A Bountiful Easter

Easter used to be a day that was full of children, egg hunts and Easter bunnies, Grandparents and swimsuits, flowers and dresses with gloves and hats, baskets and cellophane grass and of course dyed eggs that looked like tye dye. These days it is different.

Glenn and I woke up to the sound of turkeys on our hill not children eager to go egg hunting. The day was beautifully clear so we put on our walking shoes and headed out to the Tennessee Valley trail head for a walk to the beach.

Every time we walk to the beach it is a little different. If it has rained the trail will be covered with several puddles that defy crossing. In early Spring there seems to be another new flower blooming on every walk. Sometimes the air is crisp and sometimes it is heavy with mist. Its a very special place to have in your backyard.

If I was to give this walk today a title it would be "The Shadow Walk" You know the kind of light that can cast tall shadows? Take a look at some of these pictures and you will see what I mean....

MR Turkey

THE WOMEN

The FENCE

Runner in the distance

ME

GLENN downhill

POPPIES waking up

A CROSSABLE CREEK

CROSSING on pieces of the TENNESSEE

CREEK runs to the ocean

Shadowy figures

Rocky cliff and cubby hole

Shadow - Cliff

Lookout

Glenn - looks out

Heading home

Spring

End of the trail.

We finished our walk and headed off for the rest of our Easter.

Easter is a time for me that "shadows" could be the perfect tag line. It is so full of memories. I remember my father buying corsages for my sister, mother and I every year. He even sent me one when I was away at school my first year. My Dad often was gruff and not particularily warm to me as a child, but Easter to him was the best day of the year. To me as a kid it was one of the real miracles of Easter to see my father get these corsages for his girls.

My mother's shadow I feel on Easter as well. I see her in her hat and gloves. I see the Sees Candy baskets she'd produce. I feel her heart when I remember her singing hymns a little off key in church. I remember my sister with her white lace trimmed socks in her mary janes, with her dress full of netted slip, held stiffly in place, her glasses (which I coveted) to me made her look like a secretary. I remember the little white flowers in the lawn of my grandparents front yard.
I smell my grandmother's rouge. I hear my Grandfather's mechanical voice (from his electric voice box he used after having his larynx removed). I remember my brother being born at Easter time and the blue bunnies that made their way to our home along with my beaming father.

As a mother myself, I would try to recreate the magic of these memories for our children. See's Easter Baskets, carbon copies of our Easter outfits, Egg hunts and visit to grandparents. Easter comes and there are so many shadows surrounding me, it makes me feel lonely at the same time that it makes me feel blessed. Every year we would go to the Yacht club and have brunch. The Easter Bunny would arrive and the kids would sit on its lap. Felix would make them Shirley Temples. Each girl "played" the bunny at least once.

This year Glenn and I joined Patti, John and Patti's sister Cindy at the club. The bunny came by boat but it wasn't Katie or Allison inside the costume. But we had a nice time reminiscing with our friends. They too have memories.

After brunch we went back home where I finished the quilt top for "Circle of Hope". This quilt is all about shadows and light. The quilt will be given to a Cancer Warrior after our event in July. Anyone making a donation in the name of a Cancer Warrior, Survivor or Angel will have their name on a card that will go with the quilt. This symbol of love and support will surround the Cancer Warrior with the knowledge they are not alone. You can donate to the quilt by going to http://www.pinktiniandpopcorn.com/ Just be sure to indicate who you are honoring with the donation.

This quilt top is heading to the quilter today... I will post the finished quilt later. But donate today!

After Glenn took a little nap, I called my father and talked with he and his wife Sandy. The conversation was a little unnerving because Sandy shared a story about a trip my father made (inadvertently) to Redlands. He had gotten completely lost and an 1 hour errand turned into a nightmare. I heard my father on the other end of the phone seemingly unaffected by what she was saying. I realized he is getting quite old. I am so glad I will be seeing him in November after the 3 day there.

Glenn and I finished our day by heading to his father's house where I made Easter dinner. Glenn showed his Dad his new I-Pad and some pictures he thought he'd enjoy. Every time we go to this house it isn't hard to imagine Glenn's Mom still being there. Nothing has really changed. It as if things were frozen in time. I think Glenn's Dad hasn't been able to really move forward since she died. There are more things around (after we moved him out of his office all those things are shattered about). There is a full time person there cooking meals and helping him. But the cards are still on the bookshelf she had there, her notes are still on the side of the refrigerator. It has been over 3 years.

The thing is about shadows, they cannot be as powerful if no light is around.

I am blessed to have shadows who are powerfully kept in the light.

This Easter was that kind of day.

Squeezing it in

It started out at around 9:30 last night when we received an offer on our listing at 326 County View, That is good news, but other potential buyers made the evening interesting. The buyer's offer came with a response time of 10 am. That was not only short notice, but wouldn't fairly allow another interested buyer to make up their minds, our client the time to fairly consider the offer on the table or me the walk I had scheduled for over a week for my "day off" Tuesday.

But somehow after all the emailing, phone calling and late night ruminating I was able to commit to a shorter walk and be back by noon to work. So that is what I did.

I met my team mate Patty in Corte Madera and drove to downtown San Rafael. We parked the car and headed toward China Camp Village and a promise of a Glenn "sweep" to bring us back. Leaving at 9:30 this gave us enough time for the 7 mile walk.

Patty has been juggling it all too. Work, an aging parent, a daughter, a husband and his family. It would be easy to just focus on one thing, but life isn't like that.

We caught up while we walked and talked. Then Patty called out for me to look at three shorebirds along the edge of the bay. That reminded me I had a camera with me!

So here are a few photos of our walk and final destination.

Patty and me
Working on the phone - its a new world.
But at China Camp it is still an old world. The old shrimping village has survived the budget cuts so far with the help of community contributions.
Its a great place to take photos.
With out without people in them!
The old dock and equipment showing the signs of time.
With young ladies getting younger with every step.
There is still some sort of fishing activity that goes on here.

And in not time at all our sweep van had arrived.

Our walker stalker, boa boy and best ever team crew... Glenn.
We scurried off to work. Patty off to sell beautiful linens and me to over over a contract. It always does your heart good to be able to get in that time that you need for you... and still work and be productive. I know my partner Myriam is juggling too, but she has taught me what her running means to her. Its sanity and perspective. My walk is that to me. It centers me and makes me feel like I can make a difference even beyond a CAR contract.

We need donations! Have you made yours? www.the3day.org/goto/arewethereyet donate to any team member.... Allison, Barbara Bryant (she's on the San Diego page) Patty, Judy or Leslie. Or me if you must!

April's Fools

You know how it is, you have plans all with the best of intentions. I believe mine this year in January included (but was not limited to) lose 20 pounds and walk at least 3 miles 5 days a week. Yesterday Glenn and I got up to bright blue sunny skies. I had an open house scheduled for later in the day, and Glenn had plans to go on a big sailing ship, but it had been quite along time since we had gone for a walk together. We took the hint (those sparkling skies) and drove to the parking lot at Tennessee Valley to head to the beach.

Surprisingly the way wasn't too crowded. There were the regular runners you could hear behind you crunching the gravel under the feet signaling they were closing in. It had rained this week and the path was covered with the occasional mud puddle, but I have seen it much more flooded.

Glenn's style is to take off at a quick clip. I always remind him, he won't be walking so fast at the end. But its the way he rolls. I quicken my short legged pace to try and keep up. I find when walking this fast I miss some of the little things I enjoy; the flowers, the sounds, the smell of the ocean getting closer. As we got nearer the coast we slowed just a bit and I took a couple of pictures.
As we came to the crest of the last bend before the beach, we could see the ocean in a frenzy of waves built during the recent storms.

You could make out the channel out there that fishing boast sometimes maneuver between the breakers.

The long grass lay flat from the rains and winds.

When we got to the beach we couldn't cross the creek that ran the width of the sand. (Unless we wanted to wade through the water.)

Waves crashed on the rocks, up and down the coast.

The others who had made it to the beach almost all stood with us looking over the sand out to the sea. There were a couple of runners who did try and jump the creek. They all landed in the water.

As Glenn looked out over the water, I could see the wheels turning. He was going to be on the Lady Washington later waging a pretend naval battle with the Hawaiian Chieftain. I don't think Glenn could ever live very far away from water.

For me, I enjoyed being away from our computers and work and just breathing the air and walking with my best friend.

On the way back Glenn's pace slowed to mine. In fact mine might have been a little quicker. He joked they need to get a key to stick in my back like the Energizer and take a picture of me walking on my way back. But I aways seem to find the time to see the little things.

And just as the poppies, spring is a time for new beginnings. I am looking forward to many more sparkling walks.

Glenn announced "We should make a resolution to walk to the beach everyday for 30 days straight. Rain or shine."

"You mean it? " I asked.

"Yes" he said.

Then this morning as we woke up I asked if we were going to the beach... "No I said after the rainy season is over."

Funny I missed that part!