Reflections & Selections...

I went to my blog to write something along the lines of the past, the present & the future, & I found this post I began last year. I never finished it & it has never been posted...till now! I figure, better late than never & as I read it, it sounded pretty cool so I thought I'd share it with you!! You could always skip to the part of this year if you choose to do so, but then you wouldn't have some of the information that leads into this past year.

So.....here is last years would have been post....

These 1st few weeks of the new year I reflect upon where I've been, where do I want to be, what have I accomplished, what do I want to accomplish next & where I am going to explore on my next adventure. It's a total revaluation process of my life.
The past 2 years I have traveled extensively, experienced many things, spent precious time with family & friends and made a few new friends along the way.

In 2009, I went to Seattle, Washington, and I met a man I have admired for a long time, Art Wolfe. Not only do I admire his work, but the way he lives his life. One of my best friends and I were welcomed into Art's home and even though he was busy with a function that was about to happen there, he took time with us & graciously shared his personal space with us. (Probably thought we were crazy in the end, but...(!), it was nice to know he is as down to earth as I thought he would be.

We traveled down the coast from there to San Francisco. We went to Mount Rainer and drove in total whiteout conditions, seen Rossevelt Elk and seals, meandered through the Redwood Forest and then onto The Golden Gate Bridge. If you ever get the chance to drive the west coast, it's a highly recommended trip.

Last year in April I volunteered in South Africa at Ukutula, A white lion conservation reserve. It was one of the best experiences of my life! I took care of white and brown lions, tigers and cheetahs and learned alot about them and the research that they do there. I bottle fed them, bathed them, drug dead cows for them & taught children about them.

I've been to Monroe, Virginia several times on a family members farm, Galeton, Pennsylvania, on the 4th of July, the Pocono's and most recently, Haiti.

Being in a third world country gives you an entirely new perspective on life and how we live it here.

I believe it should be mandatory for a teenager to graduate highschool that they must spend time in a third world country, of their choice, raise the money to go there themselves and accomplish something productive while there, for 2 weeks. They would come back here with a new attitude and appreciation of everything they have instead of the entitlement they believe they deserve. It could turn them into who they really are meant to be sooner than later!

We brought in the New Year here with some wonderful family and friends, good eats and some really great laughs! We had a bonfire out back and let off sky / wish lanterns at midnight. It was magical!

My birthday was spent at my daughters house with the entire family and an awesome dinner. There's not a better way I could have spent it. I've also been blessed with many wonderful friends that have taken me to lunch. I usually drag my birthday on for at least a week if not longer! On another note, I'm 48 all over again as I had thought & told people I was, for, well I guess, about the entire last year!

We are officially planning our next big adventure to Australia & New Zealand in October this year! I met a friend, Richard, while in Africa this past April whom lives in Australia & we will be meeting up with him somewhere along our travels. I look forward to meeting the rest of his family as well. All new wildlife, landscapes and experiences await us!

Today I spent with a friend whom I have admired for 15 years now, Ann Burns. I met Ann when I volunteered for the blind in response to an ad in the newspaper. I new it was going to be a great match as soon as I met her and we have shared many wonderful moments together. Ann has been an amazing influence in my life. She is a strong, independent, smart & loving woman!

We had lunch at Ram's Head in a room to ourselves & sat at a table by a hugh picture window. It snowed all day & before we knew it, over 4 hours had passed while we talked the day away. Although we don't see each other often, we always pick up wherever we left off like we've never missed a beat.

Currently, I'm booking new art shows for the upcoming year & I will keep you posted as the dates are finalized.

I've recently began a class through Rutgers University held at the ACUA on environmental steward training. I love it & there's only been 1 class so far! We will touch base on many environmental issues, learn leadership skills in helping to make changes happen through the proper government channels, go on field trips to places I would love to have access to & I'll learn lots of scientific information that I'll use to benefit the environment beginning in my own back yard! The Patcong Creek that I live on is a major watershed in our area. Very exciting stuff!!!

This is where you would skip to if you wanted to jump ahead to this years post!

Funny where a year can take you. This past year had been filled with many challenges, surprises, & changes of plans that no one could have ever anticipated, but I guess that how life goes.

March has to be the most challenging month I've had in a long time. Within 1 week, Billy had got into an accident with my son, Steven's truck, I found out my son had a 4 month old daughter that same night & 4 days later Billy fell off the roof next door & broke his back in 3 places. This was the day before I was supposed to get on a plane to Texas for a nature photography conference & 2 days before Billy was to finally go back to work from being out since January.

Okay, 1 story at a time. Billy was fine from the accident as was the truck, well it was drivable & only suffered minor damage. He was pulling a trailer with logs on it for the mill that were 10 feet in length & approximately 3 feet wide. The poor guy who hit him never had a chance. He was okay, but his car was totaled.

That night, I found out about my newest granddaughter, Lily Rose. She's beautiful, healthy & had her 1st birthday November 4th! Yes, quite the surprise!

On Sunday, there was a storm coming & Billy had wanted to cover the roof on the house next door because the rubber roofing had blown off. He mistakenly stepped on the rubber roofing with wet feet & fell 25 feet, to his feet, on the ground, then fell over. My brother was visiting from Tennessee, was standing there & thought he died. He then got up, came in the house & said to me he was going to take a shower & that he had just fell off the roof. MEN. Billy argued with me for the next 4 hours about going to the hospital till I called his cousin in Virginia. She gave me the words to say to him that I couldn't seem to come up with on my own at that moment. I told him, after refusing to walk on his back, that he had a choice....do you want to go quietly with me to the hospital or do I have to call the ambulance & you'll have to deal with them. He decided to come with me. We found out about the 1st break in the hospital, the 2nd within the week that followed & the 3rd, 3 months later. The next 5 months were long, but we got through it. I just thank God that he was still alive & not paralyzed for life. Billy is doing great now & is back to work on the steel. Yes, alot of jokes came out of his dilemma from some of his iron worker friends!

During this time, alot of issues came up that we had to deal with & so we found some cool solutions in handling them.

While drinking some of our "wineshine", (our homemade wine) on our deck with some of our good friends, the garden came up. Billy usually does the tilling for me & that wasn't going to happen this year. I asked our friends if they were interested in having a community garden & they replied yes! The garden was the best garden we ever had! There were 4 families involved & we grew food for many more! We canned, froze, dried & ate out of the garden all summer long! It was all organic, whimsical, & productive & I began it all from seed in my greenhouse. There were children involved & it was wonderful for them to see where their food comes from! With global warming happening, we now can grow vegetables into December.

We never made it to Australia or New Zealand. It just wasn't in the cards for this year. I did, however, make it to the Artic to photograph polar bears. (refer to older blog posts) It was an awesome adventure! I now want to go back in the summer for summer bears & the beluga whales. I had made some new friends there & had been asked to teach a beginner photography course. Something I am seriously considering.
The 2 day train ride is the tough part!

I've had an alright year with sales, considering how much I was actually able to work with taking care of Billy & how bad the economy is. All in all though, I can't complain. There's food on my table & my bills are paid.

I finished my environmental steward class in June. I learned more than I ever thought I would! I met some incredible people & I am now working on a book on Patcong Creek as a result on of it. The book is coming along, but not as fast as I thought it would. I now understand writers block.(!) It's also a little overwhelming at times, but, I'll be finishing it in the next couple of months. It won't be a hugh book, but it will be very informative. A new class begins in January & most classes are held at the local ACUA. If you're interested, contact Bruce Barbour, (098)975-6505, or barbour@rce.rutgers.edu

The holidays were great, considering I was down the entire week before Christmas. It puts things into perspective as to what really is important. But, I've had a year of that! I'm still struggling with a bad back, yes, my turn I guess! I've been seeing Dr. Harvey Haslet, a chiropractor in Galloway Township, (609)748-1444. He's really great at what he does & has worked miracles on me!

It's not New Year's yet & I already have a jump on next years tasks! Not sure about my next adventure, but sometimes not planning every moment is the best plan of all.

I Love my life & am very grateful for all that I am, all that I've yet to be & all that I come from because that is what makes me who I am today. #49 is in a couple of weeks & I don't mind a bit. I love getting older because I am. Every year is one more year I have conquered & I can't say there is much I would ever change as I try very hard to not live with shoulda, woulda, couldas. For this is not a rehearsal...make it all count. Life can change in a heartbeat forever more. Love every minute of it. Tell the ones you love that you love them & never resist a moment to enjoy them. We never know when they will move on to their next life.

As always, much Peace, Love & Happiness, stay well, Love & let yourself Be Loved. Oh, & don't beat yourself up!
Till next time....

Monroe, Virginia

I've been in Monroe now since last Monday, November 1, 2010. I'm taking care of a cousins farm while they're enjoying time spent together in Greece. Tis' the deal I made...they watch Ashley, my dog, while I was in Haiti & I would come take care of the farm for them till about November 20th. Not a bad deal either as I think I definitely got the better end of the deal!
There are only 4 dogs, including Ashley, & maybe 20 chickens, but my days are actually very busy here. Although the days are long, they go by very quickly. Next thing I know, it's tomorrow!
I feed the chickens in the morning & evening, give them water every 2 - 3 days, check for eggs, put them all in their area in the evening, lock up the fence at night & turn on the electric fence in hopes that no predators get in during the night.
The dogs, well they're a lil' more work. Not really more work, but for only being 4 of them, they definitely take more out of me than the 20 chickens do! They want to go out all throughout the night, sometimes at different times. Needless to say, I'm not getting much sleep! Lily, a 10 year old black lab, & I fight for real estate all during the night in bed. She's one of the most stubborn dogs I've ever met! She eventually likes to sleep on top of me. Sometimes I wake up & she's just sitting there staring at me. I wonder what she's thinking? She also has to sit on me while we're on the very long couch. When I brush my teeth, she comes in & lays of my feet under the sink. She's at my feet every move I make. If it's not her, it's Ashley. Ashley has been really good about it though. I think she realizes that the shoe is on the other foot now & feels for the pack because their parents have left them.
Zenia is a 12 year old, medium sized black lab & had been a bit depressed when Sue & John first left, but seems to be doing better as each day passes. Her & I also fight for real estate in the bedroom at night, but she settles in at the bottom of the bed much easier than Lily.
Hansel is about 17 years old, we figure, is deaf, partially blind, had been hit by a car in his early years, so he can't sit, only lay down. He has a thing for trash, not that most dogs don't, but Hansel, once he gets into trouble, gets into trouble! By Thursday, Hansel had to spend the night at the vets down in Lynchburg. Picked him up on Friday & he is doing very well now! Smile back on his face & he has his trot back!
All the dogs have great dispositions. Who wouldn't living on a farm with Sue & John? They have it great here!
We hike through the mountains every day, sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. It's invigorating, & good stimulation for the mind, body & soul. I love it here! It's the most time I've ever spent alone with myself & I am totally enjoying it! I like my own company, shopping for my meals & cooking for myself. I have people to talk to if I need to, but as of right now, I don't feel the need. It's nice to just "be" sometimes.

Back Home...

We're finally home again! Can I tell you how grateful we are?! As many of you may already know, Haiti has had a lot happen since we've been there. Now the people are battling cholera amongst all the other battles they must contend with on a daily basis.
We returned from Haiti on October 13th & we did the Batsto Country Living Show on the 17th, nice day, but not a good show for me. That's ok though, not every show is "my" show. We left the following day for Monroe, Virginia, (near Lynchburg) to collect my dog, Ashley, & debriefed for several days in the great care of Sue & John. Sue is an awesome cook! She made fresh bread for us on a daily basis, I had honey for my tea from her bees, & most everything there is all organic. We walked around Lynchburg one day, went to the apple orchids, hiked through the mountains every day, had a bonfire outside one evening & generally just relaxed. It was nice to just "be".
John has recently updated his phone to a Droid & it's amazing! We played with it throughout our stay, but what I loved the most about it was viewing the solar system above me & below! Very cool times we live in!
We came home late Thursday evening & left for the Pocono's on Friday, taking along with us our grandsons, Mason & Mark, & son, Steven & of course, Ashley.
Saturday we went to the little town of Jim Thorpe, not far from the house, & took the kids on their fall foliage train ride. The kids loved it! We have taken Mason several times, but this was Mark's 1st time. We then returned home, picked up Ashley, & took the boys hiking at Mudd Run. Quite the little hikers these boys have turned out to be! I was really impressed! There wasn't any whining!
Sunday, after cleaning up the house, we took the boys to the old train tunnel at Leigh Gorge State Park & then onto another hike. They couldn't get enough of hiking! It makes me so proud!! It was very different hiking at the park though. We haven't hiked there in years. Although it's a nice hike, there were lots of other people & the trail was very busy. There were also a lot of dogs so Ashley had to be kept on a leash. Something she's not used to when she's hiking. We usually hike like we camp....away from everyone & everything! Just free to be!
We arrived back home last night. I'm sick, fighting a nasty cold, flu or something, but this too shall pass. It's good to be here. The end of the week, I'll be in New York at the Photo Plus Photographers Convention at the Javits Center & then back to Virginia to take care of Sue & John's farm while they enjoy each others company in Greece for a couple of weeks.
Till next time, take care of yourselves & each other, everybody needs someone at some point!

Batsto Country Living Show...

This Sunday, October 17th, 2010, I'll be at the Batsto Country Living Show. Not sure of my space number, but come on out & enjoy a great fall time! The leaves there are usually spectacular this time of year! The cranberries are a must to come home with for the upcoming holiday season's dinner table & it's definitely time to start thinking about holiday gifts.

I hope to see you there, stop by & say hello!

Haiti ~ Home

We arrived safely back to into the USA on Wednesday evening! We can't begin to tell you how happy & grateful we are to live here! We appreciate so many things as we walk around our home. Turning on the facet & the water comes out, turning on a light switch & the light comes on, having a door to open to our home that we love so much, good food & being able to cook on a stove & then clean up after it with clean water in a sink, the shower...you actually come out feeling clean, television, well, that I'm sure I could live without, but it is a nice luxury, but that's what it is, a luxury. I get mail, it may not always be good, but, I have a mailbox & people can send me things! I'll be going to the food store today & I will love every minute of it! I'll be like a kid in a candy store! AND...security won't be waiting outside the door to take me to my guarded vechicle. I feel free, safe, the air is breathable. But, the best part of all is seeing my family again.
Steven came to pick us up at the airport. He took us to dinner at the Library in Turnersville on the way home. I couldn't get enough of him! It was so great to see him! Truth be told, I think he was really happy to see us too. Crista came yesterday morning with Mason & Myla & spent the better part of the day with us. I just can't begin to tell you how wonderful it was to see them as well. Myla came running across the house with her arms wide open towards me, I picked her up, spun her around as her legs flung through the air, she hugged me & kissed me! We danced, cooked breakfast, played games, did puzzels & read books together. Myla's vocabulary has increased to a point that I can now have conversations with her. It's amazing! Mason spent some alone time with his Mom for a bit, came back & worked on making electricty happen. He's such a smart child. Usually, when I tell him I love him, (mind you he's 9) he'll just reply with "what you said". Yesterday as he left, he said the words, "I love you", he turned, looked at me as he walked off the front porch with these eyes that really meant it. They missed us too. Now, I can't wait to see Mark.
There's a fire burning in the fireplace, fall leaves are changing & the air is crisp. It's a beautiful thing! I love this country! I love my family & friends & thanks for supporting me no matter what. You all know I'm crazy! Was it worth it.....yes. To see what we've seen & to have went through what we went through was definetley an eye opener. The images I have taken while there, well, that was worth it too. Would I go back....I don't know. There would have to be some serious discussion about that & reasoning behind it. Never say never.
Thanks to all of you who have kept up with us while away!
This weekend.....Batsto Country Living show on Sunday, Virginia on Monday till maybe Friday & the weekend in the Pocono's! We deserve it! After that, back to work. Can't be anything like Haiti though! It'll be a pleasure!

Haiti...The multi talented Ronnie AND Our Friday night!

The men only have one day off, so, this is "Friday Night". No big deal except being able to sleep in in the morning. The guys are stopping at the Food Giant on the way home again, so I'll make breakfast for anyone who is up for it.

Unfortunatley, the helicopter ride & mountain excursion seems to be cancelled at this moment. Colin, the pilot, has another flight scheduled as per his boss, so we got bumped. I guess you have to go where the money is. We're bummed, but, some things just aren't meant to be. I will let you know if anything changes though.

I went to the jobsite yesterday. Alot has changed! They're on the last phase of the market & are making good time. They won't be finished today as they had hoped, but like I said in an earlier post, stuff happens.

Yesterday, the guys errected more columns, connected beams inbetween, put up some roof trusses, unloaded the trailor, conferred with other officials, Ronnie began to plumb up the building....the list goes on & on, they are SO busy all day long! It only ends at 5:00 & then the arduous ride home begins. And if it rains, depending on what vechicle you're in, you could be detained a bit longer at the botton of the hill on the home stretch.

We're now looking at being home around mid week or so. Although, I don't know what happened weather wise down in Port Au Prince today, but, we had a intense rain storm pass through here. It rained so intensely, not for too long, but there was a lot of water!

I uploaded another album on facebook today, titled, "Haiti_jobsite_ October 8, 2010".

I will go again probably on Monday & Tueday too as this will be the end of the job & as important as the beginning

Looking forward to seeing my kids, grandkids, family, friends & my dog & of course all my many luxuries at home for I feel like such a rich person. I have so much when "All you really need is love"! (The other things just makes life so much more bearable, but they truly are luxuries.)

Oh, sidenote...it would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday today.

Haiti...A Brand New Day...

The time gets closer every day till we depart this place, but the horrors we've witnessed here may never abandon our minds. Even the stories the men come home with stick to my thoughts throughout the middle of my nights & days.
They told me of a young girl around 12, hair all matted & wearing nothing but a shirt walking the streets & it had appeared she had been out all night in the rain. I can't imagine her story. The one I have in my mind is not a pretty one.
The children finally began their schooling on this past Monday. They have not been to school since the earthquake. Some won't return because the parents haven't any money & they must pay, not only for the schooling, but they need clothes, shoes & school supplies. My grandson, Mason, had gathered many of our pencil collection, (God only knows how we ended up with so many in the first place) & sent them with me to give out to the children here. I gave them all out to the men on the job that have children. I wish I only had several thousand more.
And if you think our govenment is bad, you should visit a third world country. I've seen this too many times where the rich get richer & the poor, well, the goverment likes to beat them down every chance they get. They don't make it easy for a child to get an education. There is so much needed here. Education being the first thing that comes to my mind. The people's dream here is to one day come to America. If they made it a better place to live here, then why would one want to leave? The weather may be hot, but it's the Carribean....you think, sun, fun, beauty...they have hunted all the native wildlife here to extinction, the fish as well, the trees cut down, & water??? I've told you how they bath themselves.
This is what I would do....As much as it rains here, give them large barrels to retain the water in, (just think of your daily water use in one day) put them on stands high up so they could be gravity fed.....compost so that they could start a soil program to begin their own gardens, a food source to be better able to care for themselves, start a seed exchange & teach them when to gather seeds for future plantings....grow sustainable forests, trees or shrubery like euculyptus, bamboo, & what ever is indigenous to this area....a fish hatchery & replenish the sea...raise chickens, there sure is enough roosters CROWING from 2:00am on.....some cows, goats......and if they can't afford schooling for their children, some of the more educated parents could run a home schooling program where they could alternate their schedules so as they could continue working their jobs....teach them how to recycle, it would cut down on all this trash & let them earn a few dollars turning their trash into some other useful item. They could even make toys, shopping bags, birdhouses & such out of recycled materials to sell to tourist to make some sort of income....ok, what it all boils down to is EDUCATION. The Government has the money. We know they do. But instead, they live their corrupt little lives behind walls with barbed wire so no one can steal from them what they've stolen from the people. Alright, guess I'd better stop now...I am still in this country.
On another note....It seems Pat will not be keeping the part of his finger that was reattached while here after all. Pat, if you read this, please keep us updated with your progress. We're keeping you in our thoughts & prayers & of course wish you all the best.
The men think they are winding down with the Iron Market & the end seems to be in sight! They may be finished on Saturday, but don't hold me to that. Stuff happens. Sunday, we're going to go up in the helicopter in the morning & after that, Colin, the pilot, said he would take us up the mountain where the air is cool, there's an awesome lodge up there that has great food & the scenery is beautiful! We can't wait!
There is another facebook album with jobsite photos from the last time I was there. I am now offically caught up! Till tomorrow that is! I'll be going to the site the next couple of days so I can capture the finale! Of this phase anyway, which I think was the biggest part of it.
I'll be in touch when I can! Till then, stay well, take care of one another & Love, Love, Love!!!