August 27, 2026 This morning I awoke to completely new view out my window. I love that! Periodically, I crave traveling to new places and the opportunity to explore a landscape different from the one I enjoy in Richmond, Virginia. Yesterday I had my breakfast on the patio with our outdoor cat, Carlos, as IContinue reading “Change of View”
Tag Archives: gratitude
Let Go and Let God
July 28, 2026 A dear friend reminded me of this helpful slogan when we walked yesterday. I was telling her how overwhelmed I felt about financial changes due to my retirement and all the many unknowns that were racing through my mind. My new insurance is starting on August first. As of yesterday morning, IContinue reading “Let Go and Let God”
I’m Free!
As I drove out of the parking lot at about 11:15 am on Friday, I blasted this old Who song on my stereo. 33 years as a high school educator in the books: computer turned in, keys returned, office empty. I was struck by a sense of elation mixed with utter exhaustion that still lingersContinue reading “I’m Free!”
Rest, Reset, Retreat
April 11, 2026 Waking to the sounds of birds outside my open window is deeply soothing. I am in the “treetops” room at the Porches in Norwood, Virginia for another writing retreat with Wellspring Writing Collective. I don’t recall being here for a spring writing retreat before. I think I have only been here inContinue reading “Rest, Reset, Retreat”
Winter Solstice
12-21-25 At 10:03 am today, the sun shone directly on the Tropic of Capricorn marking the Winter Solstice and for us in the northern Hemisphere, the beginning of Winter. Each day after today, the days will be slightly longer. I struggle with the darkness at this time of year, so for me, the extra minutesContinue reading “Winter Solstice”
A Harvest of Time and Effort
September 28, 2025 My vegetable garden has reached the state of late season chaos it comes to each fall. Although I am still harvesting tomatoes daily, some vines are yellowing and show signs of disease. Others are growing wildly across the garden, intertwining with late season cucumbers and a solidary eggplant. Soon I will needContinue reading “A Harvest of Time and Effort”
Hope is a Thing with Feathers
7/31/25 “Hope is a Thing with Feathers.” I have never been a poet, nor do I claim to be a poetry aficionado, but even I know that this is one of Emily Dickinson’s most famous poems. The line suddenly pushed its way into my mind as I was driving away from the Healing Place afterContinue reading “Hope is a Thing with Feathers”
Looking back without staring
Don’t Give Up 5 Minutes Before the Miracle
April 27, 2025 Writing posts for Mindful Musings has not been in the forefront of my mind lately. I continue to journal daily, and I keep up with my personal practices of yoga, meditation and exercise, but my urge to share my writing has been non-existent. Chalk it up to grief or working full-time orContinue reading “Don’t Give Up 5 Minutes Before the Miracle”
Rediscovering Joy
April 6, 2025 Grief is a bugger. It robs you of energy, fills you with uncomfortable and inconvenient emotions at highly inopportune moments and steals your ability to feel happy. Anyone who knew me before my eldest son died in 2023 would have described me as an optimist. I could always see the positive inContinue reading “Rediscovering Joy”
Mindful Musings 