I am a non-dancing Scottish Country Dancer. I gave up dancing in 2020 due to a heel issue, Haglund’s Deformity. After struggling with it for five years, I gave in and had surgery on the heel this past January.
There will always be a part of me that continues to have the heart of a Scottish Country Dancer. I maintain my membership to the San Diego and the International Branch in Scotland. I have helped out at events. This weekend I went to the San Diego Highland Games to support the local Scottish group, to have fun, and help out at the booth.
The Highland Games are traditional Scottish sporting and cultural festivals that feature heavy athletics, piping, drumming, and Highland dancing. Originating centuries ago in the Scottish Highlands, they serve as a vibrant celebration of Celtic identity and are now held globally
I enjoyed being at the booth, speaking with people who came up to ask questions. Once in a while, a face from the past showed up. Sometimes I remembered them, and sometimes I didn’t, yet it is always fun to greet people, reconnect, and hear their stories. One man told us that he Scottish danced years ago until a heavyset dancer stepped on his foot and broke it. Ouch! (Trust me, that is a rare event)
Yesterday, two men, a father and son, showed up at our booth from the Santa Rosa Branch of the RSCDS. Santa Rosa is north of San Francisco. Ethan was competing in the solo Bag Piping event.
Look at that Blue Kilt
In 2013, I wrote a post about Jim’s kilt, a Modern Morgan plaid. I gifted it to an organization created by a good friend, Ron Wallace. Ron is a gifted dancer, musician, and teacher. This organization was created as a non-profit to help young Scottish musicians and dancers be able to outfit themselves. Instruments cost money. Kilts cost money. Often it takes time for young musicians and dancers to outfit themselves. Jim’s kilt is still helping these young men to perform in the correct attire until they can afford their own.
Today at the Highland Games, I met the “Baily Boys” a father and son, Bill and Ethan, who dance in Ron’s class in Santa Rosa, California. The son is also a piper, learning his art from Ron among other teachers.
Ron
I have not been in touch with Ron for quite some time. I took the time to ask the Baily Boys for an update on Ron’s phone number and e-mail. This is when I found out that Ethan had worn Jim’s kilt as he was beginning to perform.
Here is what I feel is odd. Jim has been gone for over thirteen years. My life has certainly taken on a new direction. Knowing that Ethan had worn Jim’s kilt brought me to tears, and my heart felt full. It was such a touching moment to learn that Jim’s kilt, like his memory, are living on.
I was surprised that knowing this one fact opened my heart. It felt like I was seeing Jim and this kilt and all those who might have used it since his death. My heart flooded open, and I felt so grateful to know that this nice young man had benefited from a kilt that I gave to this organization. It was an honor to meet him, to know he had shared a little piece of Jim and then shared it with me.
For a moment, it made me wish I could go back in time and stand next to Jim once again as we went to our next ball. Sigh. I wonder if this will ever go away. i wonder if I want it to.
Grief is such an odd thing. It seems to take so many shapes and forms. Sometimes it involves the feeling of loss. Sometimes I see that time in my life as if it was a moment so long ago and yet still so close. And, sometimes, like today, it fills me with so many emotions all at once. Love, remembrance, sadness, tears, longing, joy, a very full heart, being in the moment, and everything else in between.
And, you know, I am glad I can feel all these things. I am glad I can be brought into the moment, where the past and future and even the present seem to fade away. And for that one moment I can truly experience being here now, being in this one moment. I can once again understand and know at a core level what I had with Jim and feel grateful that I had this experience for twenty-one amazing years.
Thank you to Ethan who helped bring this moment forward. Thanks to a Modern Morgan plaid kilt that keeps on giving to me and others. There is magic in that material. Thanks to Ron who helped that kilt find a good home. And…thank you to Jim who keeps on giving my heart a tug, over time. I love him still.
Today I am thankful. I am thankful for a full heartfelt moment. I am thankful for memories that make my heart and spirit so full.
Zee and I arrived in Croatia three days ago. It is very different than Türkiye. It is more modern, we don’t see any of the squatty potties we saw throughout Türkiye, more people speak English and it just feels esaier to move around.
For three days we stayed in Split a small town centered around a Palace, the Diocletian Palace. The history of the city of Split is inextricably linked to the Roman emperor Diocletian and his stunning palace which was built for the purpose of his retirement in the year 305.
Diocletian’s palace is one of the best preserved and most impressive monuments of the Roman era in Europe, and it has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1979. The palace was built to serve several purposes and combined imperial residence, a military fortress, and a fortified town. Even though its original structure changed and altered over the centuries, it is still, even today, the very heart of the city of Split packed with bars, restaurants, shops, and people wandering around, absorbing the vibrations of the streets.
Diocletian was born around the year 243 in Roman Dalmatia, probably somewhere near Salona, with the name Diocles. He began his career as a soldier, defending the distant borders of the Roman Empire and conquering new ones. Diocletian was proclaimed emperor in the year 284 with the title The Emperor Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus. He ruled for twenty years, which was a relatively long time at that period. He abdicated voluntarily and retired to the palace he had built in his Dalmatian homeland. At that time, the ancient settlement of Aspalathos, Latin Spalatum, was known as a small fishing port and had no possibility of advancement due to the great development of nearby cities, such as Salona and Trogir. The situation changed after Diocletian decided to spend the last days of his life precisely in Spalatum.
It is assumed that the construction of the palace lasted for 10 years. Diocletian’s palace was a very strong fortress that occupied an area of more than 30,000 m². It was constructed with stone transported from the island of Brač, in addition to marble from Italy and Greece, as well as the columns and 12 sphinxes from Egypt. The palace actually contained an entire city with streets, squares and buildings that served different purposes. The southern façade of the palace was located right on the coast. The other three facades were located on land and together with the southern façade closed the rectangular shape of the palace.
Golden Gate
The Palace was divided into four parts by the two main streets intersecting in the middle: the guards and military were situated in the northern, while Diocletian’s residence was in the southern quadrants. Each wall of the palace had a gate at its center, named after a metal: northern Golden Gate, southern Brass Gate, eastern Silver gate, and western Iron Gate. In ancient times, Brass Gate opened straight from the water into the palace basements, enabling goods to be delivered directly from the ships and stored there. Today, Brass Gate is the main entrance into the palace from the Riva.
After Diocletian died, his Palace became imperial property. At the beginning of the 7th century, after the devastation of nearby Salona, Diocletian’s palace provided shelter to the exiled inhabitants who were defending themselves from the invading barbarians. This period also marked the beginning of organized city life inside the Palace. During the following centuries, the area of the city of Spalatum expanded and parts of Diocletian’s palace were destroyed, while other structures were built inside it. The city gradually spread around the Palace and by the 15th century, it doubled in the surface. Today, Split is the largest city in Dalmatia and the second-largest city in Croatia.
The Silvert Gate
The terraine here reminds me very much of southern California. It is a mediterranean climate so it should not surprise me that things look a lot like where I am from. On one of my adventures through town I found a massive Bougainvillea. Many of the flowers are the same as well. What is very different is the very blue Adriatic Sea.
The Second day we signed up for a tour that lasted for most of the day. We visited the UNESCO world heritage site, the town of Trogir and then prceeded to one of Croatia’s National Park, Krka Falls. It was a fascinating day with a bit of diversity in it, from town to nature and back again.
The Historic City of Trogir on the eastern coast of the Adriatic is a remarkable example of urban continuity. The orthogonal street pattern of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period, and it has been embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. Its fine Romanesque churches are complemented by the outstanding Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period. Its urban fabric has been conserved to an exceptional degree and with the minimum of modern interventions, in which the trajectory of social and cultural development is clearly visible in every aspect of the townscape.
The ancient town of Tragurion was founded in the 3rd century BC as a trading settlement by Greek colonists on an island at the western end of the bay of Manios between the mainland and one of the Adriatic islands. The town was enclosed by a megalithic wall and its streets were laid out on a grid plan. The town has been in continuous occupation since then. Its contemporary plan reflects the Hellenistic layout in the location, dimension and shapes of its residential blocks. The two ancient main streets, the cardo maximus and the decumanusare still in use.
The development of the ancient town is clearly expressed in the town plans. Ancient Tragurion lies at the eastern end of the islet; this spread out in the earlier medieval period, and the plan of two concentric circles of houses and streets, within the former walls, is still visible. The medieval suburb of Pasike developed to the west on a different alignment, and was enclosed by the later fortifications. The port was located on the south side. Finally, the massive Venetian fortifications incorporated the Genoese fortress known as the Camerlengo. The townscape of Trogir is determined by the pattern of, for the most part, narrow streets. Its homogeneity is stressed by the predominant local limestone, now mellowed by time with a golden patina.
The Krka National Park has held national park status since 1985 and is one of the most popular and well known of Croatia’s many natural attractions.
Being barely spoilt by humanity, this large expanse of 109 square kilometres is wild and attractive, boasting the highest density of wild lavender in Europe and sustains a variety of eco-systems.
Nearly 900 different plant species live within the park, as well as over 200 bird species and 18 different types of fish from trout to the Dalmatian Barbel Gudgeon.
The national park is also home to some of the most impressive waterfalls in the country.
At the end of the day we took a twenty minute boat ride to the town of Skadin before we returned to Split. It was a full day and a good day. As I walked along the boardwalk trails I enjoyed listening to the frogs and birds. It was nice to be in nature for a part of my day. Nature is always so important for my healing self.
Today it has been raining, thunder, lightning included for free. We took the boat to Bol. for two nights and now will be on some of the Croatian Islands before ending the trip in Dubrovnik in about 10 days. Stay tuned there is more to come.
And they are still loved and protected in Croatia. They have been loved and cared for since the plague. It was discoved if you had cats around the rats were killed. No Rats – No Plague. Yay kitties.
Well it has been an action-packed two weeks. When traveling with a tour group, one is on the move. I have seen a lot of Turkyie and reawakened some ancient world history.
Before I get on the plane, I wanted to share some photos of the last places I have been since I last posted.
First stop was on the Silk Road at a Caravanserais. Hmmm…What is that?
The site, formally known as Sultan Han, is widely regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of Seljuk-era architecture anywhere in the world, and carries the additional distinction of being the largest caravanserai still standing in the entire country — covering approximately 4,900 square metres, which is a considerable amount of 13th-century stonework by anyone’s standards. It was built between 1229 and 1236 on the orders of the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keykubad I, who had apparently decided that the 300-kilometre stretch of road between Konya and Aksaray needed a decent pit stop, and wasn’t going to do things by halves.
The word han translates roughly as “inn” or “hostel,” which rather undersells this place. Caravanserais like this one were the essential infrastructure of the medieval trading world — vital stopping points along the great overland routes of the age, including the Silk Road, that extraordinary network of tracks and paths connecting China and Central Asia to the Mediterranean and beyond. Merchants travelling these routes were shifting silk, spices, ceramics, glassware, and every other commodity you care to mention across thousands of miles of difficult and often dangerous terrain. They needed somewhere to stop, eat, sleep, water their animals, and repair their equipment. Sultan Han provided all of that, and at the Seljuk Sultan’s express instruction, it did so entirely free of charge for the first three days of any traveller’s stay. Three days. Free food, free lodging, free stabling. The medieval equivalent of an extremely generous service station.
In practical terms, these structures were simultaneously inns, warehouses, stables, bathhouses, mosques, and fortresses. The fortress element was not decorative — travelling merchants were carrying valuable goods through remote and occasionally lawless territory, and the thick stone walls and single heavily guarded entrance were there for very good reason. The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm, which controlled much of Anatolia during this period, built a string of caravanserais roughly a day’s journey apart — approximately 30 to 40 kilometres (about 25 miles), a camel’s ride length— specifically to encourage and protect trade.
EntranceInterior CourtyardThe Winter RoomSultans RoomTurkish BathReturning to the Outside World
Once through the entrance, this courtyard would have been absolutely heaving with life. During the warmer months, traders arriving along the old caravan routes would have bedded down here alongside their camels, horses, and whatever else they’d dragged across the desert. It wasn’t glamorous, but then neither is a Premier Inn, and at least here you could see the stars.
One side of the courtyard is lined with a covered arcade — a shaded walkway of the kind you find all over the ancient trading world, designed less for aesthetic charm and more for keeping the sun off your head while you argued about the price of silk.
It’s generally believed that this arcade area originally served as stabling for animals or storage for goods — the kind of unglamorous but essential infrastructure that kept the whole trading system ticking. Nobody builds a plaque for the horse stalls, of course, but without them the merchants would have got precisely nowhere. Over the centuries, as the caravans stopped coming and tourism quietly took their place, the space was repurposed. It’s a practical reuse of what was there, and to be fair, it doesn’t feel cynically commercial — more like a sensible acknowledgement that the world moves on and people still need somewhere to sit.
As a reminder of the Caravan Days today next to the site is a small shopping area with a cafe. You can buy many things there but tea and ice cream are still a favoriite.
Next it was on to Cappadocia the place of the Cave Houses and Churches with a history that goes way back.
The cave houses of Cappadocia, carved directly into the soft volcanic tuff of central Anatolia, have been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. Originally adapted by ancient civilizations as basic shelter, they later served as safe havens for persecuted Christians before evolving into today’s sought-after boutique hotels.
Hittites & Phrygians (circa 8th–7th Centuries BC): Early inhabitants of the Anatolian plateau began carving basic structures into the soft volcanic rock for seasonal storage, wineries, and simple dwellings.
Geological Advantage: The landscape’s “fairy chimneys” are made of volcanic tuff, which is remarkably easy to carve with basic tools, yet hardens into a strong, insulating material when exposed to air.The cave houses of Cappadocia, carved directly into the soft volcanic tuff of central Anatolia, have been continuously inhabited for thousands of years. Originally adapted by ancient civilizations as basic shelter, they later served as safe havens for persecuted Christians before evolving into today’s sought-after boutique hotels.
The Origins: Ancient Civilizations
Hittites & Phrygians (circa 8th–7th Centuries BC): Early inhabitants of the Anatolian plateau began carving basic structures into the soft volcanic rock for seasonal storage, wineries, and simple dwellings.
Geological Advantage: The landscape’s “fairy chimneys” are made of volcanic tuff, which is remarkably easy to carve with basic tools, yet hardens into a strong, insulating material when exposed to air.
Kayakapi Premium Caves – Cappadocia
The Byzantine Era: Monasteries and Refuge
Early Christians (4th Century AD onward): During the Roman Empire and subsequent Arab-Byzantine conflicts, Christians facing religious persecution sought refuge in the region.
Underground Cities: Locals expanded the cave systems into massive, multi-level underground cities like Derinkuyu Underground City and Kaymaklı. These subterranean marvels contained living quarters, ventilation shafts, wells, and stables, allowing thousands to hide from invaders for weeks.
Cave Churches: Above ground, monks and ascetics carved intricate churches and monasteries into the cliffs and spires, such as those found in the Göreme Open Air Museum.
The Ottoman Period: Community Living
Expansion (18th & 19th Centuries): Throughout the Ottoman Empire, the rock-cut homes continued to be heavily utilized by the local Turkish and Greek populations.
Architecture: Traditional Cappadocian stone-cutting flourished during this time. Houses were built with arched doorways, stylized ivy motifs, and were often paired with carved dovecotes (pigeon houses) which provided essential agricultural fertilizer.Modern Times: Desertion and Revival
Mid-20th Century Relocation: By the mid-20th century, many residents began abandoning the cave dwellings for modern brick-and-mortar homes, as living in caves was increasingly associated with poverty.
Tourism Boom: In the late 1990s and 2000s, the value of the caves was radically reassessed. Their unparalleled natural insulation—cool in the summer, warm in the winter—and unique aesthetic transformed them into a booming tourism industry.
Today: Many historic cave houses have been beautifully restored into world-famous boutique hotels, preserving an ancient architectural legacy while meeting modern living standards
The Byzantine Era: Monasteries and Refuges
Early Christians (4th Century AD onward): During the Roman Empire and subsequent Arab-Byzantine conflicts, Christians facing religious persecution sought refuge in the region.
Cave Churches: Above ground, monks and ascetics carved intricate churches and monasteries into the cliffs and spires, such as those found in the Göreme Open Air Museum.
The Ottoman Period: Community Living
Expansion (18th & 19th Centuries): Throughout the Ottoman Empire, the rock-cut homes continued to be heavily utilized by the local Turkish and Greek populations.
Architecture: Traditional Cappadocian stone-cutting flourished during this time. Houses were built with arched doorways, stylized ivy motifs, and were often paired with carved dovecotes (pigeon houses) which provided essential agricultural fertilizer.
Modern Times: Desertion and Revival
Mid-20th Century Relocation: By the mid-20th century, many residents began abandoning the cave dwellings for modern brick-and-mortar homes, as living in caves was increasingly associated with poverty.
Tourism Boom: In the late 1990s and 2000s, the value of the caves was radically reassessed. Their unparalleled natural insulation—cool in the summer, warm in the winter—and unique aesthetic transformed them into a booming tourism industry.
Today: Many historic cave houses have been beautifully restored into world-famous boutique hotels, preserving an ancient architectural legacy while meeting modern living standards.
Our accomodations were in one of the cave hotels. It was exotic and stayed a pretty steady temperature without the need for airconditioning. It was a large room. When we first open the door I thought I was looking in a mirror. My bed was in the back and Mary’s to the forward part of the photo.
The last evening we had the opportunity to see the Prayer ceremony featuring the Whirling Dervishes.
A “whirling dervish” refers to a practitioner of the Mevlevi Order of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam. Founded in the 13th century by the followers of the poet and mystic Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (Mevlana), they are famous for their Sema—an ecstatic, spinning meditation ritual performed to achieve a connection with God.The traditional ceremony and physical movements carry deep symbolic meaning:The Attire: Dervishes wear a tall, brown felt cap called a sikke (symbolizing the tombstone of the ego) and a long, sleeveless white robe called a tennure (symbolizing the ego’s shroud).The Dance: While spinning rhythmically, the dervish raises their arms toward heaven. Their right palm points upward to receive divine grace, while the left palm points downward to bestow that grace upon humanity.Cosmic Connection: The continuous spinning is a symbolic imitation of the planets in the solar system orbiting the sun and a mechanism to abandon personal desires in order to reach the divine.
The last day before we flew back to Istanbul was a mix of events leading off with viewing the area of the Fairy Chimneys. We were suppose to fly over them in a Hot Air Balloon but the weather did not cooperate.
Weather and Wind hellped create thes unique formations.
We stopped at a coffee house that served Turkish Coffee, Pistachio Coffee and Hazelnut Coffee. I had the Pistachio and it was delicious.
One of our last stops before our flight back to Istanbul was a stop to learn about pottery making and it’s importance to Turkyie.
The art of Turkish ceramics developed in Anatolia in the earliest ages of the region, and play a very important role in Turkey’s history and culture.
Turkey’s history of ceramic production dates back to about 10,000 years, with different types developing in multiple regions. During the mid-20th century era, mass production began as Turkish ceramic producers built factories to produce the ceramics on a much larger scale, leading to the popularity and incline in production of Turkish ceramics.
A big part of the fascination with Turkish ceramics was, and is, the strength of the shell. Turkish ceramics can hold good condition and their color for centuries.
During the 12th century, the Seljuk Turks created the ceramics using themes that focused on geometrical shapes and patterns and prioritizing shades of blue. As the culture shifted from the 15th and 17th centuries during the Ottoman Empire, colors of ceramics became more bold and distinctive, with clearer outlines and shapes. Iznik work grew to its peak in the 16th century, leading to the production of over 300 artistic workshops running effectively at once.
During this time, ceramics were not only used for decoration but also to assist in building and formulating a design for plain surfaces. Tile making, brick production, and roof production all have creative groups that are considered branches of ceramics. The most popular type of Turkish ceramic is the Iznik, however, there are many historic, regional variations of ceramics.
And just like that my time in Turkey has come to an end. Well almost.
In less than one week, I will be taking my healing foot on a new adventure. Next Monday I am going International. A friend of mine, Zee, and I are going to Turkey for two weeks and then on to Croatia for two more. It is time to travel.
Remember the Trojan Horse? Troy is on the itinerary. Ephesus, Istanbul, Cappadocia, all the names out of World History are going to come alive as we travel through Turkey. History will certainly come alive.
After the tour is complete, Zee and I will be moving on to Croatia. tour-free, although we did have help organizing our time. We are going to stay near the water, island-hopping, kayaking, sailing, and more. As I told Zee, no matter what we do, it will be amazing. When I have never seen a place, everything becomes interesting and the best place ever.
Covering Turkey in Two Wee
I always get the pre-travel jitters. I worry about everything imagined or real. This year it began with worrying about what type of suitcase I should take. Should it be small or large, soft or hard sided? What should I take? I worried so much I would stay awake at night. It is amazing what one’s mind can focus on instead of sleep.
Just as I had made a decision about the suitcase, the community page I am on for the Turkey tour, told us to travel light. Back I went to worrying about the darn suitcase again. When a good friend, Phyllis, loaned me her suitcase. I could breathe and feel good about my decision. Although it really was made by Phyllis.
Once the suitcase situation was resolved, on I went to all other matters real or imagined that my sweet brain could build up in the middle of the night. What camera should I take? What clothes should I take? Sunglasses, hat, shoes and on and on. What about this? What about that?
Once I am on the plane and on my way I am good but oh my, the getting there. When Jim, my husband was still here, he could calm me down. Burt now there is no one and I have free reign to imagine and fuss and worry. Oh my goodness I miss him at moments like this.
Mission Trails Regional Park
Each day I continue to move forward trying my best to love myself and find some joy in each day. And even if it is only for a short bit I find my way into nature where I am most content. Today I walked into Mission Trails Regional Park. There was rain during the early hours that left these beautiful clouds and blue sky behind.
How is my heel?, you may ask. A little over three months ago I had surgery to repair a bone spur and Achilles Tendon issue. I am doing well. Am I completely healed? No, yet I am getting there. This time I will take things to help me. Hiking Poles? Yes. Scar Cream? Yes. Compression Socks? Yes. I have worked hard to get to this point and I am proud of my determination, following what was outlined by my doctors, Physical Therapist, Acupuncturist, Chiropractor, Massage Therapist, ART Specialist and Myofascial Release Tech. Oh yes I have been busy healing. I am going on vacation from my regimen.
EmmyLou, my rig is going into storage on Friday. She is going to be put inside and watched and cared for. When I return they will have washed her and gotten her ready for summer travel. Ah, does that sound nice?
The countdown is on. Each day I have a list. If I allow it, my friends in San Diego help divert my attention and keep me on an even keel. Each day I take a deep breath, get ready, do a little yoga and take a walk. I am getting there.
Today I am thankful, for this crazy woman who is me. Today I am thankful for techniques to get me through my own craziness. Today I thankful for the opportunity to explore new places and be amazed.
Last week I sat down and balanced my checkbook. A habit taught to me by Jim, my husband who died over thirteen years ago. Every Two weeks we sat at the computer and did our financial thing.
I am thankful that Jim and I did our finances together. It started because we were buying a high priced item. I asked him if we had enough money to afford it. It was that moment that we became partners in finance. He told me that we had to do all financial things together from now on and so we did. Boy did it help after he died too young.
My Checkbook
It is not unusual to get comments from people, including friends, that I still balance my checkbook, with a big question mark at the end of this sentence. Like it is an amazing and quaint thing to do.
So much of our lives are on-line now. Yes I do bank on-line. Yes I keep track of all things financial on-line. Yes I shop on-line. Yes, Yes, Yes. I still like to see, in front of me that my life is in order, therefore balancing my checkbook.
There is something about sitting down, in front of my computer with my checkbook in front of me and settling it up for another few weeks. It is almost a meditative event in my often too busy life. I know that for an hour or so my focus is on one thing. I am sitting still and the outcome is that I know exactly how much I have to live and work with until I sit down again in a few weeks and do it all again. I can inhale and exhale and journey on with security for another period of time.
There are other things that I still do in “an old fashion way”. I think that people in my age group still do a few things in the old fashioned way. We pay bills on time, although on line now. I do my taxes via Turbo Tax on line. We clean the house or in my case my rig. Laundry gets done. The yard and garden gets spiffed up and the lawn gets mowed. You get the idea.
As I have aged I find these activities to be more meditative and calming. For a while all the things I need to get done are put on hold and I enjoy and focus on the task at hand. When it is done I feel complete and settled and ready for the chaos that is life.
At the end of the day, I am thankful for activities that help me focus moment by moment. I am thankful for my pretty sunflower checkbook calling me to once again come and sit down. Take a deep breath and dive in.
In 2020 I was diagnosed with Haglund’s Deformity. It is a bony growth at the insertion point of the Achilles tendon. I limped along with it for five years before giving up and having surgery performed on my left heel.
On January 22nd I had surgery on my left heel. I was in a cast for ten days and then moved to a boot with heel wedges in place. Each week I got to remove one wedge. And…..finally…..a week ago I became boot free. Hallelujah!
Doesn’t that boot look like something from Star Wars? I looked like a Storm Trooper from the knee down.
What have I been doing with my time
My rig EmmyLou has been having repairs done. I fixed the refrigerator door and its lock system. I have taken things apart and put them back together again. I have made new covers for the area under the captains chairs. She is getting spiffed up. Anything I can do sitting down is getting done.
I have a background in Holistic Health and Healing. I have a Masters in it. I believe that healing involves all modalities. Kaiser offered free rides to.appointments. I have had Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Active Release Technique done once a week. I got to visit with the drivers and see the world.
My Crochet Hooks have been busy. I love the creative process. I am very good at taking things out and trying again.
In situations like this all the streaming services on the TV helped pass the time. I caught up on Bridgerton, Surfing videos and more.
My friends came to visit and enjoy the healing atmosphere of my friend Drew’s home. They also took me out to breakfast and lunch.
There has been a jigsaw puzzle going since I have arrived here just before surgery.
When Drew wasn’t watching I got out in the yard and did some weeding.
Physical Therapy has begun. I have exercises to do each day. Up on the toes and down again. Lean forward and the come back to standing. Balance on one foot then try the other. Do some Yoga and go to the gym. I am busy.
I like going to Kaiser for my appointments. It gives me something new and different to do. And I have finally discovered what is on the sixth floor. I am driving so I am back in EmmyLou and driving myself to appointments.
I am walking some each day. When my heel becomes mildly swollen, I stop for the day. I put my foot up and allow myself some time off. And then its back to “feet on the ground” and ready to take the next step forward.
Time does go by no matter whether I am active or not. It has made me grateful that I am now back on both feet. It has made me thankful for the lack of pain in my left heel and calf. Whew I put up with that for five years. I could have been dancing. What was I thinking?!?
Now it is time for me to remember to take one step at a time. Just like many I will need to remind myself to take it easy and stop when needed. I guess I won’t be climbing any mountains or biking the distance any time soon.
It feels like it has been forever since this all started but in reality in has been six weeks. For someone who likes being on the move it has felt much longer. I keep reminding myself that I chose to have this done and I can do this.
I will continue to move forward, One Step at a Time.
In 2020 I was diagnosed with Haglund’s Deformity. It is a bony growth at the insertion point of the Achilles tendon. I limped along with it for five years before giving up and having surgery performed on my left heel.
On January 22nd I had surgery on my left heel. I was in a cast for ten days and then moved to a boot with heel wedges in place. Each week I got to remove one wedge. And…..finally…..a week ago I became boot free. Hallelujah!
Doesn’t that boot look like something from Star Wars? I looked like a Storm Trooper from the knee down.
What have I been doing with my time
My rig EmmyLou has been having repairs done. I fixed the refrigerator door and its lock system. I have taken things apart and put them back together again. I have made new covers for the area under the captains chairs. She is getting spiffed up. Anything I can do sitting down is getting done.
I have a background in Holistic Health and Healing. I have a Masters in it. I believe that healing involves all modalities. Kaiser offered free rides to.appointments. I have had Acupuncture, Chiropractic and Active Release Technique done once a week. I got to visit with the drivers and see the world.
My Crochet Hooks have been busy. I love the creative process. I am very good at taking things out and trying again.
In situations like this all the streaming services on the TV helped pass the time. I caught up on Bridgerton, Surfing videos and more.
My friends came to visit and enjoy the healing atmosphere of my friend Drew’s home. They also took me out to breakfast and lunch.
There has been a jigsaw puzzle going since I have arrived here just before surgery.
When Drew wasn’t watching I got out in the yard and did some weeding.
Physical Therapy has begun. I have exercises to do each day. Up on the toes and down again. Lean forward and the come back to standing. Balance on one foot then try the other. Do some Yoga and go to the gym. I am busy.
I like going to Kaiser for my appointments. It gives me something new and different to do. And I have finally discovered what is on the sixth floor. I am driving so I am back in EmmyLou and driving myself to appointments.
I am walking some each day. When my heel becomes mildly swollen, I stop for the day. I put my foot up and allow myself some time off. And then its back to “feet on the ground” and ready to take the next step forward.
Time does go by no matter whether I am active or not. It has made me grateful that I am now back on both feet. It has made me thankful for the lack of pain in my left heel and calf. Whew I put up with that for five years. I could have been dancing. What was I thinking?!?
Now it is time for me to remember to take one step at a time. Just like many I will need to remind myself to take it easy and stop when needed. I guess I won’t be climbing any mountains or biking the distance any time soon.
It feels like it has been forever since this all started but in reality in has been six weeks. For someone who likes being on the move it has felt much longer. I keep reminding myself that I chose to have this done and I can do this.
I will continue to move forward, One Step at a Time.
In 1903 the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, became the official state flower of California. The California poppy is commonly seen blooming in the spring and summer. It flowers along country roads and freeways throughout much of the state. This makes the plant a highly recognizable symbol of California. April 6 of each year is officially designated as California Poppy Day.
I have been asked many questions since I began my full time RV Lifestyle. Where is your favorite place? Are you going back to….? When will you choose where to live? What has been your best day ever.
There are many Best Days Ever. They can big days or little days, big events or little events. Best days ever make my heart sing no matter the size or event.
Last week I had my Latest Best Day Ever. A good friend of mine, Phyllis, and I decided to take a road trip. We drove four hours north to see the poppy fields in bloom at the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve. We drove into the Poppy Preserve in the mid-afternoon on Wednesday.
As I was still in a boot, (post heel surgery) walking and hiking was limited. We walked out on a paved trail. It allowed us to see over the Antelope Valley and enjoy all those beautiful orange flowers. But wait…there were many other flowers as well that helped those California Poppies pop even more.
What flowers grow among the California Poppies?
Goldfields: Yellow flowers that often carpet the fields alongside the poppies.
Owl Clover: Purplish-pink flowers.
Creme Cups: White, cup-shaped flowers.
Lupine: Ranging from dwarf to taller purple spikes.
Lacy Phacelia: Purple-blue flowers.
Coreopsis: Yellow sunflowers.
Red Stem Filaree: Small pink-purple flowers.
After spending the night in Lancaster, California we went back to the poppy fields the next morning. We never made it to the reserve. We discovered good dirt roads surrounded with poppy fields and many other kinds of flowers. We never resist a challenge. So, we took Phyllis’s Prius onto the dirt roads. We immersed ourselves in the flowers of the Antelope Valley.
I am a photographer so how could this post not include a video of my most current Best Day Ever. It is 7 minutes long. There is a slight pause between the first and second piece of music. Don’t leave too soon. And you can click on any photo in the blog and it will enlarge the photo. You can get more eye candy that way. Enjoy the Slideshow.
As most know I am a traveler and wanderer. I look for places outside. I look for wildlife to keep my camera busy. I have been stationary for almost six weeks. I have been getting itchy to move. I knew going into this heel surgery that the healing process is long. And I have been good giving myself the time to heal. I know that getting out was good for this wandering woman
I love nature. It always has the ability to surprise me. I knew I would see poppies. I did not realize how absolutely charmed and enthralled I would be among the fields of blossoms. It was so wonderful to spend the day looking at flowers and a few birds. It was breathtakingly beautiful. It made me so happy. It made me decide that this was one of my Latest Best Day Ever.
And a big shout out to Phyllis. It is always so wonderful to have a friend who is willing to go along on a last minute adventure.
Today I am thankful for the big wide open outdoors. There is always something new to find and explore and be in awe over.
In 1903 the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica, became the official state flower of California. The California poppy is commonly seen blooming in the spring and summer. It flowers along country roads and freeways throughout much of the state. This makes the plant a highly recognizable symbol of California. April 6 of each year is officially designated as California Poppy Day.
I have been asked many questions since I began my full time RV Lifestyle. Where is your favorite place? Are you going back to….? When will you choose where to live? What has been your best day ever.
There are many Best Days Ever. They can big days or little days, big events or little events. Best days ever make my heart sing no matter the size or event.
Last week I had my Latest Best Day Ever. A good friend of mine, Phyllis, and I decided to take a road trip. We drove four hours north to see the poppy fields in bloom at the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve. We drove into the Poppy Preserve in the mid-afternoon on Wednesday.
As I was still in a boot, (post heel surgery) walking and hiking was limited. We walked out on a paved trail. It allowed us to see over the Antelope Valley and enjoy all those beautiful orange flowers. But wait…there were many other flowers as well that helped those California Poppies pop even more.
What flowers grow among the California Poppies?
Goldfields: Yellow flowers that often carpet the fields alongside the poppies.
Owl Clover: Purplish-pink flowers.
Creme Cups: White, cup-shaped flowers.
Lupine: Ranging from dwarf to taller purple spikes.
Lacy Phacelia: Purple-blue flowers.
Coreopsis: Yellow sunflowers.
Red Stem Filaree: Small pink-purple flowers.
After spending the night in Lancaster, California we went back to the poppy fields the next morning. We never made it to the reserve. We discovered good dirt roads surrounded with poppy fields and many other kinds of flowers. We never resist a challenge. So, we took Phyllis’s Prius onto the dirt roads. We immersed ourselves in the flowers of the Antelope Valley.
I am a photographer so how could this post not include a video of my most current Best Day Ever. It is 7 minutes long. There is a slight pause between the first and second piece of music. Don’t leave too soon. And you can click on any photo in the blog and it will enlarge the photo. You can get more eye candy that way. Enjoy the Slideshow.
As most know I am a traveler and wanderer. I look for places outside. I look for wildlife to keep my camera busy. I have been stationary for almost six weeks. I have been getting itchy to move. I knew going into this heel surgery that the healing process is long. And I have been good giving myself the time to heal. I know that getting out was good for this wandering woman
I love nature. It always has the ability to surprise me. I knew I would see poppies. I did not realize how absolutely charmed and enthralled I would be among the fields of blossoms. It was so wonderful to spend the day looking at flowers and a few birds. It was breathtakingly beautiful. It made me so happy. It made me decide that this was one of my Latest Best Day Ever.
And a big shout out to Phyllis. It is always so wonderful to have a friend who is willing to go along on a last minute adventure.
Today I am thankful for the big wide open outdoors. There is always something new to find and explore and be in awe over.
I have been struggling with so many unsettling things occurring in my country and around the world. I worry and feel anger. I feel sad. I don’t understand the anger and negativity that has become so prevalent. My heart feels broken. There needs to be a kinder, gentler and more humane way of working with people. No one deserves to be treated as less than human.
In late October, I began to follow the Monks Walking for Peace and Mindfulness. It was a 120-day, 2300-mile journey by 19 Buddhist monks.They were accompanied by their loyal dog, Aloka, walking from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington D. C. to raise awareness of inner peace and mindfulness across America and the world.
I began to walk with them in my heart, mind and spirit. I have learned, I have grown and my heart has begun to open again. The anger is softer now. Being in the present moment is an experience I treasure and not one that I experience enough.
The Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center is the home temple. They started the Walk in Texas and returned here today. I am blessed to be there in spirit with all the people and monks.
When they started walking the roads were mostly empty except for nineteen walking monks and their support team. As it progressed east and north, people started showing up. They came to the roadsides to watch these monks walk for us and for all beings of the world. A few moments, a few kind word, prayers, blessings and lives are changed forever.
This walk was not without difficulty. Early on in the trip two of the monks were injured in a freak accident with a truck. One lost his leg. And still they kept walking. It snowed, it was cold. And still they kept on walking. Aloka, had to have veterinary surgery and left the walk for a short time. And still they kept walking.
They walked barefoot, in socks, in sneakers and sandals. They walked for me. They walked for you. They walked for the world.
And Still They Walked.
As I watched them walk, I felt like people who came to watch were waking up. They were remembering what is good in the world and what is good in themselves.They were remembering what is good in other people. Just a moment in time can change so much. And the numbers grew. And I remembered.
People started walking with them. They showed up for dharma talks, for meditation, for presence. By the time they reached Washington DC. thousands were walking with them. Thousands were listening, truly listening to their words. They woke up a presence in themselves.
Each day of the Walk, would start in my home with me checking their official Facebook page. I followed along. I attended some of the talks. I certainly attended the meditations. And Today just as it started I attended the returning ceremonies until everyone retired for lunch.
How does this experience make me feel. I feel a softness in my heart, the softness of letting my guard down and letting universal love in. I feel a measure of relief that there is good to be had out there in the world. I have cried with others and I have cried alone. It is not a cry of despair. It feels more like relief and love filtering in. My world and the world shines a bit brighter because nineteen monks walked for Peace and Love and Awareness.
Now I must remember and carry all these messages forward into my world, your world and the world of all sentient beings.
Today is Our Peaceful Day. Today is My Peaceful Day.
