternal worrier in me keeps praying all will go well for both moms to be and their babies, and the dads as well!   Baby showers being planned, I’ve already got a shelf full of childrens books I’ve been collecting for many years ( I’m a big fan).  The baby clothes nowadays are so much more fun than when we were young mothers!  and the baby equipment too.

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods or piece of the plains,  spit of sand on the shore or your stamp on suburbia…  what have you been doing to stay sane in these troubling times?… creativity, better health, new horizons, perhaps travel again?    Covid is running rampant again around these parts, my son and daughter-in-law just got over it.  People are masking up again….just.. ugh.

closing this post with a few pieces I’ve found inspiring or profound…

 

Till soon-

 

Merry Happy

So many people going through so much stuff, life is definitely not a cake walk for just about anyone… don’t judge the book by it’s cover and all that.  The holidays can exasperate whatever is troubling, so my wish for anyone still reading my drivel  here is that you are finding some joy and peace of mind this holiday season.

 

I am a sentimental fool,   and while that trait brings along with it some pain,  it’s worth it to have the heart.  I have traditions in this old house and the ones before it… some recipes from ancestors long gone, traditions I’ve kept with my kids from the time they were little…decorations reminiscent of my grandmother’s home, ornaments my mother had on our childhood tree.   My favorite collection, though, are the people around the table.  As life rolls along, we lose some of our loved ones, and we gain new members. The circle of life.

I love my mom’s holiday spirit! Her mother, my Nana… used to do the same.. she decorated ALL THE THINGS..  even including little red bows on picture frames ….

Christmas Punch!

The barn renovation is complete – and all horses, goats and chickens are moved in.  For this aging body, having done barn chores for the bast 40 plus years, it is a beautiful thing to have it all consolidated into one building. When we moved to This Old House from our previous farm, I thought I was winding down my farm animal operations and focusing on other things.  But… my daughter continued her interest in showing (we’re done with that) and I found chicken keeping entertaining and fruitful!… and then .. well, goats.  The small outbuildings we brought in for them worked… but going from one to the other especially in storms or winter weather was more work.  We converted our three stall row shed type horse barn to a full center aisle barn with chicken coop/goat stall/ horse stalls all in one building and with this past few days 19 degree temps and freezing water, etc., it’s been a welcome improvement during chores.

Both my daughter and my daughter in law are expecting babies in the Spring, we are over the moon excited to welcome baby Jonathan and Baby Mia to our family.  I’ve tried on all the common grandmother names… Gigi, Mimi, Nana, Nanny, grandma, Nonni, Nonna, loli, Lolly, and  I’ve decided I am really just a Gram.  If I had my way, everyone and anyone would just call me Karen or Mom, but not everyone is comfortable with that, so be it.  (not the new and bastardized politicized meaning for Karen, by the way.  Ugh, that is disappointing).

If you’re so inclined, tell me what’s new in your neck of the woods, what brings you joy these days, any traditions you care to share – leaving a few things below that bring me inspiration… wishing you all good things in the coming year, and THANK YOU for stopping in –

                   

 

Till soon –

 

33

 

My oldest baby is 33 years old today.  Holy cow, time flies.  She has overcome and continues to wrestle with an obstacle no one sees or can fully understand (TBI from car accident many moons ago) and she THRIVES regardless – building a beautiful life for herself and her little family as she goes.  Cheers to many more years and many more good things to come 🥂🍾❤🌻🧁

Meanwhile… back at the ranch, can you stand a few more fall pictures?  New England at her finest – and I just keep saying to myself as I walk the fields and woods, drive the country roads.. man, there just has not been a more glorious fall in all the years I can remember.  I see from your comments in the previous post you are finding the same where you live.

Leah and Max enjoying the glorious weather

The barn project continues… we are trying to get it all done before the snow flies this winter…. oh how I hope this comes to fruition because right now with the horses in temporary housing on the hill and the turn out routine,  feed supplies and mucking tools scattered.. it’s more work and my neck and shoulders are bitching.

My son’s dog Leo loves going to work with “dad”.

 

And below.. the old barn gutted… to be rehabbed into the new.

There is more good news hopefully on the horizon, but I can’t yet share it out of an abundance of caution.  What I can say is, living with fibromyalgia as I have for many years, I have learned some of the triggers for a flare, and one of the big ones is stress and worry.  And Lord, I am a worrier.  I haven’t yet discovered how to loosen that thread from the fabric I am made of.  But this mantra helps remind me when a new “worry” arrives …. there’s even a magnet on my fridge with these words……

    Easier said than done, I know it.  But in my older years I am trying to let go of some of the old habits that don’t serve me well.  This is one of them. Let go or be dragged.     I know you know the woe.    Another is losing that extra 20 or so pounds I really really hate dragging around.  It doesn’t sound like a huge problem, but mentally it drags me and on this small frame, physically too.  Bleh.   I’ve tried various things, and I am very active.  What it really comes down to is stress and worry eating… and I love to cook for the people I love (which includes me, lol).

And you know, I really do like me and it took me far too long to realize this.  Why does it take us so long to arrive at that destination?  Think of all the problems it would solve if we were born and grew up liking/LOVING! ourselves and knowing our worth.

Wishing you all good things, and thank you for stopping in.

A Glorious Fall

Oh how I love this season!  I don’t really have a favorite season, do you?  There is something magical in each, if you ask my two cents worth.  This particular fall is one of the most glorious I have witnessed so far. The summer’s long dry spell and the sudden onslaught of heavy rains for days must be the right combination of “stuff” to make the leaves turn magical here in New England.  The colors are just extraordinary!  How is it looking in your neck of the woods?   The Mr. and I took a ride this weekend to one of our favorite spots after picking up sandwiches at a nearby deli… and I snapped some pictures along the way.  Just.. So… Gorgeous.

Here on the farm, we’ve been working on some projects.. replacing rotted fencing… it’s been TWELVE YEARS since we renovated and moved into this old farm house and property and the split rail needs replacing.  Holy cow, time flies, friends.    So far we’ve managed the dog yard, which is a pretty big area.  AND, we’ve installed a gate at the driveway entrance because Google maps or whatever alien life designates the streets on those things has decided our driveway is a road to somewhere else.  And it is not.  And then the drivers get annoyed because they aren’t getting where the map tells them they should be as we wave them down and tell them to SLOW DOWN and  please go back to the road because they’re on private property.  Which annoys them.  Imagine!   Hence.. the gate.

We’re also giving the horse barn a big facelift!  In our 35-ish years together, M and I have had four farms, built four homes and four barns.  When we took on This Old House I thought we would be winding down the livestock part of our farm endeavor, so we built a relatively small barn for the horses.  Then came the goats.  And the Chickens.  And another horse.. or two.  With those critters came their small outbuildings.  And in winter, when the snow flies and accumulates, let me tell you… … it’s a lot of work shoveling and moving hay and grain and shavings and water to where it needs to go, and this Mother Hen is no spring chicken.  *ahem.    So.. the new barn is being added on to the old structure and will be much more efficient than the current system we’ve had.  All those outbuildings have a new home with another chicken farmer.

In other news, my daughter just got engaged! These two live right next door and we are thrilled for their happiness!

With the evenings longer and more time spent indoors, I’ve been finding some time to read again for pleasure.  Gladys Taber is an author of years gone by, and one of my very favorites. I have at least seven of her books pertaining to her beloved Stillmeadow Farm in Southbury, CT and whenever I need a reprieve from the larger world and it’s “heavy”, I pick up a Still meadow book and read, and relax into her world of  grace, peace and country sensibility.  It’s like watching  that old movie, White Christmas with Bing Crosby et al.  Her books are no longer in print, but they are still found in old book stores, online and if you’re really lucky, while hunting through someone else’s discarded treasures.

I hope this finds you well and contented, and if you’re so inclined, let me know how things are going with you and yours!

Till soon –

 

Showing Up

The drought this year has been brutal, hasn’t it?  Our lawns are literally crunchy. Of course this was the summer we decided to tame our back yard garden, tossing what got way too large for it’s space, planting many new perennials and a few  flowering cherry trees.  So, that’s meant watering watering watering,  we are thankful for a very good well here on the farm.  Down at Stella by the Sea, we gave up on any ideas of green grass. I have managed to keep the potted geraniums and sweet potato vine alive and the tomatoes from that little garden have been heavenly.  Up here on the farm, the yield has been.. meh.  And it’s already spent.

Stella tomatoes…

A Stella Sunset taken last night by another photographer with a drone at extreme low tide… where you can walk across the entire cove without getting your waist wet.  The water rises about six feet at high tide, so the boats that use our cove have to navigate when they should  come and go.

Miss Molly is doing very well here with us, she and Lacey are definitely a team now, and she continues to astound us with her navigation abilities.  She knows our voices and whinnies when we come to the barn at feed time, she knows where the gate is and comes right to it to be led in to their stall.  When she wants to find Lacey in their paddock she stands still and listens for the bell tied in lacey’s mane, and walks right over to her, as if she had sight.  It truly, truly amazing.

More wedding photos, the photog versions have arrived….. Indeed the whole darn lot of us had some good old fashioned fun ✨

Mom and my son…. (she was the JP)

Cousins, Me, Sister, Niece 💕

 

Boyz to Men   –  They all grew up together, went to school together, played sports together, and two have joined the group by becoming family… I just love this photo for so many reasons.

The night goes so fast, as they always do when you’re having fun.  It was something we all needed, and we all cut loose.  It’s times like these that remind us how it feels to be really alive, all in, enjoying each other’s company, casting worries and stress aside.    We definitely showed up.  When you get the chance… take it.

Leaving you with these wise words right here… I am ALL ABOUT THIS from here on out…  So done with the self criticisms, I am so grateful to be here to experience the whole process.    We’re winning, friends….  every single blessed day… we are winning.

 

Till soon, friends…

 

Grab a Cup o’Joe, this is a rambler

So much awful news out there, but as I get older (and older) I’m trying to teach myself the necessary art of looking away.  I really need to, because I literally feel every agony others are afflicted with, the unfairness of it all, the evils and utter bullshit of the world if I let myself dwell.  And then the anger finds a home and settles.   I’m airing it out and letting it go as often as I possibly can nowadays and it feels… freeing.  Politics?  Fuck’em.  I’ll vote, but I’m staying out of the fray because it makes not one fuck of a difference whether I let it stir me up or I focus on more worthy endeavors –  things that actually help others and myself.  Onward.

The boy child is getting married in five weeks!!  We’ve had fun helping the bride plan All The Things, the groom occasionally nods yes or no and made one phone call for party bus service and a trip to the tux rental with his buddies.   The men have it so easy in this department, you know.   We love our daughter in law to be, they’ve been together 8 or so years and she’s really been a part of our family for quite a while now.  Cheers to many happy years!

It’s opening season for Stella by the Sea – the lawn has been mowed several times already, pots filled with geraniums, little garden plot has tomatoes, basil and parsley,  bedding washed, pillows sunned/aired out, refridge restocked, floors washed, bathroom cleaned,  windows cleaned – kayak back out on the wall – we’re ready!   Why.. when we have a big  vegetable garden at home, do we plant one at Stella?…. because it just  always feels to me like a plot of soil needs a patch of garden, no matter how tiny.  If I had an apartment in the city, I’d have plants in the windowsills. But my soul would wither there, I do believe.

Photo courtesy Ben Kuropat and his  drone – he takes amazing photos of our cove.  Out in the distance are the Thimble Islands – Stella is in the little heart outline.

The geese have been marching their babies up and down the cottage community road as they switch from the marsh to the cove, back and forth.

This year for the first time I have seen what appears to be a juvenile Lion’s mane jellyfish – a bit pale in color but behaving robustly, inspecting the oyster beds in front of Stella.  Notice the much smaller variety in the bottom of the picture – there are many in the water this year.

Meanwhile, back on the farm – everything’s blooming! Have you found that all flowering things are extremely lush this year?  The lilacs here in New England are absolutely beautiful.  The wild violets carpet the forest floor, even the daffodils where planted seem to have multiplied heartily.  Our garden up on the hill is planted – the Mr. went overboard with potatoes but.. plenty to give away, right?  Every year we discuss shrinking the garden because it’s a lot of work and so much is given away. We shrink it initially – but somehow it balloons back out.  This picture was taken last week.  Since then, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, oregano have been planted where the ground is bare here and the leaves have unfurled more on the trees.

The goat girls, horses, chickens and dogs  are thriving, all give us hours of work but definitely also the pleasures and therapy  that only animals can bring to our lives.  We nurture them, they nurture our souls.

Kai’s 1 year adoption day anniversary was May 15th – we’ve come a long way in that year.  Kai has gotten me out on the trails again, getting great exercise and building a trusting relationship with him.  He’s gone from practically feral to a wonderful companion – sleeps between the Mr. and I on the bed even – it’s all good.  I find adopting rescues so very rewarding, even when initially very trying.

 

Then….

Now….

The girl child and her guy are enjoying their home nextdoor and we love having everyone on the outskirts of the farm.  Chores are shared,  meals are shared, garden produce and eggs distributed.  We respect each other’s privacy and have managed not to get on each other’s last nerve, it’s truly a blessing.  My son and fiance are just over the hill.

My newest painting on the easel is a simple thing, marbles in a mason jar on a window sill.  Still much to get done here,  what a lesson in patience this is.  I’m learning as I go, and I make plenty of mistakes, but the therapy of art is a beautiful thing and doesn’t cost much at all.   I’ve always loved marbles and  glass in all it’s forms of art. I  have an extensive glass art collection I’ll post one of these days.

Trying to slim down a bit for the gown I will wear to my son’s wedding, I’ve been making some lighter, healthier recipes lately.  Here’s one that was a big hit, so delicious… give it a try if you like quiche – farm fresh eggs make it even better.

Onion Mushroom, Squash Gruyere Quiche
Sauté onions in butter till becoming translucent , then throw in mushrooms and yellow squash and sauté till their liquids are in the pan and they’re softened- throw in herbs of your choice- parsley thyme and basil here, salt and pepper, 3 tablespoons white wine- simmer down till liquid is almost gone- Remove from heat. Meanwhile mix together four eggs, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1 cup grated Gruyere, salt and pepper- place onion mushroom yellow squash mixture in either a prepared crust or go crustless, as I did here. Then pour egg/cream,cheese mixture over it- bake at 350° for 35-ish minutes till done. Yum!

Ending this post with a few words of inspiration below – wishing you well, and thank you for stopping by my little corner of the world.

Till soon –

 

Heavy and Light

Such a weird weird time, isn’t it?  Are you still masking everywhere?  Doctor’s offices still require it but many stores do not.  Around here I would say the ratio is more masked than not, but there are naked faces and I must admit, I am SO TIRED OF THE MASK!  I cannot imagine how the folks who have to wear it all day long for work/safety reasons are tolerating it.  And the poor kids!    To be clear, I’m not debating it, not wading into that mess because I just don’t have all the answers, and neither does anyone else, and I totally get the need to be cautious and protecting  ourselves and others and have done that more so than not for the past two years. TWO YEARS, wow.  As a hearing impaired person the masks are even more of a hinderance for the obvious reasons.

About those shots and boosters –  We’re boosted around here, but there is an odd uptick in strokes lately and I’m not going to lie and say that doesn’t concern me.  Strokes among younger folks, not where you usually see them. And I’m not going by news sources,  I’m talking about people we know.  I’m not anti vaxx, but I’m not sure I’ll be getting more covid shots now that I’ve had these three.  I want more time spent on it, more research.  In the meantime we’re both on a weight loss kick (AGAIN) and I’ve been walking/hiking with Kai as often as I can talk myself in to it, at least four times a week when weather permits.  Eating less meat and more greens and fruits, drinking more water.

2024 – raise your hand if you think we all deserve better choices than Biden/Harris and Trump/anyone  in the next presidential election.   Man, I feel like we’re floundering big time on so many fronts and for a variety of reasons.   We need a reset, but not of the hideous kind, of which I worry we are headed.

Enough of the heavy – here’s some Light –

We’re gearing up for a family wedding this June – my son and his lovely fiance who is also like a daughter to us now… and the wedding planning has been so fun!  The bride has wonderful taste in what she’s picking out – simple and elegant – lovely whites and creams and greens and elegant black.  My mom will be Justice of the Peace, and the whole thing will take place at an old Lace Factory that is now a wedding venue…  family and friends and the groom and his men will arrive aboard the Essex Steam Train – how romantic is that!  All of this set against the CT River.   A few pictures below to give you a sneak peek at the vision board, so to speak .

We’ve got that wonderful day to look forward to… and a three day trip booked on the Vineyard for the Mr. and I in July… plus! .. a really exciting trip planned for June 2023 with a cousin and his wife – Italy!  Starting at the Amalfi Coast where my husband’s family 2 generations back are from.  This will be the first time across the pond for the two of us and I am over the moon excited.  We met them for dinner the other night, they’ve been to Europe many times.. and my workaholic husband has decided it’s about time he starts enjoying life and even some travel.  Encouraged by travel accompanied by a couple who know the ropes, so to speak, he agreed.  Hooray!

I hope this finds you well and sane, and I hope love found you in one way or another yesterday, so many ways to see and appreciate and give  love in it’s many forms. Found this quote and love it –   May you see love in everything today and may your heart be filled with gratitude for all

Till soon…

 

 

 

 

Holidays during Pandemic times

How were your holidays?  Scaled down like ours?  We managed some smaller gatherings and I’m grateful we’re all still here and relatively healthy.  We even did a weekend at The Woodstock Inn, a favorite place for us. Last year’s trip was cancelled because Vermont was basically closed to outsiders, and this year still looked different but was enjoyable,  regardless.

Christmas came early while in the Woodstock village, the Mr. obliged my obsession with these boots as we kept passing them in a store window and they whispered to me every time, I’m  not even kidding.

 The Inn was magical, the depleted staff did a fantastic job with a difficult scenario.

Christmas rolled around and we did what we thought was best – smaller gatherings,  and some of them  cancelled.

🎄  Mom holding  a  delicious refreshing  Christmas Drink –  the Poinsettia – Prosecco, Elderflower liquor and a splash of cranberry juice, with some frozen cranberries thrown in.  Mix together according to taste – pretty and yum.   I’m not a big drinker but I like a refreshing one now and then and this hits the spot.  And kills the germs, right? LOL

 

We’ve decided to scale back down the restaurant dining since the new Covid surge, but we did get out to our favorite cafe in Stonington, the Dogwatch.  Their “power bowl” is my favorite – packed with healthy eating. the Town of  Stonington is beautiful any time of year, but especially during the holidays.

 

The kids and I have done some hiking and that is the single most awesome thing that happened to me this year- upon the adoption of Kai, my spirit dog as my mom calls him, I knew he needed a lot of attention and trust building and hiking was a good way to do it.  That also gave me the opportunity to tone up and get in better shape, and my adult kids don’t mind hanging out with mom to do it. I’m not a gym rat, I hate being stationary to exercise. Treadmills, elipticals, blah blah blah.   Get me out in the scenery and I can go for miles, and so I do.  It’s been a win for all of us during pandemic times and my goal is to continue exploring trails long into the future.

Yesterday’s hike at Hammonasset State Park on Long Island Sound, Madison, CT

Wishing us all good health and much joy in the years ahead.