The Lovely Month of May

I am finally going through photos from May, and taking time to catch my breath in writing. This month has been so full of good activity that I haven't been able to stop to write about it here. Daily reflection: yes; blogging: not so much.

Awaking early today, the quiet beckons me to sit and write.

Photo credit: Rebecca L./Field's End

Four weeks of Word Soup have been completed. What a wonderful group of talented, open-hearted writers! Each one was receptive to varied writing prompts, and engaged in sharing and commenting supportively on others' work. We were impressed, entertained, intrigued and stimulated by their contributions. I am now in the process of gathering insights from participants. It is a pleasure to lead this workshop, and I am thankful to Kitsap Regional Library's Poulsbo Branch for hosting it.

We had a beautiful Mother's Day. My family gathered to celebrate our mom with brunch in one of our favorite places on Lake Washington.

David was at work, so he joined us later for dinner. This was his generous gift to me (along with a card, which I treasure):

He has been working at his aunt and uncle's business, Savage Plants & Landscape. Isn't that vase fantastic?

We had the pleasure of a long-awaited visit from treasured, far-away, on-line friends in May.

I met Karen through her blog, "From Paradise to Plan B." She and her husband, Joe, had dinner with us on a layover between flights many months ago, but this time, they came to our home for brunch, a beach walk and blessed hours of conversation.

"Love is everything. Everything else is just everything else" - a gift from Karen & Joe

After these two visits, Karen and Joe feel like true friends of many years' standing, though we have mainly known one another from a great distance, and through writing. This is one of the many gifts of blogging: meaningful connections with people you would never know otherwise. We look forward to seeing them again!

The Bainbridge Public Library's new board members took a tour of other Kitsap Regional Libraries (of which BPL is a member). This was an educational and fruitful day; I learned a great deal about the services and contributions to our community which each branch makes, and how things work at the central "hub" of the system. Public libraries are truly democratic institutions. We serve all of the public, from children to senior citizens, from early reading programs to help with job searches and income tax preparation. Students find a safe, quiet place to study, read, access media and take online exams; researchers have access to expert help and free resources; genealogists have a resource room dedicated to their own pursuits; meeting space is available to all; a bookmobile travels to serve those who cannot travel to their local branch. The library is an astonishingly diverse gift for everyone, and it is a privilege to serve as a member of its board.

And then there was the anniversary weekend. Gregg and I have been married for 24 years, and we made the trip to Victoria, B.C. to mark the occasion. As usual, it was blissful. How do I love Vancouver Island? Let me count the ways...

On this annual trip, we have highlights which are favorites, and lots of time to improvise in between. Some of the highlights:

Water views, everywhere

Anniversary dinner at Cafe Brio

Oohhhhh: Sticky Date Toffee Pudding and Venturi-Schulze Brandenburg #3

Live music after dinner

Swiftsure sailboats on the way out of the harbour to start the race

Flowers in town

We walked 8-10 miles each day, window-shopped, explored, visited two farmer's markets, ate and drank and slept well.

A happy husband

I am grateful to this man for his faithful friendship and love over the past 24 years, "for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer." We have experienced all of those things together. Looking forward to the next 24 years, God willing!

David is packing for his move to Montana (he leaves today), so we took him out for dinner last night at his favorite local pub.

We have so enjoyed having him with us, but are thrilled for him to embark upon his new adventure. Bon voyage, David!