Love affairs are quite the thing!! They make you sappy happy, ooze their way into every corner of your being, not quite able to wipe away the grin one wears. I am having one with Pedro, my new Pleasureway(RV) padre!! Experience number one, underway in an up-north campground by the meandering river is indoctrination by fire! Well, not a real fire.. no camp fires this weekend, the rain has put a 'damper' on that! Still, the love affair flourishes - this little rig of my is giving me plenty of pleasure, for sure! There are more tiny spots to tuck things than I could dream to fill, but, I am sure with time I will! Sitting by my little round table, cup of tea in hand, I smile at the discoveries of my morning walk. If you have never really looked at the names on RV's, you really should. There must be a thousand of them! Try these on for size: Zeppelin, Cruiser, Savoy, Ellipse, Independence, Hitchhiker, Cougar, and get this...Select Suites!!! My little Pleasureway looks like a baby compared to most! Given the current campground set up, I must mention to you my perusal of the "long-termers" that reside around each corner here in the campground--- some with the peeling paint of longevity heavy on its exterior and the rusted-out fenders of the long ago bright red truck anchoring the residence to it's spot of preference. The wheels of that baby have not turned 360 degrees in quite some time, to be sure! What is the story of the soul that occupies this small space? God only knows, but I am sure the campfire conversations are enlightening. I make my way back to Pedro after pondering a few moments on the little bridge around the corner, looking into the stagnant waters below, but beautiful in its texture.. pointilism at its best... dots of green algae making a green and black blanket, complete with sodden logs of various shapes, angles and size,...oh, then there is the upside-down aged pop can floating there. A reminder that it takes little for the human species to muck up God's beautiful creation with the toss of a hand. Into the Wind, -nature girl. A word for today: EXPLORATION (Go for it!!! Look deeply, listen intently, feel with every fiber of your being!

May 28, 2012 How does one contemplate the cost of living small? To purge and give away the cherished and uncherished articles of a former life is at once, melancholy and exhilerating. Today's metaphor is - a solitary seed...unless it dies and sheds the shell of yesteryear, it cannot grow and bloom. In a very short time, my livable space will be a microcosm of the life I have known for quite some time. Nine years ago my livable space was over 3,000 sq. ft. and my gardens of equal in size. Then shrinkage began; the next abode measured in at about 2/3rd's that size. Downsize #2 provided less than half that of the 'house in the woods'. Mid June, 2012 ...my 'house on wheels' would fit into the home of a decade earlier about 30 times! That said, I will still have the luxury of a stove to cook on, a bathroom, 2 tables, an almost queen-sized bed, a refrigerator and freezer, 2 sink areas, 2 captain chairs and a plethora of petite storage spaces/closets/drawers. How fine is that! A furnace will keep me warm in the cold and an air-conditioner will cool me under the beating of a hot summer sun. My fireplace ambiance is a DVD with a crackling fire image on my flat screen TV. As you can see, small need not equal physical discomfort, just fewer steps. I will be seen walking in God's great outdoor in future days,... this nature girl's playground suffices for exercise needed. The next year of living small seems to me, at this juncture, an adventure of a lifetime. At the completion of 12 months on the road, I would guess that living a bit larger may be quite welcome, but the lessons of shedding the excess for basic creature comforts will expand my understanding of a larger world that sees America as frivolous in expecting life's excesses. A phrase for your contemplation: SMALL LIVING BIRTHS SOUL EXPANSION. Into the Wind with, Nature Girl.

May 20, 20012

In the beginning.... new opportunities knock;

...I tap a true longing.

.. I look long and purely at my soul-voice.

On my wall hangs a saying; "The earth speaks much to those who will listen" . In my heart is a true longing for the spectacular things of nature. God speaks through the trees, the wind, the ocean and the deep dark earth of this great world He created. A voice has come to me..."You, alone, can do it. Come ...el pronto!"

So, I AM. A year on the road. Me, God, an RV, and a sketchy itinerary. My mission-my pilgrimage: A recovery of the passions of my life, a reconnection with extended family, a time to listen to God speak through His creation, moments to create artistic expressions of the soul.

It is a thing of magic to look into the imminent future, to realize that retirement looms close - a good thing for new adventures. Gratefulness fills me - my 22 years as medical transcriber at Children's Hospital has contributed to the healing of children who face the challenges of illness and injury. I leave 'my post' at May's end.

The first steps.. preparation, a learning curve, a bit chancy, but intoxicatingly exciting! Rent my townhome, sell my car, buy an RV.... what to bring, what technologies will be useful, ... questions and more questions. My time to seek out the knowledge of others has arrived. I'm all ears!

On my way down this new path.... preparations are underway. I will keep you posted as I learn this blogging thing and move into my new tomorrow.

A word for today: REGENERATION. ....................... I ponder the meaning of it!

Into the wind with:

Nature girl