Every Other Kiss....

At the moment we find the courage to experience our first kiss, we feel (as romantic young hearts and minds do) that it will be experienced with the one and only person we will ever kiss. And then comes the second person and the third person and possibly the twenty-third person... :)

We may or may not experience many kisses in our lives... but at some point there will be that one kiss... from that one person... which every other kiss will be compared.

We will remember, crave and try to replicate the way it took our breath away, made us weak in the knees, our heart beat faster.... its taste.... the way it seemed to unite two individuals melding them into one body, down to one soul....

The souls may be torn apart or go their separate ways by choice... but it is a kiss impossible to forget. One that will linger for years... as long as one of the two lovers still breathes.

Beauty found.....

Last weekend I traveled to Cambridge, MA to finally celebrate Christmas with my son and his wife. I'm not one to go into cities. I find them loud, bright, confusing, scary, dirty, filled with too many people and not enough green. I don't like that at night when I look up stars are replaced by street lights and owl's hoots are drowned out by the sounds of cars and sirens.

I usually "stop by" more than stay and visit... but this trip was done so in the spirit of Christmas and so I was determined, this time, to find the beauty in my son's environment.

It began with my children themselves.... they had left their little tree up and decorated, had garland hanging from the fireplace and played Christmas music to set the mood. I'm not sure if they just hadn't yet made the time to un-decorate... but I like to think that they kept it up waiting for me. The beauty I found there was in their hearts.

The following morning we decided to go to the Science Museum and Aquarium. We talked about taking the T (train/subway) but I really wanted to walk. Not only had I never been on a USA subway before, but I wanted to see Cambridge, even if the Museum was 2 1/2 miles away....the sun was shining brightly and that's really not all that far... at least not when I'm walking amongst the corn fields.

After the Museum and eating lunch, we took the T (I would have walked 5 more miles to avoid it) due to the late hour and wanting to get as much time in the Aquarium as possible.

By the time we left the Aquarium it had gotten dark but even then... I was determined to see the beauty in the city. I found it... but I must admit... my heart pounded as we had to take a long desolate walk back to the train station... where surprisingly, I found comfort once inside.

The train ride back to Harvard Square was much more quiet and less crowded. I found myself unable to take my eyes off a gentleman that entered the train with us. He was handsome, my age at least, a bit gray around the temples wearing a long wool dark gray trench coat and backpack. He seemed sad... lonely. His face, although handsome, had deep creases around his mouth that made him look as though he held a perpetual frown. I couldn't help but think how much more handsome he would look if he would just smile..... He must have felt my eyes upon him because he looked my way. I smiled at him and he replied in kind.... he was indeed handsome with a smile upon his face... but it was fleeting. His eyes shifted, his face once again solemn and then he was gone walking down the street as the train pulled away...I unable to see anything other than his backpack. But it was there... the beauty was there and I couldn't help but be excited to get back to the apartment and review the images I had captured... some only in my mind... but some good enough to share.

The following day Aaron and I once again walked through the city down by the river. The sun was no longer shining as a storm was heading our way the clouds announcing it's arrival. But walk we did... find more beauty, I did.

Part of me did not want to leave. I wanted to continue to explore like a curious child. But, I'll be back... and next time with eager anticipation! Beauty really can be found where ever you go... you just have to look for it.















Ever so gentle, beautiful and graceful... The Leafy Sea Dragon.....



A little extra jelly.....

Entertaining....

Getting in the spirit....

To One and All....

Have a Bear-y Merry Christmas!!!!

The Joyful Sounds of the Season...

You have to admit... this one makes you smile... :)

December 6, 1976....

A few months prior, my Mom caved in and Daddy bought me a puppy. Oh how I promised to take care of that puppy... train it... walk it... feed it....

Well, she was a very good puppy, except that she liked to get into the trash. The evening of the 5th Daddy warned me that if she got into the trash one more time he was going to put HER into a garbage bag!!!

With that he tucked me in and kissed me good night.

The next morning I woke up and nothing felt right.... Daddy had already left for work... Mom was up and about.... I went downstairs to check on my puppy... and sure enough... there she sat... up to her neck in a white garbage bag with a red pull tie gently tied in a bow.

I took her out of the bag and held her.... but something else just wasn't right.

I asked my mother's permission to stay home from school. I just didn't feel well. Couldn't say why... but I knew something was wrong. She let me.

I went back to bed tossing restlessly... it was mid morning and for some reason I got up to look out the window. With that I watched as my mother pulled into the driveway. There was no reason to suspect... but I knew.... before anyone told me.... without a doubt in my heart... I knew that Daddy had died.

December 6, 1976.

Although it was 33 years ago... on this day... I am 14 and wake to the familiar silence all over again as if it were yesterday. Some wounds/aches, no amount of time can heal....

This year, the day was blessed with a coating of snow... as the sun rose it warmed and melted the ice, but not before I could admire the early morning rays glinting off the branches.... Daddy would have been pleased with this day... and proud that Abbey doesn't get into the trash... at least not often.

Let it snow...

When the boys were born and each year since, at Christmas I would buy them a keepsake ornament. The forethought was that upon their wedding day I would give them their box of ornaments so that they would have a part of home to start their new life with, their first Christmas together.

It's always been a fun and exciting time each year to see what their ornaments looked like. And as we decorated the tree together each year, they would un-box and unwrap their treasures to hang upon the tree... and when the time came... they would re-wrap and re-box their ornaments to await another year.

One by one the boys went off to college leaving less of us at home to decorate the tree... until it came down to only me.... and then last year Aaron got married and his ornaments went to be with him. (Boy, was that a much tougher gift to wrap than I anticipated)

So with the boys' permission I now get to decorate the tree the way I like.... and I love snow!!!!

So each year my tree is covered with all sorts of snowflakes, icicles and snowballs....

And yesterday.... as I began to decorate my tree.... it began to snow... a wonderful heavy, wet, coat everything, bring the world to a halt with a hush...kind of snow...
it was delightful.