At the beginning of the month I was piecing together my thoughts
while doing collages and puzzles during dog sitting jobs.
I was gifted a Spotify playlist
so I had good tunes
while puzzling my inner thoughts.
Spring finally sprung!
But the birdsong was abundant and wings fluttered all around.
We had a family CAT-astrophy.
My grand-kitty's roommate escaped!
I went to the city to help.
I searched alleyways, gardens, doorsteps and windows.
And although I didn't find the lost kitty,
a miracle happened and she is now home safely!
Then winding roads through the Allegheny Mountains.
Next came a long road trip and family vacation.
Ohio was the first stop.
Podcasts, MasterClasses, and audiobooks helped pass the time.
Many hours later we arrived in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
This is our sixth trip to this beautiful area.
This was our first time at this rental.
The grouping of homes we had used before
have all been torn down and replaced by huge dwellings.
We were glad to have found one of the classic homes.
It's very windy in the OBX!
We saw many surfers.
It's too hard to get a photo of them though.
The surf is so strong it's very hard to find any shells except fragments.
If you don't already know my car has many stickers on it.
At least a half dozen are from the OBX.
I got one at a restaurant this trip.
This one is pretty but I did not buy it.
I bought very little this trip.
There was a tea and LP shop holding their grand opening
so I did support that small biz.
I just took pics of stuff.
(As usual!)
The shirt makes me think of
"A Landshark"
which is what our family
calls a landmark.
The hats remind me of my honorary bro.
We only went shopping a few times.
(We've been to the stores before!)
We did go in one art gallery.
They had a Miro for sale there!
good food, fun games, reading and holding easy conversations
This trip we just lizarded around.
We had a whale of a good time just being together.
We stared at the ocean.
Sunscreen and umbrellas kept MOST of us from sunburning.
We just kept things down to the bare bones:
while having silent reference for the beauty around us.
We had some rain and a full rainbow!
Codebreaker and Rumimikub brought out many a laugh.
We had great tunes thanks to our family D.J.s.
My bedroom window view was perfect for reading.
As was the ocean view deck.
As were the patio rocking chairs.
We did go to Kitty Hawk Kites and the Life is Good store
to climb up to the hawk's nest and see the view.
We ate out, we ate in, we had a lotta buttah, and basketfuls of seafood.
We celebrated a special birthday!
We didn't even make a dent in the pile of nibbles and sweets we brought.
Ice cream and carrot cake were enjoyed.
We all took many walks on the beach.
To the pier on the right and the guard's chair on the left.
Sunsets were savored.
And the final sunrise was revered.
Then it was back on the road again!
Driving in a tunnel under the ocean is daunting.
Coffee is so FAB.
Back in Ohio we saw green, heard bullfrogs and smelled flowers.
I didn't send any postcards or letters during my trip.
It felt strange.
But I only found one place selling postcards - for $.49 cents each.
It just wasn't worth it to me.
I have written many of you from the OBX before
and I was happy to use the time to just be with my family.
Here's a photo of some vintage postcards and a sincere
HELLO FROM THE BEACH
message to each of you.
Dolphins showed up the first night we got to the OBX
and then were fleeting the rest of the week.
Getting a video of their glistening fins ended up being difficult
since they were way out and pop in and out of the water quickly.
But listen to how excited we were to see them.
I bought this vintage dolphin pin at the resale store
Clash and Trash as a memento of the trip.
*****
I have not forgotten about the world's pain.
I simply wanted to document my gratitude
for my own experience this month.
This mural is in Chicago.
I took the photo on May 17,
a week before Uvalde.
I have been quite weepy this month.
I cried because I was able to be with my family on a vacation
and I cried because others had their loved ones taken away by violence.
Continued hope for peace, freedom and safety for all.
Prayers for the soul who stole these baby shower
items from a locked apt foyer:
My heart is broken for all those who have lost loved ones to gun violence.
Let's hold our lawmakers, government and each other accountable.
LOVE each other and advocate for help for those with mental health needs.
I hope these photos of nature and musings
about food and literature have given you a moment of pause
to remember the beauty and creativity around you.
I am grateful for all the blessings my senses enjoyed this month.
~
Jen Pen
R.I.P. Gibbs.
The Good Old Boys are reunited.
