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It is amazing to me that we have lived in California for 10 years. My grandmother used to say that the days are long but the years are short. But for me, it seems like even the days are short.
It took me so many of these years to realize that most of what I want from life is right here on my doorstep. At first, I begrudged Los Angeles for the metropolis it is. I had always expected that we'd live our lives in a country setting, surrounded by open spaces and animals. I wanted trees and rivers and wild spaces. But sometimes we have to accept that life can take us on a different path than we thought it would. We have to make peace that it is not EXACTLY the way we had envisioned it to be. We have to let go of all that it is not, and celebrate what it is. Sometimes, this does not come easily for us and we have to actively find the places where we belong. It may take effort and thought and planning, but I promise you that if you look for what you want, you'll find it wherever you are.
Our weekends are when we find these places. Our family packs into our car and off we set for the day, an adventure in the making. A Good Man and I know how precious these times are for us and we smile at the thought that Kitty and Teddy will remember these weekend journeys as the fondest of memories of our happy family together.
Last weekend, we set off with our good friends and their little boy to find Southern California's Apple Country. The Fall scenery was magnificent, with yellow, orange and red trees and rolling hills.
We caught falling leaves and made wishes.
We collected chestnuts from the 200 year-old Chestnut tree.
We ate fresh apples with woolly fingers.
We collected bark.
And ate apple pie.
And delicious pastries.
We bought homemade jam.
Candy apples.
We climbed trees.
Drank hot apple cider.
And came home with a baby bunny.
We are truly blessed to live here.
Blessings and magic,
Donni
It took me so many of these years to realize that most of what I want from life is right here on my doorstep. At first, I begrudged Los Angeles for the metropolis it is. I had always expected that we'd live our lives in a country setting, surrounded by open spaces and animals. I wanted trees and rivers and wild spaces. But sometimes we have to accept that life can take us on a different path than we thought it would. We have to make peace that it is not EXACTLY the way we had envisioned it to be. We have to let go of all that it is not, and celebrate what it is. Sometimes, this does not come easily for us and we have to actively find the places where we belong. It may take effort and thought and planning, but I promise you that if you look for what you want, you'll find it wherever you are.
Our weekends are when we find these places. Our family packs into our car and off we set for the day, an adventure in the making. A Good Man and I know how precious these times are for us and we smile at the thought that Kitty and Teddy will remember these weekend journeys as the fondest of memories of our happy family together.
Last weekend, we set off with our good friends and their little boy to find Southern California's Apple Country. The Fall scenery was magnificent, with yellow, orange and red trees and rolling hills.
We caught falling leaves and made wishes.
We collected chestnuts from the 200 year-old Chestnut tree.
We ate fresh apples with woolly fingers.
We collected bark.
And ate apple pie.
And delicious pastries.
We bought homemade jam.
Candy apples.
We climbed trees.
Drank hot apple cider.
And came home with a baby bunny.
We are truly blessed to live here.
Blessings and magic,
Donni
3 comments:
Thank you for this wonderful reminder...I blog in large part to take the time to remember that I love the life that IS!!! I, too, did and do some dreaming about a quiet rural life with rivers, time to fish, gardens and more gardens, fall color and such but.....when I look through the pages of my own blog, indeed it is a beautiful life. It's a beautiful world! Thanks again.
fun! That one huge tree is such a lovely grandma!!
This post is so wonderful. I felt (and still often do) the same way about the place where I am living now. I struggled with it, but this past year have learned to accept it. And, I have found so much to love where I am. My attitude shift has allowed me to see so much more.
Awhile ago, I wrote this on my personal blog: http://middlemusing.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/bonding-with-place-embrace-or-move/
I feel like I've come a long way since then. Have you read the Nature Principle? Louv is from San Diego, and has had some of the same feelings you expressed. If you haven't read it, you might love it - for many reasons.
Oh - and the baby bunny! I adore bunnies. We grew up with them. My heart is warmed tonight.
Thank you.
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