Posted on September 24, 2025
by JANET L BARKER
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I’m a silly girl. A woman-girl growing inside her own womb, punching, kicking, absorbing nutrients, feeling excited, worried, and at peace, trusting that my caretaker-self won’t let her little girl down, has her best interest at heart, and would do anything to support, heal, comfort and… Continue Reading “The Flying Machine”
Category: #beachcamping, #camping, #hope, #lifeizgoodTags: #camping, #coastalcampiong, #fear, #grandparent, #iloveliterature, #iloveoregon, #journaling, #oregon, #pacficnorthwest, #raybradbury, #retirededucator, #retiredteacher, #retirement, #solowomencamping, #writing, facingfear, family, life, life-lessons, love, mental-health, pacificnorthwest
Posted on May 23, 2025
by JANET L BARKER
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“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
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
Posted on February 21, 2025
by JANET L BARKER
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I’m in my Enya phase—-again. A wispy, cloudy, bubbly, dream state of being. Honestly. Honestly. Honestly. I am living my dream, a dream I’ve held onto through all, the ups and downs, the beginnings and endings and now I’m in the Now. The Now I’ve… Continue Reading “Mermaid Cove”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #bucketlist, #cambria, #centralcoastcalifornia, #coastalcalifornia, #dreamcometrue, #fulfillingadream, #grandparent, #hope, #lifeizgood, #love, #writersresidency, #writing, family, life, livingthedream, love, mental-health
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
Posted on November 6, 2024
by JANET L BARKER
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The flight home from New York this morning post-election is grey and quiet. I swear, it’s not my imagination, but no woman I’ve encountered is smiling. Our faces are flat, expressionless, guarded—-traumatized. When we cautiously acknowledge one another, seeking those who understand, our eyes… Continue Reading “Hurts Like Hell”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #election2024, #feelingthefeelings, #kamalaharris, #lessonslearned, #loss, #nowwhat?, #painfulloss #itsucks, #relationships, #whathope?, 2024presidentialelection, blog, dontdiscountwomen, life, love, mental-health, womensvote