Him and Me...a History

Short hair, long hair and everything in between...brown, grey, blond...He was there.

Good  days, bad days, sad days and fun days, He was there.

Growing a family of our own..now helping to grow Grandchildren..He is still there.

We have traveled a path together since we were kids,  we have also traveled the world...He was there.

Not always easy,  not always fun but always He was there.

Some people come into your life,  some stay,  some leave.  Not him,  He was always there.

He is my Friend for Life...I love him..It is that simple.

Forty-four years ago...He signed a paper and he still honors it...

He is still there...by my side...I'm signing up for another year.

Separation Anxiety

Bye Nana.....See you next week.

I wonder if when I was a kid if every goodbye brought with it a bit of sadness.   My Dad was in the military and we had lots of good byes that I knew would leave me missing him for a long time.   Is that where it started or is it just a natural part of life?

Once again,  I'm sitting in Maine feeling that bit of sadness that comes when any of my kids are here for an extended time and then leave...We had the best time with Liam for 4 days. Just Jim and I and Liam,  at the Lake, hopefully beginning to build beautiful memories for him in this wonderful space of nature and quiet.Jenna came yesterday so we were able to spend the night and this day with her also..  I told Liam this is my Happy house and that's what I want him to remember about The Maine House...that's what he calls it.  Now that he is almost three he is in wonder of the water and beach.   

I also know that the sadness doesn't last,  it is just a transition period for me.   A way to move from lots of fun and activity into my life here of quiet and just plain doing all the things I love.   So here I am getting back into my routine and hopefully taking time now to read...,  do my homework and relax with a cup of tea and a piece of homemade pie from the Farmer's market this morning.  First though,  I will share a few highlights with you of our time with Lil Man...the best boy ever.

A boy just has to have long summer days to play in the sand and swim at the beach..he loves tossing the sand.

When we are not at the beach we are at Nana and Papa's lake swimming...so much fun.

Campfires and corn on the cob...

And of course the end of any day at camp is an ice cream cone or a Samoa but tonight ice cream won.

It really was a wonderful week with Lil Man...he is very entertaining.   But just so you know my separation anxiety does not just happen when at the Maine house, it happens whenever I or they leave "home" for an extended period of time.   Sounds crazy,  doesn't last long but I am aware of it.   I don't let it hold me back though from moving on and moving out whenever the spirit moves me.

Ah I hear the tea kettle and my book awaits beside my favorite chair.  The sound of the lake might lull me into a short nap...and then out with hubby for a nice dinner and yes...a glass of wine together..

Life is good at the Maine house...

The Dreamer

Today is Saturday and once again I am behind in my classes...so what's new. Certainly not that.  I'm not counting it as one of my 5 facts.

Yesterday was 5 Fact Friday...I'm thinking the first one because if not I missed the entire week last week. So here goes...perhaps 5 facts you don't already know about me...but I'm pretty much an open book.

1.   I'm a dreamer.   Always have been.   When I was young it was a coping skill. I would dream of the future and all the things I was going to be.   Singer, writer, wife,  Mom and numerous others.   It turned out that some of those things came true and the others like writing, I'm just starting to get serious about now...

 2.  To me Kindness Matters: big time...I dislike intensly, mean spirited people.   I have fought my way through that and no longer tolerate it around me...thankfully for the most part I am surrounded by kind,  loving people and if I see someone being mean to a child or an animal I will speak up...  we could solve world problems just by being kind to each other..

 3.  I love to laugh and I love making others laugh. Life is to short not to laugh.   I also know that sometimes life isn't fair and laughter is put on the back burner but without my sense of humor I would not have made it to this stage of my life still intact...

4.  Reading, writing and knitting...my escapes at the end of the day.  I read everything except newspapers.  I hate newsapers.  Love biographies,  novels and lately children's books...of course to read childrens book you need a little partner to snuggle with...no problem at my house.   Writing is getting better and better.  This blog is really helping.

5.  I hate housework but love a clean house.   So recently I hired a lovely lady to clean my house once a month.  The rest of the time...we do it.   The only place that seems to be in constant disarray is my office...hmmm,  I'm going to work on that as soon as I finish here.  

Meet The Atlantic Puffin

I know, I know...I should be doing my homework for both of my classes but I had such an exciting weekend that I just needed to share it.   I also just wanted to spend some time looking at those photo's...I promise to get the rest of my lessons done though.   I am working on the instagram,  just need to figure a few things out with that.

Now back to my weekend...Another one knocked off the bucket list and 3 years in the planning. I finally went 12 miles off the coast of Maine,  into the Atlantic ocean,  and meet my little Puffin friends.   Tiny little colorful birds that I will be blogging and bragging about in the next few weeks.   

Seal Island is a bird sanctuary that Canada designated in 1944.   Canada claims the Island belongs to them and the United States claims it belongs to us..so both countries have agreed to disagree and they both claim it.   Both flags fly on the Island and special permission is needed to land there.   So you can't just row your boat up and go visit the birds.   It is carefully and closing guarded with a light house and a research team.   We were lucky enough to make it this year.  Eleven of us went from power boat,  to a larger vessel and then when we got close to the Island we were over the side into another power boat.   We were broken up into groups of 4 and sent into blinds to view and photograph the birds.   I had never been in a blind before and it was a pretty tight space with tiny little windows.   The views and the sounds of the birds were awesome.   I will show you and tell you more about this trip as I move through my photo's.   What I will tell you now is that it was very exciting to be that close with nature.  Not only the birds,  which was the high light of course,  but to experience this tiny Island off the coast of Maine was wonderful.   In some ways surreal.   

For now I will leave you with my first photo.   A quick pick because I took over 1,000 photo's and just couldn't decide where to even start.   What I liked about this one is that it's straight out of the camera except for a tiny bit of lightening on his face.   No crop,  no Photoshop.   The point I'm trying to make with this shot is to show you just how close we were to the birds in those blinds.   There are other shots that were even closer but that's for another day.

So have you crossed anything off your bucket list lately.   Maybe now would be a good time to think about that.   It is such a powerful feeling to know that I am doing so many of the things that I have put down on my list...It gives me the strength and courage to move onto the next "thing" that I didn't think years ago that I could do...more power to bucket lists...hoping you can cross something off of your own list.

"As you grow older you find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do."  Zachary Scott

Lil Loon and Mom

It has been so long since I've posted and even longer since I've worked on my lessons,  Reflections of You.   I have missed both.   July has come and practically gone and we are now finally starting to get some semblance of normal...what the hell is normal anyways...I'd be happy with just a bit of "me time" now.   It is getting better and I'm so proud of Lil Sprout,  his Mom and Dad and my entire family.   It sure does take a village when the someone hits that brick wall that waits for all of us to show up at someday.   My village is my tiny family that possesses so much love and dedication to each other.   No questions asked,  we just do, for as long as doing is necessary.   For this brick wall test not only did we do but we are learning how to live day by day, setting new goals for our future as a family.

Last week for the first time this summer my husband and I ran away to our house in Maine.   When I was last there the comfort and peace that I always find there had taken a vacation.  I knew it wasn't right for me to be there and so we turned around and came home.   I am happy to say this time that when  we went there all the good feelings of peace and hope and pure joy came rushing back to me like a lost river.

Early on Sunday morning we went to church on the lake...Oh yes, there is church on the lake and you know it not by the sounds of church bells but by the Cry of the Loons.   I love the Loons,  it's part of the Maine experience for me.   So when they called,  we grabbed our kayak's,  tea and I took my little trusty Canon G-10. I hadn't paddled very far before I found the church sounds of my Loon and what a surprise I got when I discovered that she had a baby with her.   It has been years since I have captured a loon baby and I was so excited by the gift of Spirit in front of  me this morning.   I felt such a sense of endearment for the Mom and baby and they reminded me of my daughter and her Little One.   The Mother Loon so protective of her little fur ball and Jenna so protective and such a wonderful advocate for Sprout.   I have written about Mothering Moments before and my heart beats a little lighter each time I encounter one,  especially in the world of nature.  Two babies struggle to find their way in this new world that they find themselves in.   This was a gift that Sunday morning and I gave them space as they gave me such joy.

I am happy to say that Lil Sprout is doing well,  each day using his strength to grow strong and meet the challenges he faces.   He is happy,  beautiful and feisty if you mess to much with him.   Hey a lil lad needs his sleep.  That's his job and he takes it seriously.   He now weights 3 lbs,  5 ozs and today he was so happy to lose his oxygen tubes...Now we can really see his face.   He cried a bit when they took the tape off his face but I talked him through it and after I was rewarded with him holding my thumb,   opening his eyes and then giving me  his best big boy smile.   It was the perfect morning with Lil Sprout,  just as last Sunday was the best day with Mama Loon and her baby.   

Life takes us on many journeys and those journeys become part of who were are. It's not the situation that defines us it how we handle it alone and together with those we share our lives.   This journey with Lil Sprout was really difficult in the beginning.  Not only did I worry about him but I had to remember that my daughter was worth some of my worry time.   She has been a trooper.   An amazing Mom for sure.  So like the Mama Loon,  Jenna is keeping her baby close for now,  making sure he gets every opportunity for continued loving growth and me,  well I'm the Big Mama and I'd say I'm more Blessed than I would have thought possible.

We are turning corners,  making new routines and moving forward..one step at a time,  one day at a time. Being thankful for all who have supported and prayed for us...It sure does take a Village,  and my little village is full of hope,  love and gratefulness.