Willoughby Spit, nearNorfolk, Virginia
During a incredibly fun reunion with friends from college – 40 yrs ago! – I got to see this beautiful view.
How can 40 yrs have gone by yet we all look the same? 🙂
Category Archives: Friends
#MySawyerBracelet
A friend’s 10 year old son Sawyer (nicknamed SOY) died unexpectedly in October 2016. Sawyer’s loving and devastated family had bracelets made for their friends & family to wear and to remember Sawyer by.
To remember the joy of his life not the sadness of his death.
Sawyer’s mother, Jaime, created a blogspot so that folks can post pictures of the places they take the bracelets. Having friends wear the bracelets helps the family connect with Sawyer’s memory and reminds them that he has not been forgotten. As friends, we know that we are carrying the memory of Sawyer on the adventures we have and the places that we visit.
In addition to wearing #mysawyerbracelet throughout New Zealand and Australia, I wore a bracelet in honor of my friend David, who died in 2010.
The bracelets never left my wrist and accompanied me while I sat in the Chair for Contemplation at Rippon Winery in Wanaka New Zealand.
Through the pine forest along the Queenstown Hill Time Walk and when adding a rock to the pile
From the summit of Queenstown Hill
Overlooking Lake Wakatipu
From the top of Bob’s Peak
On the train to Sydney …
… and on the train back to Melbourne
While driving on the left side of the Great Ocean Road (and on the left side of the car)
While talking with another bracelet wearing bar patron about the friends and loved ones we carried along with us
Outside this tiny little house and over this tiny little door
and while enduring three rounds of incredibly “intimate” security checks.
#mysawyerbracelet was along with me while riding a gondola, a jetboat, a kayak, a 5 person trike, 3 summits, and 11 different planes.
It was an honor to bring the spirits of Sawyer and David along with me on this journey.
Gift from Pauline
An extroidanary gift arrived at my home last week.
Dear friend Pauline had given me a birthday gift, born from her heart and crafted by her talent. If you look closely, you’ll see many lovely details, and I’m going to take a tip from Alys and Boomdee and highlight various parts of it.
Unknown to Pauline, the quote at the bottom of the painting is one of my favorites, and one that I’ve had hanging on the wall of my office for years.
Look at the exhaust pipe.
Pauline noted that the bike’s exhaust “exhumes little dots of glimmery stuff that then floats off around the canvas”.
Of course I had noticed the camera (can you see that it says Her Story on it ❤ ) but it was Alys who pointed out the cheering people along the bottom of the canvas.
Aren’t the colors just stunning?
And then there’s the wine glass 🙂
I am so thrilled and honored and touched by this gift, and I cannot wait to put it up on my office wall. I know that my patients will love seeing it and I look foward to telling them all about my friend Pauline.
Please visit Pauline at The Contented Crafter. She is a gem in my life, one of the many WordPress gems that I have come to know, and who have enriched my life.
How Many Bloggers Can You Fit In a Phone Booth?
Hello Everyone! I’ve been on the road (or working or volunteering) so much that I’ve not had a moment to tell you about the incredibly brief but amazingly wonderful visit to DC where I was able to see Alys, Boomdee, Lisa, and Julia.
Today I am visiting all of you and I plan to post soon. For now, enjoy this great post from Alys!
That’s a trick question. Phone booths are largely a thing of the past. Wouldn’t it be fun to try though?
Instead I did the next best thing. I packed my bags for Washington, D.C., Virginia and New York and met with bloggers everywhere I went.
After an extraordinary 48 hours in Atlanta visiting The Carter Center and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, I flew to Washington, D.C.
Another airport, another flight delay. No matter. I sustained myself with chocolate and a large bottle of water along with the knowledge that Laurie would be waiting at the airport.
Laurie behind the camera
Laurie is a women’s health practitioner, a biker, an extraordinary photographer and an all around wonderful person. She’s quick with a laugh, sharp and funny. I admire her involvement in her community of Radford, Virginia and all she does to improve the lives of others. If you’re not already…
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Evening in DC
The visit was all too brief, but our hearts were glowing after a fabulous day in DC, and we sure had fun taking this Blogger selfie!
Alys, me, Julia, Matt, and Boomdee
Oh the joy that blogging offers.
I’ll be on the road for a bit, so I’ve pre-scheduled some images from 36 hours in DC.
Take care, my friends. Catch up with you soon!
Monochromia: Subway Surfing
It’s hard to believe that it has been 5 weeks since that incredible weekend in NYC. The past month has been a blur!
When Joe, Stacy, Terry, and I were taking the subway to meet up with Patti and Robyn, I had fun trying to stay upright without holding onto anything as the train sped underneath the streets of the city. I also posted myself right in the window to grab this shot.
Such fabulous memories of a great time.
(and, just FYI, I did manage to stay upright … although I’m not sayin’ it was pretty 🙂 )
Photo Bloggers In NYC!
If you saw my last post, you know that I had the incredible opportunity to travel to New York City to meet up with some of the Monochromia photographers. While I’d never met any of these people in person, we’d been online friends for years.
Photo Credit Theresa O’Loughlin-Giordano
I took the train from Washington, DC to Penn Station where I met Joe and Terry. After checking into our hotel, we walked right across the street to quench our travel thirst. How convenient!
Soon enough we were joined by Patti.
It was not long before the cameras came out, and we were hitting the streets.
Stacy, already in the city for a photography workshop, joined us next,
soon followed by Robyn who drove up from PA.
We visited Grand Central Station, the World Trade Center Memorial, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Central Park, and the Public Library.
We traveled by subway, taxi, and elevator (yes, there’s a story there), and by foot … many, many miles by foot!
We met great people, including Patti’s husband, Mark, and enjoyed good food and drink.
There are many stories to tell and photos to share.
Photo Credit Joe Giordano
For now though, I just have to express how fortunate I feel to have met so many great people, virtually and in person, through WP.
Please visit Monochromia to see the image of Joe that I shot when Patti captured this one of me. Thanks Patti!
Photo Credit Patti Fogarty
More NYC photos soon!
The next two weeks will find me opening a new medical practice. Despite that, I hope to find time to visit all of you this coming weekend.
Sure Looks Like 60 is the New 40
A few weeks ago, we gathered to celebrate the 60th birthday of a friend. This group of women has been celebrating each other’s birthdays for many years, and as the years have gone by, we have turned an evening into a weekend.
A weekend of Incredible sunrises
Lots of time on the water – photo credit Liz Altieri since I’m the one in the cowboy hat
Yummy food and drink
Gifts and Games
60 Candles and Lots of Sparklers
A comfortable cabin with lovely views
It was the perfect way to celebrate 60!
Where in the World is LB?
She’s still here! In Southwest Virginia!
Between work and play, I’ve found it challenging to keep up with WordPress, and believe me, it is not easy to admit that! I’m not one to make excuses, but somehow, I’ve found it harder to create blog posts now than it was during the time after my motorcycle wreck and during my campaign for office.
So where have I been spending so much of my time, outside of my work as a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner?
Riding in the 10th Annual Layne Creed Memorial Ride.
Photo Credit Dale Sands
The family of Layne Creed has worked hard over the past decade, raising money for local charities in memory of their loved one. It is time though for this to be The Last Ride.
I’ve been able to ride in six of the 10 rides, but this was the first on my beautiful candy orange Softail Slim.
Dining with Friends
After riding 220 miles, it was such a joy to spend the evening with friends. They served an incredible Paella, which I now know is a dish which combines vegetables, and meats. The history of Paella is that servants or peasants created rice dishes by mixing the left-overs from royal banquets in large pots to take home. The incredible food was accompanied by great conversation, in a beautiful home with generous hosts.
Supporting Local Business
I attended the first Grow & Gather, a partnership between Hazelbea Catering, the Radford Chamber of Commerce, and Farmers Market vendors.
This Radford Supper Series, offers multi-course meals sourced from local growers and paired with wine from White Barrel, a local winery.
Supporting Local also means catching up with a dear friend at Al’s on First, an independent restaurant, AND putting my cell phone camera to work.
Ah! The perfect summer drink: A Gin and Tonic
Book Group
What a welcome relief it is to spend the evening discussing an eye opening book, and to escape the media’s focus on the unfit man who is running for President.
Exercising
I’ve always been a power walker, but somehow I’ve become a runner, albeit a novice runner. The only way to fit exercise into my schedule is to start early in the morning when it is still dark.
Weekends though, give me a chance to start a bit later. As I tell each of my patients, and as you already know, exercise is good for the heart, good for the bones, and great for the energy and mental health.
In addition, I can work on my #cellphonephotography.
Finally, Civic Work
I’m involved with several groups, but one of my passions is helping to elect more Virginia women to public office. This weekend I hosted an event for Women Leaders of Virginia and Emerge, two organizations who work to train and support women running for public office.
I love the passion, the commitment, the vision, and the stimulating conversation.
Next?
I’m afraid I won’t be able to visit many of you this week, and I truly hate to miss out on the happenings in your lives. In the comment section, please leave a link to one of your latest posts, and I’ll be sure to check it out!
Motorcycle, Bicycle, and River, Oh My!
As I sat in the river yesterday, I thought of all the items on my “to do” list. Yes, I was actually sitting in the Little River, and I was oh so happy.
I looked up to see the smoke from the grill caught in the sunlight streaming through the trees, and in addition to my “to do” list, I thought about how fortunate I was.
Surrounded by friends, on a gorgeous September afternoon, with laughter and the sound of flowing water providing amazing background music.
The only thing that I could have wanted was more time to take care of that “to do” list. Thankfully, I had an extra day off for that, and today is that extra day. I’ve spent the last 8 hours scatching items off of that list, and that means it is finally time for WordPress, a chance to relive the weekend, and a visit to all of you.
After getting off work on Friday, I stopped by Rising Silo Brewery.
Part of a ground-up movement, “the purpose of the brewery is to create fermented beverages from the best ingredients, overflowing with thought and authenticity in taste”.
Rising Silo is a farm brewery, the foundation of which is Glade Road Growing, a farm located on a conservation easement, which means that it will permanently remain open space.
How can you not love their mission: to create “an evolving space that community members near and far may gather to connect, dream, celebrate and relax. We believe in fresh food, true brews, and good people”.
Saturday morning started with a solo, 17 mile ride on the bicycle, partly along the New River,
followed by a 200 mile group ride on the motorcycle.
In my quest to improve my health, I even managed to run 2.5 miles!
And all this fabulousness brings me back to today.
If being able to run, ride both bikes, and spend time on the water wasn’t enough, I’ve been gifted with this extra day, Labor Day, to get caught up. It is so satisfying to see the “to do” list get shorter.
Labor Day, a creation of the labor movement over 100 years ago, “is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country”.
While I know that I work hard every day, how is it that I still feel a twinge of guilt for being off today?
One more great thing about this weekend? The Hokies won, too.
Photo Credit: thekeyplay.com
Yes, College Football season is here, and I’ll be watching the FSU – Ole Miss game tonight while visiting all of you.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 