I sure did need that family time

Back porch sitting with the women of the family; sisters, nieces, grand-daughters, mothers, daughter, grandmothers, aunts....
We are a family of women - each generation has a majority of women - strong women, outspoken women, caring women, fierce women, tender women, capable, creative, compassionate women.

I am blessed with the role models I have had, the support they offer, and the community we share.
I spent the weekend in Florida visiting my sister on her celebratory 60th birthday. I returned home rejuvenated, recharged, and reconnected.  We played cards, we swam, we toured the lakes on a pontoon boat, we shopped, we did yard work, we cooked, ate, talked, and most of all we enjoyed each other immensely.

 Four generations deep was this visit: my mom, my sisters and I, my sister's daughters, and their children. Eldest 78 years old, youngest not yet 1, and representatives of every decade in between.
 We enjoyed leisurely mornings on the back deck, drinking tea and watching for birds in the spreading branches of the oak tree.

We played card games together, filling the space with fun and conversation.

I love these people. I like spending time working, playing, and relaxing in their presence.


I miss being near them more than I knew, until I spent a few days laughing, talking, and silent together.     

I look forward to the next gathering!

I saw many birds during the weekend - 25 species.
Ibis, like the one on the picture, which stopped to seek food in the back yard. A pair of brown thrashers building a nest in my sister's rose bush were our frequent companions in the yard.
Crows, both fish and American, cawed as the passed by or roosted in nearby trees.
Sandhill cranes were abundant, walking around roadsides, yards, and shopping plaza grassy areas with their fuzzy young.
I was hoping to see a Florida scrub jay, but alas, did not. 

 My niece and her husband took us all out on their pontoon boat. We enjoyed a colorful sunset on the trip back, after a leisurely meal in a shallow sandy stop.  The water, the light, the air, the company all combined for an amazing night.
My mom said, "I am 78 years old and I have never been on a boat." At the end of the night, as we all loaded into our cars for the trip back to nieces house Mom said to my niece, "I have never had so much fun in my life."

I flew home Monday noon, arriving just in time to eat dinner, gather materials and head to campus to teach my night class.
All in all a monumental 3 days.