‘There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the infinite passion of life.’

Frederico Fellini Film Director
A beautiful day today — glorious sun, a not so glorious autumn color due to so much rain, good smells and too much food at the fair, the company of good friends, the hugs and kisses of little and big family members, and life itself.  Today I am happy.  Today I am alive.  Today I’m even almost totally rested.

Here’s to the beginning of another year of beauty and passion.  Here’s even to the Tuesday morning that will come this week when I must put in a 12 hour day.  Today I am thinking about gratefulness.

Forsyth Park beauty

Do and her Dad

Lady in waiting

Don't know if she's a lady - but for a little lady who loves horses...

Another horse for the little lady...

Almost 400 years old...the tree that is.

Victorian Lady Tours

A few photos as we pack up and ready ourselves for our return to New England work and weather tomorrow – what a great stay we had in Savannah!  Southern hospitality is very real!

First, here’s a picture of animals from the zoo — a small but enchanting place. We thought of our daughter and granddaughter as thy are both animal lovers: no lions, but bears aplenty!

Another place our theatrical daughter would love: Cyrano’s. We saw a two Women cast tell “Tales of the frozen north” — a play based on journals of the gold rush days in Alaska.

The few pictures don’t do justice to the event we took part in yesterday at the Alaska Native Heritage Museum.

We spent the afternoon at the Alaska Native Heritage Museum. We were privileged to be part of the installation of a totem house post in the long house of the southeast native peoples of Alaska. We had met and heard a lecture at the Anchorage Museum by a Tsimshain carver: David Boxley.

The pictures don’t do justice to the glory and moving beauty of an afternoon participating in an event the elder said very few people get to do. There was welcoming songs and dances, a carver’s dance, and then 4 teams of 16 people carried the totem around the entire lake before installing it inside the long house (only the native people were allowed to be part of that portion). I found it deeply moving. It was an afternoon’of great spiritual importance to the Tsimshain people and the gift of participating was one of the best I’ve ever been given.

Daughter, Granddaughter and I left yesterday morning.  We had a planes, trains, automobiles, and even a couple of buses kind of day (Not to mention hauling luggage up two flights of stairs in the Baltimore Amtrak station because the elevator was broken.  Somehow I never manage a trip without doing that.)

Today I went to a preconference day hosted by ACCESS and NAECTE.  It was interesting, which I’ll write about another time as I’d like to do some research on the presentor.   Daughter and granddaughter went off to the Natural History Museum joining me later for the Exhibit Hall Opening.

20,000 people who work with young children.  You would think we could at least move a few mountains together; but somehow we’ve not managed this on behalf of these young children.

By the way, the cake is absolutely delicious.  When I get a link to it or have its recipe, I’ll share  (it’s someone’s gramma’s recipe from the Depression Era I believe.)

Albert Einstein, “Letter to Queen Elizabeth of Belgium”

I had mentioned that I was going on this long trip to her previously, but as is her way, she didn’t really take it in the first time.  She asked me about the trip and where I was going.  I often say that my Mom is incredibly street-smart, but she is not at all world experienced.     She commented on how long 4 months is; and hoped that all would be well and go well.   I know that in her way she was thinking about her hope that the trip was safe and that she remained well until I returned.  A couple of summers ago I went across country on the train with her — you learn a lot about your mom spending 4 days in a compartment together!

While I heard her concern, I realized after the phone conversation; that I had also heard her pride in me.  My mother often finds a way to say in our conversation:  “well, you always were the smart one.”  (I am one of five children, and at last count some 40 plus cousins, and she means all of them.)   After a weekend spent with my daughter – once my baby girl -  and granddaughter – her baby girl , I was touched and delighted to think that at 53 my mother still thinks I’m her smart baby!