• leaves,  Plants,  snow

    Update

    January 8, 2026

    I returned home Tuesday evening and slept in my own bed, without a machine beeping at me, without a nurse taking my vitals every 4 hours or a phlebotomist drawing blood. Bliss, I tell you! I had a physical therapist visit me Wednesday morning to give me instructions on taking care of myself and recover quicker She thinks I doing very good and doesn’t think I need her assistance but will check on me next week. I have done laundry and made myself both breakfast and lunch for two days now. It’s a slow shift back to normal. Today’s achievements have been emptying my bladder and a healthy bowel movement. That is exciting at my age and just after surgery. I am still sore at the incision but expecting that for now. We have had a light dusting of snow today just enough to cover the ground so I am not up to venturing out. This image is from 2015. Again, thank all of you for checking on me through your comments on this blog, the text messages, and your emails. They are all part of my recovery. I hope you have a wonderful day!

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  • journal,  landscape,  natural areas,  Plants,  sunsets,  trees,  writing/reading

    Winds of Change

    November 8, 2020

    Some of you know I’m living in recovery from alcoholism. If not, you do now. I read a question today that caused me to reflect on my life now that I have a bit of time in recovery. The question was, “What are the important things in my recovery?” Here’s a short list from journaling this morning.

    • living life using the principles of the 12 Steps
    • daily practice of prayer and meditation
    • healing physically, emotionally and spiritually
    • healing of broken relationships and birthing of new relationships
    • experiencing a Higher Power from within
    • able to be more present to life and more often
    • true honesty with others
    • learning to be a better listener, thus a better communicator
    • coming to know my true and authentic self
    • practicing a thorough and authentic daily self-examination
    • seeing with the eyes of my heart
    • uncovering my unhealthy character defects
    • living with and accepting all my emotions
    • the enjoyment of solitude and silence
    • using journaling as letters, prayers, asking deep questions 
    • discovering my value as a human and the value of others
    • uncovering and using the talents and gifts given to me at my conception
    • finding and using my inner observer

    This morning was quite windy. When I stepped outside about 7:00 am, I needed to pause and listen to the wind blowing through the trees. I smiled as the wind blew leaves from branches, enjoying their rustling dance across the ground. I took a deep breath, filled with hope and excitement, because the wind was a metaphor for the winds of change blowing in our world.

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  • flowers,  musings,  Plants,  writing/reading

    Life Changing

    April 18, 2018
    Tulips on Campus
    Tulips on Campus

    Fifteen years ago I had two life changing events occur in my life: one was provided in a 12 Step Recovery program and the other was purchasing my first digital camera. I purchased a Nikon D100 in October of 2002 and I stopped drinking in January 2003. Life changing because both have given me tools to begin to see myself, people, institutions, and all of creation when properly using these tools. I am grateful for both of these tools.

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