Exploring the Third Season of Life

Notes from Vanaprastha

Reflections on Faith, Nature, and Writing

Recent Posts

Five Finger Exercises

Five Finger Exercises

I pushed the front latch buttons with my thumbs, lifted the lid of the case with my middle fingers, and gazed starry-eyed at my shiny new flute. “Try it out,” said Joe, Charlottesville’s Music & Arts retail manager. I attached the foot to the body then slid the...

Looks awful, tastes good

Looks awful, tastes good

I stepped back to see how it looked. Nothing like the picture on the package. No neat corners, just a mess of wrapping, as you can see. The gal at Customer Service told me to pick up the item I’d ordered from the bride’s online gift registry after I paid for my...

Becoming Mother

Becoming Mother

Our new neighbors arrived late Saturday afternoon for a 4th of July picnic here at Vanaprastha. They brought fresh-cut veggies, dip, chips, and coleslaw. Keith grilled brats, and I made slow cooker baked beans, potato salad, and vanilla ice cream with strawberries...

One dessert, two spoons

One dessert, two spoons

Thursday evening, Keith and I walked into the Ivy Inn Restaurant, located in an old house in Charlottesville. Face masks in place, we greeted the hostess who checked our reservation and showed us to an outside table on the large covered patio. It was the first time...