hi friends,

last night we gathered to celebrate life. we were 7, young and old, democrats and republicans, all allowing each other to be who and what we are, appreciating our differences, celebrating our similarities with laughter and good cheer. good eatin’, good vibes. no one getting too ugly over politics, aside from the snide remarks. ahh yewehh!–just a week more and then i hope we all come together and be united, no matter who wins (but we know who will!, don’t we?).

not a drop of alcohol appeared at our fete. instead we drank upteem varieties of teas and laughed at how different things are now, from when our gatherings used to be so rowdy, so boisterous … so boozy and other ways whacky. ahhhh, life does get better, just like they say, when you work for what you want.

creating the mix the way you want it

juggle things this way and that…put together the “right” mix that “feels” good, for you … and … voila! you’ve got a good life. like last night’s dinner party at our house. one of our guests, an 80+ year old big-city shrink (Boston) said as he embraced us good night, “that’s the BEST meal I’ve ever had in my life!” wow. think of that. what a marvelous thing to say to a host, from someone who must have had a truck-load of dinners, and good ones! in his time. and, him being a shrink, now…he wouldn’t fib, would he? what’d we serve, you ask?

made a veggie, sausage and venison stew (from son cully’s florida-woods hunt last winter) and baked a drum, a succulent fish (90 yr. old mom’s catch on the st. augustine pier, a big 7 pounder); served with a lovely fresh-from-new york mozzerella/tennessee tomato, and local florida avocado salad with (still growing!) fresh basil from lord flea’s own garden; thin stalks of asparagus; and a mix of sweet and small golden baked spuds.  after a breather in which we enjoyed the “kinetic sculpture” of our many-candles-in-a-dish centerpiece melting into an ever-changing, ever-fascinating pool of white wax–what fun!, we had fresh fruit salad (local Florida seedless watermelon and ambrosia canteloupe, with California strawberries, sprinkled with just a touch of maple syrup, unsweet yogurt, and dash of cinnamon that makes people always rave (and inquire ‘what’s that taste?’) after indulging in lord flea’s fruit combos. 

the basil from … ahhh… my garden.

happy and thriving. such a gorgeous growing season here in Florida! my xeroscape garden totally awes me, even now with the first chill of the season making the big green think twice about going any further into bloom.

lord flea's garden, with carter modeling the leaves

not too shabby for just one year’s growth! here’s the same place, just one year ago when we moved in. look what love, healthy stock, inspiration, and lots of cow poopies can do in just 12 months!

same guy, same yard, one year ago!

we’ve been sailing, canoeing, and motoring the inland waterways, sharing good times with friends new and old, and i’ve been writing, finally feeling my voice coming together with new project: a spiritual autobiography (thank you, Thomas Merton!).

life’s a treat these days. sometimes i pinch myself, we’re so blessed. must have something to do with all the hard work i’ve done to get over my past challenges.