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Labors of Love
I used to look mother in disbelief when she said that she liked to do laundry. For me, a mother of two with a demanding full time job, laundry was a dreaded chore that had to be crammed into my weekend. It was always a scramble just to find all the pieces of clothing and…
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Of Outhouses and Other Surprises When Nature Calls
Bathrooms. Lavatories. Loos. Water Closets. Toilets. Powder Rooms. Out Houses. Johns. Ladies Rooms. Mens Rooms. Cans. So many names and none of them exactly topics for polite company. This morning, however, I find myself thinking of bathrooms. When I was a kid, my brother used to throw a fit to use the bathroom everywhere we…
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Perspective
This photo, taken recently, is a favorite precisely because I was startled at the beauty of the bloom. I generally find cacti ugly, horrible little plants. They are designed to take in water and air while keeping everything else away. It is easy to be injured if you are not careful where you tread. Hiking…
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Scottsbluff: A Lesson in Life: Travel Goals
I love national parks! I feel almost giddy each time I get to cross a new park boundary. I have a passport book that I stamp each time we go to a new visitor center. The green ranger suits and the round hats are a familiar and comforting presence. I know that I am getting…
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Stress Test: Travel Goals
Prisoner of hope makes a great slogan, however, some days remind me that hope is something you must commit to, you must chain yourself to. Today was one of those days. We broke camp the night before since they were calling for rain. But when I woke up there was no rain. So I started…
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Echoes
Central Nebraska. Corn and tractors. Tractors and corn. At Homestead National Park, hopefulness and despair were on full display. The settlers who came by the thousands to homestead persisted out of stubborn hope for a better life. They came with almost nothing and built a life out of hostile soil. Cutting sod for houses. Using…
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Moments to Savor: Travel Goals
Unexpected pleasures. Little joys. Small moments in time. This is what a day consists of… if you are paying attention. I wander around the campsite and pick up sticks. This is a necessary scavenger hunt to start the fire that will yield me coffee. Carefully, placed sticks and some dryer lint start the morning fire. …
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ON THE ROAD AGAIN
And so, we set out on our journey. Part celebration of the end of a long career and part hopeful new beginnings. Retirement…end or beginning? I choose to dwell on the beginnings. All the packing and the planning ends the moment the journey begins. RV in motion. Truck in tow. We take to the backroads,…
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The journey begins…again
Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde. Today I start a new beginning, at 56. For the last 32 years I have been an educator and before that I was a student. Perhaps this explains why I am full of questions. Intellectually, I want to know. I find beauty in human diversity.…
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Introduction to Prisoner of Hope
Why write a blog? Today I retired from education, but in my head and I am still a wide eyed little girl wanting to make a difference in the world. I still have a voice and want to continue to contribute to the betterment of society. What is a prisoner of hope? This post is…
Prisoner of Hopes: a blog about Hopeful Living and Finding Adventure in the Everyday Things of Life
Prisoner of Hopes 