Yesterday we returned home from what I think is my final college selection visit.  V seems to be all set for next Fall and we couldn't be happier with her choices.  Time hasn't seemed to move faster than it did with the home years of this l a s t  o n e.  

Recently I have been reflecting on what makes a life feel meaningful to me.  I've been privileged to do a lot of really cool things with my life so far, but I think, looking back, the sweetest joys for me have been found right here at home raising my five.  I am so proud of them all ... and they have become adults who I truly enjoy sharing time with.  

Against all odds, I have become a good cook. I count that among my joys too.

Empty nest years ahead - bring 'em!  I'm interested to see what we may find to do with the luxury of free time.  

I have a few little trips in mind.

I've wanted to retrace the Lewis and Clark trail from St. Louis to the West coast for example. I've never seen St. Louis and I want to visit the Arc as a starting place.  Terrell's wonderful installation in the desert of Arizona is at the top of my need to see list but isn't my first choice for a trip - I'd like to build up to that!

roden crater, located in the painted desert region of northern arizona, is an unprecedented large-scale artwork created within a volcanic cinder cone by light and space artist james turrell. the artist’s lifelong research in the field of human visual and psychological perception culminated into roden crater, with specially engineered skyspaceswhere the cycles of geologic and celestial time can be directly experienced. a controlled environment for the contemplation of light. it takes its place within the tradition of american landscape art that began in the 1960s, requiring a journey to visit the work in the remote desert with truly dark night skies. 

All the way back to early elementary school, the Weekly Reader days (remember that?) I have wished to see The Crazy's Horse Memorial.  We think that will be the farthest away point of our first trip, which will include the cliff village in SW Colorado.  I love Colorado, then New Mexico (behind Texas of course).  

I long to see Big Sur and there was a place in Wyoming which I can't remember right this minute.  We are thinking about trying out one of those tiny campers.  I'd like to rent it because I think after a few road trips I wouldn't want to use it again.  We have scouting missions planned to look for what works best for us.  

This arm thing has to be settled out before we get to far away from home.  The PT requires a good bit of floor space for stretching out in.  

I think our next outing will be to see a super moon at the National Seashore.  The new moons of June, July and August are all to be super moons I have read.  A college graduation and big move are the main "plan arounds" for catching one of those events.  I'm excited about putting my kayak back in the water asap!

What I'm really doing with the bulk of my free time lately is yard work.  This yard had no landscaping except a creeping asian jasmine which contributed to poor drainage, and gave harbor to scores of insects and snakes. (No, I didn't see a snake, but I'm sure that those areas were crawling with them!) Fortunately, my husband especially didn't like the ground cover and has put forth a Herculean effort of digging it out.  The soil under that stuff is beautiful.  All those years of decaying leaves have produced great planting beds.  It's looking like the hard freezes we experienced this winter have killed several of my October plantings, which we're replacing as soon as they can be located and bought.  They were purple Mexican Bush Sage and at their mature height of 4-5 feet they will form an important design element in the front yard.  

Last year we planted two palm trees and five knock out rose bushes in the back yard.  I am working on the design back there now. It's so much fun! 

taken by V