It's been two months since I left for the Camino; I'm amazed that that much time has gone by. In the days before I left, when I was walking for miles at Hunter St. Park with my loaded backpack, I gradually built up muscle and strength. During that time, I was visiting at my sister, … Continue reading Appalachian Trail Interrupted: Challenges Unforeseen
travel
Camino Garden Tour
One of the things I left behind, when I flew to Portugal to start my Camino journey, was my patio garden. I've taken great care since creating it last year to nurture the seeds and plants---mostly flowers along with basil and tomato. I was so busy those last weeks of preparing to be gone for … Continue reading Camino Garden Tour
Planning for Pilgrimage: Can I Do It?
Last week I talked with my friend, Judy about her recent trip with the Road Scholars to South Dakota. She's gone on multiple treks with that group that offers educational and recreationally challenging experiences for those over the age of 50. The last trip Judy had taken was right before the lockdown from Covid in … Continue reading Planning for Pilgrimage: Can I Do It?
Treasures from our Trips
My Facebook feed has been filled with pictures of friends and family on vacation. Some have taken trips to beach destinations, some to other spots in the US, and a few, places in Europe. There was a shot made by a friend from her beach chair-- her bare feet pointed toward the ocean as she … Continue reading Treasures from our Trips
Sit With Me for a While
That morning I headed out from the hostel on my bike, passing by the picnic table where Ruth was sitting in the sun. “Sit with me for a while, Connie,” Ruth said from her perch. I leaned the bike against the table and sat down. Ruth was eighty-three, a Canadian staying at the hostel while … Continue reading Sit With Me for a While
A Father’s Care
I’ve thought a lot about a father’s care over the past six weeks as I’ve watched my son, Brooks become a father. You can see the joy, the weight, the responsibility, the wonder of his new role as he tenderly cares for his baby boy. From the time Brooks knew they were going to be … Continue reading A Father’s Care
The Stranger on the Bus
We stood at the West Tisbury shuttle bus stop on a Saturday afternoon in Martha’s Vineyard. I’d been experiencing that island in Massachusetts for the first time, staying in a hostel for $27.00 a night—the only way I could afford that expensive place. I’d enjoyed the morning at the Farmer’s Market at the Grange Hall … Continue reading The Stranger on the Bus
Not Like Me
I watched that ‘hunk of burnin’ love’ from across the crowd. It had been a fun day, riding my bike around Mackinac Island in northern Michigan and then happening upon the outside summer concert. I wasn’t content to just watch ‘Elvis,’ I wanted to get up close to him. As soon as he finished his … Continue reading Not Like Me
If I Live to be 100
It was a lazy Sunday afternoon on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. I was fifty-two and staying at my first hostel while on my solo journey that June. Since Sunday had always been a family day, I felt drawn to visit one of the sites on the island, Polly Hill Arboretum, that reminded me of a … Continue reading If I Live to be 100
My ADHD Made Me Do It
The patrolman handed me the dreaded paper and stepped back into his car with the flashing blue lights. How in the world can this be happening, again, I thought, my third ticket in eighteen months. What was wrong with a fifty-something-year-old woman, mother to adult sons, and responsible nurse-- in this trouble again? My mind raced … Continue reading My ADHD Made Me Do It
Connie Rosser Riddle 