when rebuilding a life 

while standing in the rubble 

examining the stones that made up 

who

you

were

one begins to lay new mortar

picking up old bricks

handing them to another with questions

"what about this one?"

"does it need fixing too?"

because after such a devastating earthquake,

the last person's construction advice you can trust

is

your 

own

but then. time...it passes.

it flys by flippantly

throwing up your skirts

tangling your pristine hair.

gasping for breath, you finally stop spinning.

all

is 

silent.

and you are standing in front of a wall that once was.

it's shattered to the ground.

without knowing from whence they came,

people start to hand you bricks.

you recognize them, both the faces and the stones.
they 

love

you.

your hands know how to mix the new cement.

your eyes recognize the ingredients that will no longer work.

your heart trusts your building experience.
because this time
you
have
help.

each stone is unique

in texture

in color

in shape and size.

but every few lines of bricks, randomly placed 

magically found,

a stone appears.

its color never before seen.

its texture never before so smooth.

its shape perfection.

has it been there all along?
you had no idea
you had such beauty
hidden below the fallow soil.

i call these milestones.

this week was filled with them.

so we begin to build. 

a stronger,

sturdier,

fortress of the heart

never

there

was.

__________________________________________________

We had a lovely week indeed.  Here are a few shots from Balboa Park, San Diego
(location of all shots above, as well)



This is the botanical garden...




We then headed east towards the fountain

We then enjoyed a lazy breakfast, followed by a short jaunt around the property to discover what I had missed by way of blooms.  Look at my gorgeous daffodils!  That is the very first thing IN EVER that I've planted.  Satisfying indeed. 

After a nibbly lunch of peppered cheddar, smoked gouda, crunchy baguette, and heavy red Barbara, we got ourselves ready for the evening festivities...a party in my honor!

Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day in the 70s and we spent the rest of it at my home number two...

I am not sure I could ever convey what true peace awaits all who walk onto the Morris estates.  Olive greeted me with a cute little polka-dot dress and newly chubby cheeks.  A pair of geese had a family last week on Dad's pond, and since I had never seen goslings, I was so disappointed when I heard they had already left.  Well, they made an appearance on Sunday!  It was like God and Washington are attached at the hip or something.   After my photo shoot on the property, Mom made a veritable feast, and we settled into the evening watching old slides, which is one of my very favorite family activities.

Can you feel the love?
XXOO
~crm

April 2010 : A trip home

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