God Willin'

Today is one of those days where everyone is worried and waiting, the television is doing nothing but hyping us to death about the storm to come. Businesses are closed, and folks are huddling together inside, ready for power outages. So it's a good time for a piping hot cup of gratitude. I'm taking a sip.

there's always leaves in weird places on my car in
the morning, like they slept in a weird position

I look back at my 2012 photo album on Facebook and realize this has likely been the best year of my life.  I am getting that "bucket list" checked off.  For starters, my mom, dad and I went out on a limb to find our relatives in Ukraine and Poland, and FOUND them. And we were able to walk in their communities, see the gorgeous scenery that is their back yards, and visit their churches and cemetaries. We will never forget this, and I really want to go back again with my sister.  My mom and I had also been daydreaming of walking the Cinque Terre and hanggliding in the Swiss Alps, and we made it happen.

back yard, working on what to do with it!

Despite trying to be firm on taking my time in house shopping, I fell in love with a little red cottage-type of 2 family home in Watertown last March and am thoroughly nested here (though still painting).  

I made it out to Cape Cod a few times with friends this year, which is more comforting than any other place I know.  My friend Stephenie (who's always the fun Thelma to my hardass Louise), visited my new home in September and we healed a real longing in our hearts to hang out together more and also just to gush and drool over Russell Brand in person.  She has promised she's visiting once a year from here on out.

World's End in Hull

This Autumn has been particularly spectacular, probably because I'm still not used to New England colors, but the weather has been sunny and warm, we've had very little rain so far (and here it comes, it's due).  New England has incredible festivals and in Cambridge, some really random costume fests like HONK! and the Carribbean Carnival. For Labor Day weekend, I met my New Yorker cousins (related to those Ukranian relatives, too) in Little Compton, Rhode Island which had to be the cutest beach & farm town I've ever seen.

World's End hike

In October, I was able to do a gorgeous Emersonian-type-a walk at World's End in Hull with my friend and cheese maven, Linda.   And last weekend, I had a rare opportunity to develop writing ideas, work ideas and life ideas at a 2-day retreat in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire with one close friend and multitude new friends.  It couldn't have been better.  We hiked, yogied, massaged, poetried, journaled, meditated, and I had dozens of breakthroughs in new ideas.

I'm listening to a Sandy soundtrack at the moment and debating if there will be time to make a mixmas for the holidays.

Reading a little Kahlil Gibran & chilling

blowin' in the wind at the top of one hike in New Hampshire

Highland Center, Bretton Woods, NH (retreat)

Daytrip to Providence

It had been on my calendar for 2 years to go to the RISD alumni art fair, so I finally did that this past Saturday, and lucked out that it was a glorious 80 degree day in October, windows down the whole drive.  I bought a little more jewelry than I set out to, but it was all-in-all fantastic road trip and got me in the mood for photography.  About 6 pm on the drive home, it downpoured and cooled the temperatures down quite a bit!

 anyone need a plush Rhode Island (below)? at Craftland on Westminster Street 

 old front of a buliding that's still up!  not sure if it will stay or go.

 view across the Woonasquatucket River downtown (nothing is ever 3 syllables here)

wannabe Venitian gondolas getting ready for the final WaterFire of the season (which I think ended up being rained out at the last minute!)

 pretty house on the Brown campus

 sexy food truck, Radish

the RISD bookstore which I wisely avoided going in (I would have spent $500 in a heartbeat) but I'll be back

RISD campus