Tag: #faith

Oh, the Places You’ll Go

Posted on May 23, 2025 by JANET L BARKER

“Every time my surroundings change, I feel enormous sadness. It’s not greater when I leave a place tied to memories, grief or happiness. It’s the change itself that unsettles me, just as liquid in a jar turns cloudy when you shake it.” ~ Italo Svevo… Continue Reading “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”

Category: #central coastTags: #cambria, #centralcoast, #classof2025, #faith, #grace, #graduation, #hope, #mindset, #ohtheplacesyoullgo, #passages, #peace, #retirement, #sansimeonbeach, #travelinggrandma, #writerslife, #writing, @retirement, blog, life, love, mental-health

The Three Bears

Posted on February 24, 2025 by JANET L BARKER

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For those who have never lived on their own, might be afraid, anxious about silence, worried about fixing things, the idea of cooking for one, being responsible for paying one’s bills—-don’t be. You can do it. You can handle it. I know because not… Continue Reading “The Three Bears”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #California, #cambria, #faith, #grandmother, #hope, #livingmybestlife, #peace, #retiredteacher, #retirement, #roomofmyown, #thelittlethings, #vanlife, #writerslife, #writing, @retirement, blog, coastal-california, family, life, love, mental-health, retired-teacher, san-luis-obispo-county, tiny-home

Simplicity vs. Elaboration

Posted on January 8, 2025 by JANET L BARKER

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I’m leaving. Again. I’m melancholy. Again. I don’t want to leave. Again. But I do. Again and again. Everywhere I leave I love. Same goes for the people I leave. Like my visit with Julie and Ken two days ago or my Littles in… Continue Reading “Simplicity vs. Elaboration”

Category: #beachcamping, #californiastateparks, #camping, #central coast, #centralcoast, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #ilovecalifornia, #lifeizgood, #pismobeach, #pleasureway, #solowomencamping, #vanlife, #wintercampingalongthecoastTags: #camping, #campingfriends, #faith, #findinghope, #findinglove, #friendship, #godswhispers, #pismobeach, #pismobeachstatepark, #solocamping, #travelinggrandma, #trust, #vanlife, #writing, campingsolo, family, life, love, lovethyneighbor, mental-health, womencampingsolo

Nothing is an Accident

Posted on October 14, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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I’ve been traveling since August 8, returning to the South Bay briefly to attend my friend’s funeral. I won’t be back to my home turf until October 18 where I’ll visit, errand, and reconnect with family and friends before leaving on my Fall Sojourn… Continue Reading “Nothing is an Accident”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #apparitions, #bridgeport, #camping, #easternsierras, #faith, #forestservicecampgrounds, #gratitude, #hiking, #ilovecalifornia, #journaling, #lifeizgood, #love, #maytheforestbewithyou, #Nature, #peace, #solowomencampers, #solowomencamping, #theoppositeofpolitics, #travel, #trust, #twinlakes, #writing, fallleaves, love, nosuchthingasaccidents, outdoors

Post 50th High School Reunion Reflection

Posted on July 5, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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This time yesterday. It does and it doesn’t feel like yesterday. Mostly, it doesn’t because 50 years—half a frickn’ century—have lapsed between the day we ceremoniously ribboned down the metaphoric path from the Boys’ Gym toward Sea Hawk Stadium where, upon the conclusion of… Continue Reading “Post 50th High School Reunion Reflection”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #50threunion, #classof1974, #education, #faith, #findingpeace, #friends, #friendship, #gratitude, #highschoolreunion, #hope, #love, #RBUSD, #redondobeach, #ruhs, class-reunions, high-school, life

But today, it is.

Posted on May 26, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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Moss hangs from a sea of aged oak trees, dancing in the wind outside my friends’ forest-shrouded home in Atascadero, California. I’m residing here for a weekish, babysitting their two precious mini dachshunds as their mum and dad vacation in Kauai. Their original dog… Continue Reading “But today, it is.”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, @retirementTags: #bestfriends, #dogsitting, #faith, #findingpeace, #friends, #friendship, #happiness, #housesitting, #lessons, #memorialday, #Nature, #peace, #poetry, #relaxing, @retirement, life, love, spirituality

Eclipse

Posted on April 8, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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What links all these magnificent environments I’ve been blessed to visit? The common thread? Birds. Their song, while vocally unique to their breed, are joyous, unsolicited and a call to all to stop what we’re doing and listen. If you do, for more than… Continue Reading “Eclipse”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, coastal camping, unconditional loveTags: #cachumalake, #California, #eclipse, #faith, #findinggod, #findinghope, #grandmascamping, #Nature, #peace, #pleasureway, #santabarbaraparks, #solowomencamping, astronomy, love, nasa, solar-eclipse, sun

Lucky Enough

Posted on March 15, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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The sun warms my shoulders as the ocean re-charges my gaze as the gregarious Snow White singing birds kerchief my ears as teeming black tea stimulates my soft-focus high school yearbook portrait ala 1970s brain. Adjust the lens and it becomes clear, sharp, bursting… Continue Reading “Lucky Enough”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #50threunion, #bestfriends, #cambria, #camping, #faith, #findinghope, #god, #godslove, #grandmashavingfun, #hope, #inspiration, #peace, #pleasureway, #retiredteacher, #ruhs, #solowomentraveling, #thebeach, #theocean, #vanlife, @grateful, @retirement, jesus, life, love

Ordinary Greatness

Posted on February 8, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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Hope and sparkling crystals and all things magical and misty-eyed are Queen Melancholy’s cousin. Like George of the Jungle, I swing between the two, between longing for Kauai’s turquoise waters and Cambria’s soul-fortifying coast to the anticipation of missing the icy-slick-sidewalk-skating rink of Winter… Continue Reading “Ordinary Greatness”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, @retirement, unconditional loveTags: #babies, #cambria, #children, #faith, #kauai, #loveeverymoment, #newyork, #newyorkcity, #parenting, #thebigapple, #travel, #winstonchurch, baby, book-review, family, grandparenting, love, motherhood

Learning to pivot

Posted on November 13, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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Def.: to adapt or improve by adjusting or modifying something. Much has happened since getting off the road, which was inspired by a doctor’s appointment, which, thank God, turned out A-OK. Just one layer of basal cell nastiness had to be removed, so all… Continue Reading “Learning to pivot”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #bestfriends, #challenges, #faith, #god, #godlove, #goodnews, #heart, #hope, #loveeverymoment, #nevergiveup, #peace, #thankful, @grateful

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