Back in the saddle — again

Our pretty snow, January 18, 2026

I don’t know what happened — I guess, quite simply, life happened.

It’s been more than two years since I last posted. It seemed I couldn’t get onto the site the few times I tried. But I’m back now, and I need to brush up on the new tools and layout designs. Anyway, I’m hoping to write more here — and post some newly published poems in this new year. How quickly the years roll on now!

I still live in Connecticut along Long Island Sound. When the windows are open in the summer, I can hear the Amtrak trains heading out of New London; tractor trailers on I-95, the major conduit along the entire Eastern U.S.; and the fog horns on the coast. New London is home to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy on one side of the Thames River and the U.S. Navy is on the Groton side. I have yet to see a submarine glide up or down the river on its way back home or out to wherever, but I always look for one when I’m walking at Avery Point.

My last post, in 2023, described my visit to Italy with Christopher Blake, where we visited Florence, Rome and the Amalfi Coast — absolutely gorgeous! Since then, we went back to Italy last summer for the wedding of Chris’s nephew in Tuscany, and on to Milan and Lake Como. Again, can’t say enough about the people, places and food. Such a memorable experience!

This summer we are going to Paris — my first time. Everyone keeps telling me how much I’m going to love it. I know, I know! It’s all booked and now we just wait. I keep thinking that I’m going to learn some conversational French. Maybe. I took two semesters of French in college ages ago — and was horrible at it. Maybe I’ll just smile a lot and say merci.

I met Chris four years ago on an online dating site (after quitting one site and trying another), and as of September, we are now living together. He is a kind and thoughtful man, who loves the same things I do. He also writes and belongs to a writer’s group in Westerly, RI, where he used to live. He was a reporter for years in Connecticut and now teaches journalism courses at one of the state colleges. He held on to a great group of friends from his college days at the University of Rhode Island and his reporter days — and I’ve enjoyed getting to know them.

Well, that’s enough to catch you up. Now for some photos and poetry and book reviews. All the things I love to share. I’m not sure who’s still active on WordPress. I used to have a solid group of readers, but I’m sure that has changed too. I looked into Substack, but I need to learn more. I hope some choose to pop in every once in a while, but maybe this site is more for me than anyone — an audience of one.

Take care out there — if you need to take a breath, come on in. That’s why I’m here.

Our pretty snow, January 18, 2026

Post No. 250: Into the void

This is a photo of my bedroom window long ago, where I scratched words in spiral-bound notebooks, and dreamed and read. The house was torn down not long after this photo was taken.

This is the 250th time I have posted to this blog.

I guess that’s some sort of milestone for me — or millstone.

Why do we do it?

Why do hundreds of thousands of us (make that millions!) spill words across this vast white expanse?

Filling time. Wasting time. Making time. Keeping time.

Why do I do it?

To hold on to some part of myself that gets used up in the daily assignments of writing and editing and proofing.

I am lucky to be doing work I enjoy. But in a perfect world I would be paid extravagant amounts to read novels, and I’d quickly accrue medical benefits and an amazing retirement plan simply by writing poems.

So, tell me. Why do you write?

What brought you to blogging? And has it lived up to your expectations?

Is it enough to get a few likes for each post on your site — or do you find satisfaction simply in posting your words and photos? Is it solely for your soul?

Let’s see if #250 earns any responses from those who stop here for a minute or two.

On to 300!

10 things I know to be true

Early morning in Iowa

1. Stories, books, reading, writing, words keep me whole.

2. So does love, family and friends.

3. And place, a sense of being from somewhere.

4. The open road will always call to me.

5. As will wide skies.

6. And an empty beach.

7. I take photos — I’m rarely in them.

8. White wine is better than red.

9. Coffee in the morning is a good thing.

10. I spent too much time in the sun as a kid — and I’m paying for it now — but I’d probably do it again.

What’s on your list? Share it.

Horseneck Beach, MA, in October.