Category Archives: lessons in life

Awe

Posted on December 31, 2014 by theonceandfutureemptynest

The dogs were up first on Christmas morning.  They have no sense of the days of the week—every day is Monday.  My husband and I let the dogs out and then fixed their breakfast.  After breakfast, they were ready to … Continue reading →

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Leftovers

Posted on November 28, 2014 by theonceandfutureemptynest

The day after Thanksgiving I am back in the kitchen, chopping celery, onion and carrots to make a stock. This is a new tradition for me. For years, I stripped the turkey carcass immediately after dinner and tossed it into … Continue reading →

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Through the eyes of a child: Scary Monsters

Posted on November 3, 2013 by theonceandfutureemptynest

  To a one and a half year old, the entire world is a frontier, perfect for exploration and discovery.  Yet at the same time, the world can be a scary place, filled with fantastic monsters and gruesome creatures. My … Continue reading →

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The Joy of Seasons

Posted on November 13, 2012 by theonceandfutureemptynest

Yesterday I took four of the dogs for a jog at Fisher Meadows.  I hadn’t been doing much running lately.  Using my trip to California, the flu, my mother-in-law’s visit, Hurricane Sandy and the snowy Nor’easter as excuses, I managed … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, lessons in life, life, Life in Connecticut, New England, transitions | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Honeymoon Seat

Posted on September 14, 2012 by theonceandfutureemptynest

This week my husband and I celebrated our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary by taking a trip to Acadia National Park in Maine.  Until we began planning our trip, we didn’t know that one of the unique features of Acadia was its … Continue reading →

Posted in adventures, Aging, everyday life, Family, lessons in life, marriage, New England, photography, poetry, relationships, travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Home Alone

Posted on September 2, 2012 by theonceandfutureemptynest

If I could remake the 1990 film, Home Alone, the mom would be the one left behind.  Ah, the joy.  She would rush out of the bathroom and see her family leaving for the airport in a cab, the mounds … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, boomerang children, community, everyday life, Family, lessons in life, life, marriage, not so empty nests, relationships, transitions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

RIP Red Kayak

Posted on July 19, 2012 by theonceandfutureemptynest

My kayak died last Friday, Friday the thirteenth.  I know that some of you saw a photo on Facebook of me kayaking on the Farmington River that day.  I did cruise up and down this mile long section of the … Continue reading →

Posted in adventures, changes, everyday life, lessons in life, life, Life in Connecticut, nature, relationships, transitions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Butterfly Effect

Posted on June 28, 2012 by theonceandfutureemptynest

Photographing butterflies is difficult.  Somedays I just can’t get the shutter speed right.  The result is Victorian Fairy photographs—spots of light like Tinkerbell dancing in a meadow.  Butterflies, in the woods, in meadows, in gardens, represent beauty and delight.  We … Continue reading →

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Life with Dogs

Posted on June 8, 2012 by theonceandfutureemptynest

This is my grandson’s chair: This is the dog that sat in the chair and smashed it: An almost 70 pound German Shorthair Pointer.  Why?  Perhaps because he was mad at me for locking them all in the sunroom when … Continue reading →

Posted in changes, dogs, everyday life, Family, lessons in life, moving, nature, relationships, transitions | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment