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The Man Next Door
We moved in during a freaky April 1st. snowstorm. A man in a fisherman’s yellow rain coat was already there clearing our driveway. He shook our hand and said “I am Paul. Welcome to the neighborhood.” The end of that year Paul and his wife sold their home and moved away. New Year’s Day 1999 We met our new neighbors Joel and Sally. They invited us to their New Year’s party which became an annual event. Joel was quick to introduce me to Annie Berry, a psychologist new to the area who became a good friend and colleague. Judy, anxious in social situations in those days, blurted out as she…
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Savoring Moments in England: Part II
Floating down the Stream of Time Floating down the stream of time from life to life with me. Makes no difference where you are or where you’d like to be…George Harrison Eight weeks ago I unpacked from my England tour yet there is still much to “unpack” as I reflect deeper. George Harrison’s lyrics floated in today… the quiet Beatle who shared my watery birth sign-Pisces. The Black Friars (Dominicans who wore black robes) founded a monastery in London from 1259 to 1539. Today in the same location, is the Black Friar’s pub, with monastic reliefs in stone and wood. After a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral I relished my first…
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Savoring Moments in England: Part I
From history to novels and paintings to gardens, cathedrals, pubs, and afternoon tea I am grateful for this amazing opportunity to tour England. Let’s make time for a cuppa tea? Savoring Writers – Jane Austen We began our “Literary Tour” celebrating Jane Austen, hosted by Tours International. The annual “Regency Parade in Bath” was fun and colorful with over 1400 participants dressed in period costumes. From there we walked over to the Jane Austen Center. The next day we visited Chawton where Austen spent her later years with her sister and mother and the two churches where her father was rector. Knocking on the wooden door of…
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I Got the Sun in the Morning and the Moon at Night
i’ve got the sun in the morning… Spring brought the rains…our backyard flourished. This blog is a long time coming…while I have much to share the rhythm of life pushed me in many directions. and the moon at night God’s time is always near. He set the North Star in the heavens; He gave me the strength in my limbs; He meant I should be free.” -Harriet Tubman June Ninetenth Ah, my day is open. My heart is full. Can one imagine the taste of freedom felt by the enslaved people in our country after years of oppression, fear, hatred, and separation of family? Harriet Tubman wrote, “When I found…
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New Years 2024: A Trip to Bountiful
Greetings friends – Good to be back in blog land! Three years ago I gave blogging a shot. This fall I took a long break for travel and to get caught up to myself! I continue to be pleasantly surprised to hear from people in emails, on my website, and even Christmas cards how much you appreciate my creative musings and art. I am overflowing with ideas and stories to tell as I envision a new book of reflections and writing a first play. My trip to Italy in November to return to my roots felt like a Trip to Bountiful, a favorite movie of mine with Geraldine Page. Indoor…
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End of the Season: Blue Moon
Blue Moon in Pisces Born in the sign of the fish I thrive on movement, fluidity, change. Yesterday I woke up with zero motivation. My dreams had brought me to many places. In comparision, Day seemed empty and cloudy. We drove to Hyannis with Dolce. Rain started. We found an outdoor covered cafe. Alberto’s! A friendly waiter, dog lover, brought Dolce water. Judy ordered pasta. I ordered canelloni. We watched the world go by. La Dolce Vita! Duende If you were in Boston in the early seventies you may have read George Frazier in the Boston Globe. His favorite word was from Andalusian Spanish. Duende meant in Stud Terkel’s words:…
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Pandemic Paintings
usin Your are invited to an Opening Reception Thursday July 6, 4-6 pm Eastham Public Library 190 Samoset Rd. Eastham, MA 508-240-5950 Exhibit runs July 1-July 28 (during library hours) www.anneierardi.com anneierardi@gmail.com Wait or Create In March of 2020 our familiar ways of living met a dead end as the virus invaded our lives while division and corruption dominated the news. I had a choice. Wait or Create. I climbed the stairs to my art studio with verve. In spite of being perplexed as to what direction to take. I knew the paintings from my stand that I needed to revise – some I painted over while many I improved…
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The Tortoise & the Hare
The Tortoise and the Hare I must have had some ministerial blood inside even as a child. I loved tales and fables with a moral message: Hans Christian Anderson, the Brothers Grimm, Aesop’s Fables and especially stories about animals. In French class in high school we translated the fables of La Fontaine. My teacher who resembled Jiminy Cricket was named Napoleon Alphonse Fontaine. My first paper in seminary was on the book of Ecclesiastes. As a young adult I related to the unknown author called “Qoheleth” meaning preacher in Hebrew. I shared his philosophical turn of mind, beginning with skepticism and ending…
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February: I am Singing of Tomorrow
Love from the Heart One morning I pulled out my Stevie Wonder album singing along: I am singing of tomorrow…I am singing of love. I am singing that sweet love will reign throughout this world of ours… I am singing of love from the heart. Suddenly, I feel free and happy with faith in tomorrow. The past, future, and present become one in a heart. What do you love? Who do you love? In 2023 what lovely thing or action do you wish to engage in? Perhaps something you miss that you use to do or someone you’d like to be in touch with? Retreat and Remembrances January was…
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Celebrating Light: Winter Solstice
When the words come, they are merely empty shells without the music. They live as they are sung, for the words are the body and the music the spirit. – St. Hildegard of Bingen A Story When the great Rabbi Israel Ba’al Shem-Tov saw misfortune threatening the Jews, it was his custom to go into a certain part of the forest to meditate. There he would light the fire, say a special prayer, and the miracle would be accomplished and the misfortune averted. Years later when a disciple of the Ba’al Shem-Tov, the celebrated Magid of Mezritch, had occasion for the same reason, to intercede with heaven, he…