For this year's "Sabbatical, Seasons, and Seasons of Life" theme, we pushed the pause button on everyday life. Time to slow down, consider what is important, keep what works, and move on from what doesn't. In May, I entered a new season of life when I accepted early retirement from a career that I loved.
Family members in Juneau, Alaska were facing their own new seasons of life, so I spent most of May through September in Alaska. It was a time of some hard changes, and we faced them together. I missed my family, home and garden back in the San Francisco Bay Area. However, I was grateful to have the time that retirement provides to pitch in, to spend time with my family in Alaska, and to immerse myself in the beautiful place where I was born and raised. Incidentally, I found the transition to retirement easy and liberating (obviously it was time for a new season of life)!
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| Retirement and new frontiers! |
Seasons and Seasons of Life
I launched into a new season of life as a retired person, and am loving it! More time to enjoy life and the beauty of the everyday.
Sabbatical, Seasons, and Seasons of Life
🌷Spring Watch 🌞Summer Watch 🍂Fall Watch ⛅Winter Watch
Outings in Alaska
I spent four months in Alaska with my parents, aunt, siblings, and a few childhood friends; and enjoyed the beautiful "Great Land" in the process.
North Douglas, the Chilkats, and More
Three Seasons of Sunsets in Juneau Alaska
Remembering Three Seasons in Alaska
Landscaping
We completed a major landscaping project at our home in the Bay Area using a local company that specializes in native and sustainable gardens, and then delved into learning about the plants.
Site Visit (2022)
Site Survey (2023)
Progress (see Field Notes for March)
Field Notes
We experimented with a new format to report observations and experiences throughout the month.
December
Plants to Dye For: Wrap Up 2024
I managed to get in a couple of solar dyeing projects!
Dye Project: Poinsettia Bracts (solar)
Dye Project: Chokecherry (solar)
Plant Hunters
On a quest to learn more about plant hunters in the Americas.
Movies
We learned more about weaving (to enhance our understanding of dyeing with plants) and enjoyed some entertaining shows (that had nothing to do with plants or plant movie stars).
Books
We read a few good books to learn more about historical gardening, and plant hunters.
The Complete Book of Garden Magic
Alexander von Humboldt and the Botanical Exploration of the Americas
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