It was with such relief that ole man winter took his leave and spring arrived warm and welcoming. The weather here has been marvelous and arrived early with a warm February. It seems the older I get, the less I enjoy winter. Although the snow carries a breath-taking beauty, the below freezing temps for days on end leave me desiring the temperate climate left behind in the Willamette Valley.

After nearly a year of living here, I feel I am finally settling in. Seeing the earth wake up and begin to bloom has certainly helped. But the biggest change has been to get back into cycling. When I moved to Salem nearly 10 years ago, I put my bike in storage and left one of my greatest joys behind. When the warm weather arrived here, out came my lovely Blue Bliss and off I went. Oh my I forgot the pain of getting back in the saddle as the bum has to adjust once again. I also found that after all that time off, I felt unsteady on my road bike. A trip to the bike shop and a new hybrid bike and well…bobs your uncle…once again I am a cycling fool. How I have enjoyed these long solitary rides along the my old cycling haunts. Many improvements have been made and there is not a lovely cycling path.

It is not the landscape that makes my heart sing, but it has its own wild beauty.

I was treated to a pair of herons the other day on my ride. So beautiful. I love the Celtic mythology of the heron as the wise woman I listened to the message they were sending to me.

Aside from cycling, I have been out with the doggies daily. They adore their daily run and the walk is a time for me to listen to audio books and soak up some sun. I often take the grands along to explore the nature areas and look for fairies and little people.

Speaking of daily routines, in January I determined to finally add a yoga practice. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and how easy it was to incorporate into my daily routine. I find I am much more flexible and no longer have the aches and pains that I had upon rising. I think it is one of the best gifts I have given myself this year! I found a yogi on YouTube that I just love. I follow Yoga by Kassandra. She had hundreds of routines for every level. I can change it up and it never gets old. I love the meditative aspect of the practice, the slow steady movement of the body, and the use of breathing as a tool for deeper movement. Little Miss Mimi often joins me which is just too cute!

Since coming to Walla Walla, I determined to enjoy the amazing wines that the area is known for. There are over 100 wineries and nearly as many varietals. I have joined a few wine clubs as well. It is so lovely to relax in a beautiful setting while sipping wine that at times matches the nectar of the Gods!

Unfortunately I haven’t taken many pictures when out tasting. I will try to improve that and share the beauty of so many of the wineries.

I had the longest dry spell with no knitting at all. I just had no mojo at all to even work on socks. Of course, I had plenty to keep me busy. What I replaced that knitting time with was reading. I found myself reading 5 books or more per week. With the PhD, I had been so busy reading text and scholarly articles, that I had forgotten the pure joy of reading fiction. The local library has provided endless hours of enjoyment. I find that I prefer to find books on Pinterest or by reading reviews then use my library app to put them on hold. I can just swoop in, drop off books, and pick up the next load. Plus using Pinterest helps me to locate books that match my preferences.

We made a fun weekend trip to visit my eldest grand, Doodle Bug, who graduates from University this spring. Time with her is always a joy! She is headed off in the summer to teach English in Japan for at least a year. I am so happy for her, she is just such a firecracker, but boy will I miss her! I guess I will just have to go to Japan!

I have really struggled to blog since moving to this area. Life is very different here. I find I am much busier, but take few photos. I am content, but it has been an adjustment. However, I don’t want these years to pass without capturing a part of them here. I view this blog in part as a legacy to future generations. I am blessed to have diaries of my great gran offering me a snap shot into her daily life. I can read of my own mother’s birth through her grandmother’s lens, such an invaluable gift. Therefore I continue to strive to write of my simple and humble life so my grands and greats can be offered a glimpse of the daily life of their ancestors as well.

Lovingly,

Patricia