Category Archives: the unscheduled life

The rewards of breaking with routine

Posted on March 21, 2016 by stillalife

After spending years in the workforce, I was surprised to find that in retirement my life still revolves around routines. I’m happy with my routines, but every so often I need to devote a day to doing something entirely different. … Continue reading →

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The death of spontaneity

Posted on January 11, 2016 by stillalife

Spontaneity is becoming extinct, going the way of the dodo or the woolly mammoth. Years ago, when my husband and I moved into our first apartment, friends lived nearby.  We would drop in unannounced — a mortal sin these days … Continue reading →

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To plan or not to plan

Posted on June 1, 2012 by stillalife

I’m still laughing at friends’ reactions to an earlier blog naming all the things I planned to do this summer.  I finally get it.  The books I’d like to read total at least 4,000 pages.  I’ll need to write about … Continue reading →

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Reality summed up in a walk

Posted on May 13, 2011 by stillalife

I went on a neighborhood walk this morning, where I first saw this carpet of petals and blossoms.  A few blocks beyond, a woman pushing a child in a stroller smiled when she saw what I had managed to appropriate … Continue reading →

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“Gardens of earthly delights”

Posted on February 25, 2011 by stillalife

Imagine waking up to snow high enough to cover your day lilies (which decided to start sprouting leaves in late January), and a few hours later walking past flower beds filled with fragrant hyacinth, honeysuckle and daphne odora.  The contrast between indoors and … Continue reading →

Posted in luxury of time, seasons, the unscheduled life, touring town | Tagged | 1 Comment

My most alliterative blog post — about a pen, a poem, some paintings and predictability

Posted on January 9, 2011 by stillalife

Lately I’ve felt like my life needed a little less predictability and a little more spontaneity. One reason for the feeling was that last week I spent an afternoon writing and emailing a news release to various media outlets, after … Continue reading →

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Fun with fungi

Posted on October 15, 2010 by stillalife

I just finished reading a creepy mystery called Into the Woods by Tana French.  Happily, yesterday’s visit into the woods with friend Marilyn was anything but creepy.  We went to a nearby lake and forest in search of chanterelles.*  She … Continue reading →

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It’s the little things

Posted on October 1, 2010 by stillalife

When we tore down and rebuilt our house a few years ago friends asked, “What do you like the most about your new house?” and my answer was always “the little things, the improvements over the old house that others … Continue reading →

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Treasure Hunt

Posted on August 10, 2010 by stillalife

I grew up near a beach and spent much of my childhood sloshing through tide pools, getting squirted by anemones, and collecting shells, kelp whips and other treasures that were not allowed past the patio outside the basement of our … Continue reading →

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The Death of Spontaneity

Posted on August 7, 2010 by stillalife

Working in a profession that requires your full attention day after day and year after year easily leads to the death of spontaneity.  This occurred to me today, when my husband (on his one summer vacation day thus far) decided … Continue reading →

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