Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged Photography, water, nature, beauty, autumn, colors, Inspiration, urban landscape, walking, Charles River Esplanade on October 29, 2026| 2 Comments »
and reflections in the river. I decided to take a walk at lunch time.
This time I did not get lost.
I just followed the water for a bit and then made my way back.
This weather should be with us for a while … dry, windy and bright sun. We’ll see if I venture off tomorrow. 🙂
Posted in Nature Notes, Inspiration, tagged Photography, nature, beauty, colors, Inspiration, storytelling, joy, life, fishing, grief, writing on October 22, 2026| 3 Comments »
I found this picture on my laptop this morning. I must have downloaded it to share as part of the slide deck that was shown during his memorial service. This fishing trip must have been ten years ago. I know I have pictures of an older Steve with shovel in hand working in the garden, planting his basil and staking tomatoes. I have pictures of him in his woodworking shop making our dining table. There are pictures of him in the kitchen with his walker coaching whomever in how to do things like cooking salmon, making pesto or aioli. And I have pictures of him in his wheelchair as sous chef slicing vegetables and seasoning meat. And I have pictures of him in the bed resting or sometimes patiently waiting for someone to help us (he was fully a partner) to transfer safely from bed to chair and back again. Those pictures, those images, capture a long leg of a long journey that I am honored to have traveled for awhile at his side. It has been just over three months since he shuttled off the mortal coil, so to speak. Today is his birthday and of all the pictures I can access this is the one that surfaced out of the blue. And it the one that has become my favorite (of the moment anyway) because it captures the heart of him.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged autumn, autumn colors, beauty, colors, cooking, culinary therapy, food, Inspiration, life, Photography, seafood, shrimp on October 22, 2026| 1 Comment »
It is a beautiful autumn day. The sun shines bright. The leaves in shades of red, orange and yellow make that wonderful rustling noise as the wind blows. Hot in the sun and cool in the shade. Layering time in terms of clothes. Establishments near my work are all hawking pumpkin this and that. I love the brown-orange of the various drinks but I find them too sweet these days. This morning I looked in a new cookbook, by Jose Andres, and picked a dish I might try to cook tonight, garlic chicken … even though the fridge has much food inside some of which should be prepared soon. I’ve been tossing stuff into the freezer but it is a little packed now. I’ll be all set when winter comes and get socked in by snow. No need to go to the store that’s for sure. No, shopping is more a creative endeavor that I’ve described before. The book is very good, Spain My Way. Makes me want to travel there one day. With a proper guide of course. I’ve made some things. I like the tapas approach to meals right now. I’ve tried a few dishes and they’ve turned out alright. This is Gambas Al Ajillo (garlic shrimp).
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, Inspiration, Photography, sunflowers, sunlight on October 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, gardening, herbs, Inspiration, life, nature, Photography on October 14, 2026| 2 Comments »
… if I had posted it would have been such a moody piece. The weather was so dark and gray and wet and cold. You get the picture. But today, this early morning, the sun is already cutting through the fog and leaves are being filled with light. I need to race into work but because there are some cold, cold nights coming up I’ve taken time to pick the last of the basil for a coworker. Plenty of green still growing on the porch though. I have already moved some things inside to overwinter. I just watered them. I have no idea why I’m protecting this chocolate mint but it sure does smell good when I brush against it. Okay, I’m running late. Have a good day, people. Onward!
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, house plants, indoor gardening, Inspiration, nature, Photography, plants, sunlight on October 12, 2026| 1 Comment »
Trimmings from plants potted in soil. They seem to like the water. I suppose there is hydroponic gardening. Some nice healthy roots forming. We’ll see whether water or soil.
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, Boston landscapes, colors, flowers, Inspiration, life, nature, Photography, Southwest Corridor, urban landscape on October 9, 2026| 5 Comments »
My mother used to say I could get lost in a paper bag. I truly have no sense of direction. Compasses are beautiful objects but I can’t use one. If I pay attention I figure out other ways to navigate. But searching for lunch today I didn’t pay attention and so I did become lost and saw some wonderful sights.
I made it back of course, my colleagues, none the wiser. It is not something to be planned but I do look forward to a future lost lunchbreak.
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged art, beauty, Charles River, Charles River Esplanade, colors, Contributing Writer, Inspiration, life, love, nature, Photography, storytelling, travel, urban landscape, water on October 4, 2026| 3 Comments »
… I so wanted to be by the water. There are so many options, near and far, but I couldn’t pull myself together mentally/logistically to make it happen. And so, after some necessary home tasks, I walked my neighborhood and walked and walked and walked and actually stumbled upon an Octoberfest event with streets closed off and locals just having a good time. I couldn’t make myself stop though it was good to pass through the joy being expressed by young and old.
Then today came. I woke up late, after having trouble sleeping last night. Just managed to pull myself together and make it to work and actually be present physically and mentally. When I left work I was struck by that thing that strikes me quite often since Steve’s passing. I don’t have a reason to rush home … and as for what I experience during the day … I don’t have him to bear witness to my exploits. But also as I left work today I felt lighter than yesterday. I don’t know why. In any case, I decided to be as aimless in my afternoon wandering as I once was known for years ago. I randomly picked a direction and began walking and looking about me.
I let curiosity guide me. I walked into art galleries I’ve never entered before. In one I looked about me and said softly, “You’d like this exhibit.” It involved chess pieces. 🙂 And then I stopped in a deli, ordered a sandwich and thought, why not eat this on the Charles River Esplanade. By the water.
Once there, as I walked, this is what I recorded: “A woman on a park bench reading a book. A man helping his daughter down from a tree and probably desperately hoping she doesn’t scrape a knee else he’ll have some explaining to do to mom. The homeless man draped in a plaid blanket studying a green leaf. Couples sitting side by side on benches some talking to each other and some both looking into their phones. Droplets on my skin from the fountain when the wind blows. Empty benches that I should sit upon and eat my sandwich because I haven’t eaten all day but it feels okay and relaxing to just keep walking for a bit. “
Eventually I did stop because, drumroll, I stumbled upon another Octoberfest-y thing. Unlike yesterday when I just walked through and onward, this time I stopped, ordered some wine, sat at a picnic table and perused the book I purchased in one of the art galleries. It was not a bad day.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, nature, Photography, roses, urban landscape on September 14, 2026| 4 Comments »
… just walking through the Christian Science Center Plaza in Boston after a respite at the Boston Museum of Fine Art.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, gardening, Inspiration, musings, nature, Photography, urban landscape on September 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »
… I have seen some astounding things as I sit with coffee on the porch. Clearly we are easing into autumn. A bit brisk. I’m tempted to toss on a sweater but it’ll be hot before I know it. As I look around … the grouping of basil, swiss chard and sorrel is still lush in their containers, thriving, and I chuckle at myself as I say fiendishly, “I might eat you tonight!” The strawflowers with their orange-gold heads seem harbingers of the approaching season. I will try to save their seeds though saving seeds has never been my issue; it is remembering to plant them in the spring.
A white butterfly flits around me perhaps annoyed that I have come out. I take moments to reminisce but I also make plans for the day. A hawk circles overhead, just one, not a pair. In the neighbor’s yard, sunflowers sway. The neighbor’s garden is usually very ordered but the sunflowers are planted randomly, and only lately as I watched a family gathering did I realize he did it for his young grandchildren.
Well, alright, while I do enjoy the sounds – the wind rustling the tree leaves, the blue jay’s raucous cry, and even the more distant rumbles from the highway – I need to be on that highway making my way into work. Work has been a tether and not in a bad sense. So away with me. Good morning, world. Have a good day. 🙂
