it's okay mom

easter used to mean days of planning, new outfits to sew, eggs to dye, baskets to fill, five of them! gardens to tend a house to clean and food to cook. our home was full. grandparents, aunties and uncles, cousins, children and then my own grandchildren. there was the easter egg hunt. my favorite part. we always had an easter egg hunt, even in  uncooperative weather. i remember years when my children were young, we went to our mexico house over easter. there was the time it rained for days. so i hid eggs all over the house!

i don't know how it happened so quickly. but my children are now grown. i read somewhere that when our babies are young, the days are long, but the years short. they grow up, and they move away. and so easter didn't happen this year. if i'm completely honest i'll admit there may have been a few tears (mine), the kids (who did call) said it's okay mom.

and it is. really. they are doing what every parent hopes for, living and thriving on their own. two are in nyc, one in arizona, one in los angeles and one here in summerland. (i saw her for an hour this morning when she stopped by with a latte and hug before continuing on to l.a.).

i learned today, for the future, i am going to have to be more creative in planning...after i stopped feeling sorry for myself, i took a walk with my camera, to the marsh and the beach. it's a miracle how much better nature can make a person feel...

i saw the easter bunny! and i found some wild sweet peas! the red-winged black bird sat still for once and i must have counted a dozen house finchs. i hope i won't be in trouble for this, but i picked a couple small blossoms to bring home.

xo lori

why i wake early

thursday morning
the plan was
to get the gps coordinates
for a trail on figueroa mountain

waking before dark

we headed north east
through dense fog and light rain

ascending the mountain

the fog rain only grew heavier
not letting up like we'd hoped

when i pointed out my backpack had no rain fly

and more, that it seemed like less than fun to hike right now
it was decided chuck would be going without me
he needed this information for an assignment due
he would be going the ten miles alone now

i was alone too, to wander

four hours later
chuck was back,  the sun came out
i wandered about while he was gone
both of us drenching wet
our warm truck felt like heaven.

*

number nine

and number three

these two grandchildren of mine
i took these photos last week at their baseball games

tonight we have a date
for dinner and a movie
in honor of earth day (everyday)
we've got tickets to see african cats!
i think i'm more excited than them.

i wish you a happy earth day and easter weekend if you celebrate them.
xo lori

wild beauty

wilderness gives the human spirit breathing room

come along with us as we

explore the vast, unique, windswept, peaceful

california carrizo plain...

 

we found wildflowers

and sold almost all our cards

and images (so exciting, thank you)

we saw birds and raptors

and a badger in a meadow

we found a herd of tule elk

and two western rattlesnakes

and much much more

we had a brilliant time

wee olive was a good traveler (and gave us a lot of laughs)

she seemed to enjoy her adventure

however, it was a bit of a challenge to get her to sleep

the night camp came alive with

full moon revelers

singing and chanting and beating drums in the night

there was knitting

two new pairs of baby socks to gift

a few more rows to my sweater

and a shawl for olive

a chill was in the air

with wine glasses in hand

we watched the sun melt golden slowly

over caliente mountain

spreading orange shimmer upon soda lake

breathtaking empty wild

losing ourselves in the vastness

we found the space to breathe.