Jayne In Georgia

We began July with a cross country trip, cavaliers on Board, first stop Birmingham AL. The visit with an old friend included an evening in her garden!

On to Dallas, and I have nothing to say about that stop, except the La Quinta across from the Four Seasons was one of the best we stayed with our pets along. Would’ve liked to stay at the Four Seasons! It irks me that my two perfectly clean and coiffed dogs would cost so much extra just to sleep in their own comfy dog beds. I am sure they are cleaner and better behaved than the typical 3 year old, and the kids are free!

Taos after several years, feels like a second home. and now son and his wife have added land in Angel Fire, so that is a new destination. Their dogs love it, especially the lake, but it much too wild and rural for the likes of the cavs.

We took a packed lunch to Angel Fire, watched the dogs swim in the lake, observed wildflowers everywhere, even at 10,000 feet, and tried to identify the birds from their song. What an amazing afternoon to just be in the mountains. Peaceful beyond words.

From our window in the newly refurbished casita, the sunsets blaze, the cows and horses graze, and we feel so happy to be in the Land of Enchantment.

Our morning walks through this beautiful countryside start each of our days with a serenity that is hard to find anywhere else.

Wordless Wednesday blooms…

What am I thinking about this week? I am bursting with garden thoughts. After almost a year of isolation, my Zoom life has taken charge and in just this month, I have attended more live zoom calls and meetings than in all other months combined. So, one thing on my mind is botanicals.

I virtually attended the January meeting of the Trustees Garden Club in Savannah GA. Jenny Cruse-Sanders from the State Botanical Garden gave a fascinating Zoom presentation on Plants, Nature and Gorgeous China.

For centuries, the science of studying the plant world has informed through the gorgeous renderings by botanic artists. The life of the plants translated on porcelain is immortalized and we can enjoy these treasures hundreds of years later.

Imagine the time when we can again gather, set a table of beautiful botanic China, and enjoy friends and family in 3D. Until that time, isn’t it great that we can turn to Zoom to stay connected with people, ideas and yes, the garden.

Christmas is but a few days away. The hustle and bustle of previous years is dissipated, gratefully so. I for one do not miss the frenzy. Record snowfalls in some parts of the U.S. and cold temperatures everywhere encourage Christmas bakers to practice their art. Snowball cookies, or nut butter balls, pressed sugar cookies, chocolate turtles and Christmas buckeyes, are all waiting to be devoured. Gifts of orange and walnut sweet breads are baked and delivered to friends. (The oranges are shared offerings from our neighbor’s citrus trees!)

My New Mexico family will be missed, as will my New York family. Joyfully, Connecticut arrives tonight.

In recent days, walking on our beautiful Island has brought a calm and peaceful feeling. Somehow knowing our New Mexico family is enjoying the great outdoors and walking their own path makes me happy.

Not together, but part of the same and taking time from the business of life to move forward on paths to happiness.

Merry Christmas. Let the sparkle fill your hearts!

When a lockdown occurred in March, did we think that those two weeks would extend to 9 months? The first Pandemic progeny are being born. So what have you been doing? It is obvious to anyone who subscribes to my Blog, that I haven’t found more time for more posting!

End of the day sunsets still manage to draw me to the water. A golf cart ride away in the summer, and with a jacket and hat, still an appealing before dinner ride on clear nights in Autumn.

There is so much more time spent in the kitchen as we try to make the most necessary activity, also entertaining. The NYT Sunday edition has a new page, suggesting 5 recipes to try cooking at home. Sparking a little more creativity, I have tried many of them.

Endless new series on tv to start and finish. The Queen’s Gambit is enthralling! Maybe it’s a touch of ADHD, but I can’t sit still through all that viewing, so there is a lot of stitching to accompany all the movies and series in the evening. One project completed, another one started.

It is still perfect weather to be working in the garden, both at our farm plot and around our home in Savannah.

Thanksgiving will be sad this year, with our family staying put in New Mexico, Connecticut, and New York. We plan to have our dinner with a couple in our neighborhood . It will be outdoors, weather permitting. To bring some early cheer into our lives, the Christmas decorating has started.

It begins at the front door, changing the cushion covers, remove the pumpkins, start to add pine cones and pillows. More to come. Those light fixtures need a swag or bow…

I really did feel joy as I pulled out all of past years’ decorations and the memories they hold. It will be a different holiday time this year but one thing that remains… the glory of a sunset at the end of the day.