A Perfect Day to Reflect on a Joyous Year

As this year comes to a close I am want to wander back and take a look at the adventures it held for me. The holidays bring this on and we are a scant ten days from a new fresh calendar.

This was my year of wonder, learning, and love.  I had a feeling on my last birthday, a magical 1-11-11, that my life was going to brighten after so many years of dense fog and struggle.  I had a lovely party given to me by my peapod Talei and her husband James.  Good food, dear friends, and drumming to begin my new journey.  I could not have imagined just how much this would turn out to be so.

I love to learn. This has always been a passion for me and this year held so much fresh nourishment for my soul.  I took an astronomy class at Sierra College that helped me define my love of the cosmos.  My sewing took on new dimensions when I discovered the wonders of LED’s and conductive thread.  There were yarn bombs deployed and spoons to be hammered flat. With my appetite peaked from a day in the shop with my inspiring maker sweetheart I took a welding class and found the joy of metal and sparks.  After a jubilant quirky evening with Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman I found a Ukulele and have learned to play a number of songs (though I still will not sing to anyone but the cats) and continued to drum and laugh with joyous Bob, David, Jay and Peter. 

This year also brought some wonderful encounters in nature and family trips.  In June my sweet sister Betty and her husband Mike treated me to an amazing trip to Alaska.  We toured the rich and wild Denali and Wrangle St. Elias National Parks, took an amazing drive to Valdez, played on glaciers and photographed wild creatures.  The year also brought camping via kayak to beautiful natural quiet places, encounters with bear and views of bobcats, swims in serene mountain lakes, coastal salty air,  and soaks in hotsprings.  I was able to take my granddaughter on her first airplane flight for a trip to Phoenix to see Vera who just turned 93 and my brother John and wife Judi. Hiked the desert, and searched for petroglyphs.

There was sweet time spent with friends, some I have known most of my life, some this year has brought to me. My home was filled with music and laughter, girltalk and relaxed meals round table and night drumming firelight.  Family time has been rich with my loving children and grandchildren who love to create, play zombie, run wild with me …  And my brothers and sisters who have been my salvation through the hard times were there to share my joy and laughter in the good. 

Not long after my birthday spirit guided me in a fantastic way to my sweetheart.  A spirit filled with joy & adventure, who has gifted me with the most joyous, kind thoughtful love I have ever experienced… (and also a very cool portable Dobsonian Telescope). This journey is sweeter with you at my side Love…

The new year is ahead… though I am a bit unsure of the significance of an arbitrary  date on the Gregorian calendar, it is a continuation, a mark of another cycle round the sun…time to reflect on the blessing of an abundance of love in my life and my heart is filled to the brim with gratitude.