The Climb of a Lifetime
"Just remember, once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed." — Charles Schulz

The trick is to defer rounding that hill into decline for as long as possible. My personal goal is to be a fit and witty centenarian. Whether that's in the cards is up to fate, but we all ought to hav
https://alexandersmap.com/2024/05/30/the-climb-of-a-lifetime/
#Fitness #GardenAndHome #Habits #Health #Lifestyle #Seasons #CarpeDiem #CharlesSchulz #MartinLuther #MementoMori

Could’s and Should’s
The life that I could still live, I should live, and the thoughts that I could still think, I should think. — Carl Jung, The Red Book

New Hampshire in mid-May is a strange place of transformation. The trees and shrubs are leafing out and flowering, perennials are bursting out of the ground in eager anticipation for the wa
https://alexandersmap.com/2024/05/14/coulds-and-shoulds/
#GardenAndHome #PersonalGrowth #Seasons #CarlJung #change #gardening #KurtVonnegut

On Home and Garden
Ah, yet, ere I descend to the graveMay I a small house and large garden have;And a few friends, and many books, both true,Both wise, and both delightful too!And since love ne'er will from me flee,A Mistress moderately fair,And good as guardian angels are,Only beloved and loving me.― Abraham Cowley, The Wish

I keen observer recently challenged m
https://alexandersmap.com/2024/04/24/on-home-and-garden/
#GardenAndHome #Lifestyle #Poetry #Seasons #Writing #AbrahamCowley

Earning the Warmth
Through the windowwe could see how far away it was to the gates of April.Let the fire nowput on its red hatand sing to us.— Mary Oliver, November

November comes to an end, and just like that, December is at our doorstep. The ambient light of incandescent and LED bulbs make total darkness an impossibility in most cities and suburbia now. The decoratio
https://alexandersmap.com/2023/11/30/earning-the-warmth/
#Seasons #GardenAndHome #Pets #Poetry #Walking #MaryOliver

Rooted in Happiness
"People have often been happy here and the walls have absorbed some of that delight." — Adam Nicholson, Sea Room

It's happened once again. The house transformed over a day from one holiday theme to the next. "Halloween" quickly flipped to "Thanksgiving", "Thanksgiving" to "Christmas". These are the days of rapid-fire theme decorating, support
https://alexandersmap.com/2023/11/27/rooted-in-happiness/
#GardenAndHome #Family #Lifestyle #Relationships #AdamNicholson

Place and Identity
Given this day, Right now To ponder; Yesterday will not return, Who knows about tomorrow?— Awa Kenzo, Zen Bow, Zen Arrow

Yesterday, in one of those only in New England moments, I cleared the lawn of leaves, mowed the lawn neatly halfway across, and in a glance up and behind me witnessed thousands of leaves raining down at once, literally released before my
https://alexandersmap.com/2023/10/29/place-and-identity/
#GardenAndHome #Culture #Lifestyle #Seasons #AwaKenzo

All the Things
This is the bright homein which I live,this is whereI askmy friendsto come,this is where I wantto love all the thingsit has taken me so longto learn to love.— David Whyte, The House of Belonging

The house is full more frequently now. Filled with pets and friends and memories. The nest is empty and yet it's not, all at once. This is how w
https://alexandersmap.com/2023/08/27/all-the-things/
#GardenAndHome #Lifestyle #Memory #PersonalGrowth #Poetry #Seasons #DavidWhyte