This Perfectly Imperfect Life

Yesterday I was incredibly thankful for my Mom, pictured here circa 1960.

These are some of the photos I took locally, post Hurricane Sandy, last October and November.  I have so many more, but, despite a year having passed, I'm not at the point where I want to go back through the disc I downloaded them to. And maybe I never will be. I am so, so, so very thankful (every day) we and our families made it through okay. Most of our friends did too, but there were some who weren't as lucky. Love, hugs and prayers to all of us who were in her path, especially those who suffered her terrifying destruction first hand.

First day of Kindergarten, 1980.

Louisa May Alcott. Beloved author who created Jo March, my all time favorite character of any book I've ever read, who inspired me to become a writer at the age of 11. I often find myself seeking Louisa out.  Trying to find Louisa.  I'm not entirely sure what that means myself, it's a feeling I can't quite explain, that comes and goes throughout the year, but especially as the seasons change or when I am struggling with my own writing. Recently I began trying to explore this feeling (via writing, privately). I was so excited and overcome the first (and only) time I visited Orchard House, her most famous home, I was on the verge of tears from the moment we pulled up until well after leaving the house and later the cemetery where she is buried. Because I first visited Autumn (of 2008), I find myself wanting to make another pilgrimage north to the stunning Autumn of Concord, MA to visit her again each Autumn. Not possible in the literal sense, unfortunately, so I wil...

Talk about Back In The Day! 20 years back?

Oma is German for Grandma/Grandmother. My Oma was born in a German village in 1905. I believe she came to America around 1926, when she was 21 years old. (And I believe the photo of her with her hair in a long braid was taken before she made that journey). She passed away 24 years ago this Saturday, the 24th. The photo of her late in life was taken just before Mom and I left Oma and Opa's in Florida to fly back to NJ. I only met her that once, a week or so, when I six years old, but talked with her on the phone every Sunday and on holidays. I suddenly realized earlier this year some of who I see in the mirror is Oma.  The angle of my face in the photo above doesn't show it well but now I see where I get some of my features from.  And this nose! I can't remember the sound of her voice now and it breaks my heart.

La Peppermint Ancient Camellia Japonica 1800's

Head on over to New Jersey Through My Eyes for a slideshow of Christmas At History House by clicking here . I hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday!

Whispers Of Our Past ("Whispers Of Our Past" is what I've decided to call my photo's of places like this, the old army base hotel a couple of posts back & so on).

Whispers Of Our Past