Good Tuesday morning to you! John and I are headed away to the Hocking Hills area of Ohio for an Anniversary week escape. We'll return on Friday, and the computers are not traveling with us. Photo here is from our honeymoon 4 years ago on the UP - Taquamenon Falls, as taken by John. Weather permitting, we'll bring some pictures to share from down south!
Be well and see color!
Oh happy, happy day! Today is my husband, John's birthday! In his own words, he is "half way to 70!" In the truest birthday celebration style of my family, we celebrated this evening by eating too much, laughing a lot (especially me), and eating even more for dessert!
Just a few of the many things I love about this beautiful man: his bright and easy smile, brilliant mind, loving heart, gentle touch, fantastic humor, and quiet mindful presence (and presents).
Happiest of days to you, husband-of-mine. I still have moments of disbelief over my luck in finding you, even while I know that there couldn't possibly be a different match in the world for either of us. Thank you for sharing your birthday and a little celebration of "another year of you" with me.
I love you, John! I look joyfully forward to celebrating "half way to 140" with you in a few years!
Oh Happy Day to all, Friends! I hope this holiday morning finds everyone happy and well, in good company, well-rested, and looking forward to something special in the winter months ahead! (Yes, I'm still confident that we will get some winter - even though I have moments of doubt!)
(No, that's not our house - but isn't there a teeny little part of everyone who wants to have a house decorated like that for Christmas?!?) I am reminded of a Christmas Eve not long ago - probably only about 5 years or so. Aaron (my brother) and I drove into Bloomington, IL to spend the holiday with our family there. Dad and Deb had just moved into a new house (side note - I think this was the same time we went to the wrong house - but that's a story for another day!), and hadn't had time to decorate yet. We spent the evening in the frigid outdoors hanging lights. I will never forget the malfunctioning lighted/motion reindeer in the front yard. (Yes, you Illinois family folks remember it well!) One was supposed to look like it was eating, but the head was stuck "down." It just kept sort of twitching - looked a lot like a reindeer with a seizure disorder. 
Dad tried to fix it several times, and I'm sure there was some rather un-Christmas language involved. Ahhh, poor reindeer!
My favorite part of the Christmas Holiday is the thought it always inspires in me. I appreciate this holiday and this season for all that they can be for different people - different sets of beliefs, different family dynamics, different religions, different perspectives on the world we live in. For your reading pleasure, here is a short bit (edited for length) of a favorite reading of mine. This is from Sophia Lyon Fahs. I am a person who is often considering and re-considering my beliefs and where they come from. The sentiment of these words touch me every time, and my thoughts on the subject never waiver:
"For so the children come and so they have been coming. No angels herald their beginnings. No prophets predict their future courses. Yet each night a child is born is a holy night, Fathers and mothers - sitting beside their children's cribs feel glory in the sight of a new life beginning. Each night a child is born is a holy night - A time for singing, A time for wondering, A time for worshipping."
Peace to you all in this season of lengthening days, honking geese, family and friends gathering together, and overeating. May the days, seasons, and years ahead bring to our families the bits and pieces of life that sustain us.
Be Well and Be Taking Care of Each Other!
Some things I count as my simplest and most basic pleasures that have washed over me tonight:
If you're interested, take a peek in the photo album of the Girls - there are a few new pics there.
Also, for everyone in the Toledo area: The Lights Before Christmas opens at The Toledo Zoo this Friday evening (November 17). Masterworks Chorale (including me!) will be singing for the opening. This is a first - we sang on a Sunday evening concert this past summer at The Zoo, and they invited us to sing for this pretty big event. If you'd like to come see the lights (it's a spectacular display, if you haven't seen it before!) we'll be there. There is a tree lighting sometime between 6:00-6:30 (at the whim of the local TV stations who will broadcast) when we will sing, and then we'll stroll and carol for the evening. Please think of coming out to hear us if you have the evening free - it should be fun!
Thank you to everyone who brings me joy - that's ALL of you! Peace to you, Friends. Be Well and Be Taking Care!
Here we are - one year since our beautiful perfect wedding day! I still can't believe my good fortune in finding John. First anniversary! 
On this day a year ago, the sun was shining and leaves were turning. The park was breezy and the shawls by Honnie were perfect! The laughing was raucous and the smiling was unstoppable. Wendy's words were exactly "us." The Royal Garden Trio was flawless. The walk through the park was lovely. Our families were all present and equally joyous. The food was yummy, the cakes were many, and the ice cream was the perfect cap for the party! My husband was (and is, and ever will be) a Beautiful Man!
My best description of my love for this man is still in my vows: "My ultimate joy will be to spend a loving lifetime of dreaming, laughing, learning, playing, and being together. I hope for our union that we will both be none other than our whole selves, honoring always our individuality... I ask you to share a lifetime of peace, happiness, and love with me. I ask you to be my husband."
I love you, John!
Today is also World Food Day - please consider giving food to someone who needs it, or some money to an organization that can put it to good use in fighting hunger. Today is also Dictionary Day - consider playing a game of Scrabble!
Many thanks and much gratitude to our family and friends who helped move John and I towards each other. I can't imagine a place in our lives that either of us would rather be. 
Also, thanks to Ami for providing John with his awesome sword to fend off any competing suitors a year ago today. Phew! We made it over that hurdle!
Oh Happy Day!
My husband John is playing the piano upstairs. This is one of my greatest joys! I count myself lucky in many ways, not the least of which is the length of my gratitude list when I take a few moments to really think about it. Off the top of my head, some of the things I am grateful for:
Thank you, husband, family, and friends, for all you are and all you do, and all you allow me to be.
That's John rockin' out with his Walkman. Yes, his Walkman - with actual cassette tapes and everything! We have some fancy technology, but he still likes the old-school stuff. (Plus we found all of his old tapes and the Walkman in Grandma & Grandpa Reed's basement)
Peace, All - Be Well and Be Taking Care.
