Paris was swell but Newbury is home.

 Home. Home. Now we are home. No fancy lights, fancy foods, and  fancy people.

Back Home. I can wear my oldest jeans with a torn t-shire and I am styling here.

Casual, and I don't mean business casual. I mean dressing for comfort, gardening, working with your hands and not styling. 

Home, back yard noise birds, occasional train whistling a pass deer, and prop planes flying overhead from Plum Island Airport. 

Trees are my neighbors, trees are my soul mates, and trees all around my yard. Each years the oaks gain more height and more stature in the tree world. The trees have grown in the 30 plus years that we have lived here. Each years a little more full sun is taken away from our plants. Each year we buy more shad resistant plants.

But home is good. Home is safe, quiet most times, and where I can be myself.

 

The French live to Eat and I Agree.

 Best ever hot fudge sunday in Honfleur Crepe Restaurant. The French do food so well. They never rush through their food. They appreciate the presentation, the smell, the texture, and the taste. Ah, they have honored food as a god given right and a thing of beauty.

In France, the would never ask you if you are finished with your meal in a restaurant. They would leave you alone with your empty expresso cub for hours. You end your meal at your own pace. Only when you ask for a check,   your server knows that you are ready to leave on your own terms. How civilized is that.

Don't rush your food, your service, sit back and savoir each and every bite, every taste to the fullest.

The World is Going Topy Turvey

 I do not recognize the news anymore. The World has gone utterly crazy. War in Europe. Killings, raping's, and mass destruction of civilization.

First Covid   and now this mess. I wish I was back in the 50s. Duck and Cover and survive a nucellar attack.

How did we get into this mess and more importantly how do we get out of this mess.

I fight off tears while watching the International News. I can't sleep. 

Is there no love in the world anymore. Are the crazy people ruling for their countries out of their minds?

I think they are.

Reading Lennon's Tomb during this experience gives me a wee bit of insight. But, being a peaceful person this whole experience is killing me. It is breaking me down. I meditate, I listen to music, I breathe fresh air. Nothing helps. 

I am very sad and despondent. 

Happy Spring with all its mud, frogs, and singing birds.

Happy Spring. Our gardens are a muddy mess. I walked to the garden shed and picked up my covered pail with all my gardening tools. I have high hopes of cleaning up the herb garden, perennial garden and Evelyn's front day lily garden.  I plan to take it easy, slowly at first and she how I do. 

The Ukraine war is still going strong and the Russians are committing war crimes every day.

Stay focused on simplicity, patience, and hope.

 

BEAUTY IN A DEAD PLANT AND RUSSIA COMITTS WARCRIMES AGAINST CROATIA

I am overwelled by this illegal war.  Putin is a very sick human being. no wonder Trump wanted to team up with him.

I seek beauty in small items around my house. I see beauty in dead plants, sun reflections, and colors. 

This year, I had two complete knee replacements  and team that with covid ; it is safe to say that I spent a lot of time at home, inside, isolated and lonely. 

The healing process started in June with my left knee. In September we cancelled our trip to France for the fourth time. So in October I had my right knee done. Healing is hard process. You have to go slowly, take 100% of your time to heal, take naps, and exercise. The June knee, I was lucky to have our backyard deck to hang out in. October was harder because of the snow and ice...kept me locked inside.

I read big books. I watched documentaries on PBS, and used my blessed ice machine.

Would I do this again. Yes, I would. The pain in my knees are gone, I can walk, I can stand up straight, and I hopefully this summer will ride my bike again (once I clean the two inches of dust off of it.)

Ten Days of Russian Bombing of Ukraine

My head hurts and my soul is exhausted. Ten days of violet unhuman bombing of Ukraine by Russia.

Covid was bad enough, but add this on top of health issues, this blows my mind.

A mad man is out to grow and control as much territory that he can. He cares not about his soldiers being killed, starving the Ukrainians', or any public negative thoughts.

His plan is very clear, fight, control and take over at all costs. He hopes Trump runs in the next election so, that he can spread his neo-Nazi ideals and thoughts.

My heart shutters in fear of this unknown possibility. 

Evil exists in human nature. Why does it always come out to destroy human beings? Why can't we all get alone in peace and love.

Love should be the answer. Not war, not hate, and not this craziness.

IT IS A STRANGE NEW WORLD THAT WE ARE NOW LIVING

Presidents Day

Walked to White Bridge and back. One Mile goal. check off.

Goals reached, new lists to start of other new goals.

Working hard on exercises at home. Iced myself after the walk. Just to ease my right knee's anxiety. 

Beautiful almost spring day. Spring calls of the birds are starting. But yes, It is still February.

Time of healing drags on. Days feel like months. The stretcher out days are all the same. Inside my house, at my computer listening to Rosanne Cash's Black Cadillac. 

I wonder what space is like. Space is now the place for astronauts, and famous rich people. People who would rather pay millions for a fifteen minute ride than feed the starving people of this world.