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Music and memories
Music and memories
The Dark Corner
The Dark Corner
Tongariro National Park
Tongariro National Park
Those who sleep in tents
Those who sleep in tents
Dept. of Conservation
Dept. of Conservation
Open water swimming
Open water swimming
You Shall Not Pass
You Shall Not Pass
Find better voices
Find better voices
Time in the kitchen
Time in the kitchen
Creating Space
Creating Space
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We have new friends that have become incredibly dear to us. Their kindness and honesty feels like a warm blanket. . . It is a particularly busy week for their family. Last weekend they coordinated all the details for a junior high retreat at a boat access only campsite, planned meals, arranged boats, recruited volunteers, etc. . . Last night they had a group of leaders at their house for a meeting, and this morning they are taking their family of six to a conference in Auckland. . Around dinner time last night, they got a call about a young girl who would be arriving at the bus station with no place to stay. She had been in prison. Without any hesitation, they shifted their children around and made space for her in their home. . This photo popped up on my time-lapse feed this morning. It reminded my of how I felt for years as a young mother. I am not sure if I relate more to Maggie or to Rapunzel. . . Sometimes life feels chaotic. When you do the right thing, it doesn’t always mean that things will go smoothly. The people in your home and around you are watching… wondering what you will do, even when it isn’t convenient. Keep doing good, it is important work. . We had an exceptionally exciting weekend, that I can’t wait to tell you about. But right now, there are other things for me to do. . . Yesterday - I moved a good chunk of writing over to the blog. You will find all the links I have talked about and a few additional photos. Thanks for following along. . . #noteddetails #kindness
Today is Valentines Day in New Zealand and my little boys are utterly confused with the lack of consumerism. They are saying things like “Wait. Where is all the Valentines day stuff?” “They don’t do cards, or boxes, or candy!?” “How do they even know it’s Valentines Day?” . . One of my favorite things about living in New Zealand is the lack of consumerism. There are times when it can be annoying (like yesterday when I was trying to buy a fan and they were sold out everywhere I went). But for the most part, living in a country that has a different perspective on consumption is a really refreshing thing. There is a grind in America, that I didn’t realize was exhausting, until I stepped away from it. . . Another thing I love about living here is the margin I have in my life. I’ve talked about it before, and I will talk about it again… I need to find a way to live more sustainably in America. When we are here, there is time for things that are important to me. When we are there, I can’t get it figure out. It’s that simple. I am using this time to listen and learn - hoping to get all of life’s mysteries sorted before we go back 😉 . This afternoon I to listen to the most recent @thelazygenius episode, marinated some shrimp and modified a recipe that I saw on @halfbakedharvest. It didn’t turn out as good as it would have if I followed the recipe… but I learned a few things. . . Experimenting in the kitchen is one of the things I like to do, when I have a little bit of margin in my life. The Lazy Genius is a wonderful resource for anyone struggling to get food on the table - episodes number #24 is one of my favorites. . . Today @laura.tremaine is talking about “where you live” on the @10thingstotellyou podcast. If you jump in and join the conversation, tag me in the comments, I would love to hear about where you are. One of my favorite things we have been doing since we arrived, is exchanging snail mail with friends and strangers around the world. Send me a message if you would like to exchange a postcard. . #noteddetails #margin #10thingstotellyou #valentines #1freeillwearadresstoawedding
It has been interesting observing American popular culture from a far. I get bits and pieces, but for the most part, I don’t know what’s going on. The chatter about @brandicarlile performance at the Grammy’s can’t be ignored (even way over here in New Zealand). One can only guess why 2019 ended up being her year… in my opinion, she should have been recognized over a decade ago when her album “The Story” came out. . . This past summer, when I packed the trailer and took the kids on a road trip out west, I was more intentional about selecting the music we listened to. There are a million stories tucked away in the songs that I love. I wanted to share some of them with our kids. My clearest childhood memories, are inextricably linked to the music that my parents listened to. . . When I think about Brandi Carlile’s song “The Story” I remember the slideshow I made for our family, after my sister was married. The details of her wedding were carefully cultivated (not in a bridezilla sort of way) but as a beautiful gift to all of those who came to bear witness. When the doors to Thorncrown Chapel opened, @sigurros “Festival” played and I wept as @maggiejboggs walked down the aisle. The memories I’ve tied to those songs are even more precious to me now that Joe and my dad are gone. . Every now and then credit is given where it’s due and the right people end up getting recognized at award shows. But far too often, the best music gets buried under the noise. Here are a few songs that will most certainly define this season of my life: . The Restless @thelonebellow Feel Alive (Delicate Version) @the_katie_herzig Things we Tell Ourselves - @lorichaffer Saturn - @sleepingatlast Dear Wormwood - @theohhellos Beautiful Places - @andrewosenga Do Not be Afraid - @writecdub . . You may be tempted to believe that musicians and artists don’t need your support. After living in Nashville for the past three years, I can tell you - that is not true. We don’t have a record player, but @magnoliarecordclub is a great resource for music you won’t learn about watching the Grammy’s. . . Wedding photos @alecvanderboom (low-res). Buffalos & music @custerstateparksd @thelonebellow
The Dark Corner: My worst bout of depression came a few years ago, when we left New Zealand to live near my parents as my dad was dying. . We lived about twenty minutes from their lakeside community, in the northwest corner of South Carolina. I homeschooled our kids and Ben commuted to Delaware for work. We rented a beautiful home in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains: swam at the lakes, explored waterfalls, and played in cool mountain streams. . . Long before European colonist hunted and farmed the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, thriving Cherokee communities made this area home. The Cherokee eventually ceded land to the colonists. . In the mid 1800’s the top northwest portion of South Carolina became know as “the dark corner”. Because of it’s rough mountain terrain and inaccessibility, it was a good hiding spot for men who resisted or deserted the war. . . After the Civil War and on through the Great Depression, poverty was rampant in the region. There were few roads in and out of the densely forested area, and “the dark corner” became a place where people could quietly make and run moonshine. . . We arrived in Walhalla in February of 2015. In June a white supremacist shot nine people at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The country erupted in a debate about the Confederate flag and people in our town, arrived in parking lots with flags - to beat the war drums and promote their cause. . . In the coming six months I slipped into “the darkest corner” of my own personal story. I was lonely, exhausted and heartbroken over the loss of my father. I was also coming to terms with the reality that world is darker and more complicated than I chose to believe. . This morning, I listened @williegeist interview with Black Panther star, @chadwickboseman (who grew up just down the road, in Anderson, SC). Make time for this interview, it is powerful and important. Also, be sure to check out last weeks episode on loneliness @10thingstotellyou . . #noteddetails #thedarkcorner #blackpanther #lonliness #isolation #darkness #depression #deepsouth #10thingstotellyou