Lately I've been thinking a lot about how to navigate this chapter of my life. As I mentioned in my post, Really Retired, I've finally ended my career as a nurse. Last week, I let go of taking care of my grandson two days a week which I've been doing for over three years. As … Continue reading What do I need now?
#family
Cultivating Our Lives: From Seeds to Harvest
Today, I talked with my younger son, Ross who's thirty-five. Over the past year, I've watched his growing interest in land and eco systems, specifically the history of types of indigenous trees and plants that grew on my childhood farm, purchased by my great-grandparents in the 1800s. For the first time, Ross has planted twenty … Continue reading Cultivating Our Lives: From Seeds to Harvest
Student of Love: Valentine’s 2022
In the past fourteen months since my divorce, I've become a student of love. Even though I'd been married for forty years, I felt like I needed to go back and take a fresh look. Archived in the things that I've carried in my life are love letters written between my parents. They had twenty-seven … Continue reading Student of Love: Valentine’s 2022
Real and Imagined
Back in the fall, I was walking to the park with my three-year old grandson, Baker. A bird flew passed us and Baker said to me, "Grammy, birds are my friends." I looked at the delight on his face, watching the bird headed to a nearby branch of a crepe myrtle tree. "How do you … Continue reading Real and Imagined
Shallow Well Church Ladies
I grew up in Shallow Well United Church of Christ that was within a mile of my house and the focal point of our family activity. Besides large extended families on both my mother and father's sides, we had a church family that provided love and stability. The church was founded in 1831 when services … Continue reading Shallow Well Church Ladies
Two Views of Old Faithful
This week, through the Facebook posts of my little sister, Peggy-- I've relived my solo journey to Wyoming in July of 2011. Peggy has shared pictures of her time with her husband and friends in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Some of her experience has been similar and some has been in sharp … Continue reading Two Views of Old Faithful
Bittersweet Change: Time to Stretch and Grow
There are times when change is inevitable but hard to accept. We settle into the comfort of the familiar forgetting that life is not stagnant. When our children are young, about the time we know how to handle a phase, they move into the next and put us at another loss, scratching our heads and … Continue reading Bittersweet Change: Time to Stretch and Grow
Right To Be Wrong: Online Dating
For over a week, I've had conversations and text messages with a new guy on one of my dating sites-- OurTime. I was initially impressed that he didn't want to send the slow back-and-forth messages that seem to be the way for most of the men. Instead, Steve wanted to talk on the phone 'the … Continue reading Right To Be Wrong: Online Dating
To Lose Your Mother
It was a year ago this weekend that we said our farewell to Mama at her graveside service at Shallow Well United Church of Christ. It was a sunny, cool Saturday before Mother's Day and I was touched by the great number who stood in masks around the cemetery. Family, friends, fellow church and community … Continue reading To Lose Your Mother
To Grow Older
I've been thinking a lot about growing older because tomorrow's my birthday; I'll be sixty-six. Does anyone ever believe the age they are? When you're 14, you can't believe you're not at least 16. You say to yourself, "I must really be sixteen because I feel like I should be. I'm ready for sixteen!" When … Continue reading To Grow Older
Connie Rosser Riddle 