#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Frank let Chippie out early before he left, a blessing. It’s warming. Going outside is a mild adjustment, not a shock. I take Chippie out for a very long play. He follows me to the river. I bring my rake. I am getting plenty of yard work done! I have canceled out of poetry this morning. Need some time to regroup and rest. Even though I am very tired I go for my walk but I can’t resist clearing brush, picking up sticks. Because I find it very relaxing. I like where my mind goes, rambling around. No pressures. Surrounded by the river and the birds and in the fresh air. So many birds. Geese and ducks and the heron on the river and the woodpeckers on the high branches making noise out of sight. All the birds to and from the feeders in the yard. Birds in the trees and birds nesting and busy with spring. Lots of activity of birds and it’s quite relaxing. I have a long uninterrupted nap in the middle of the day. Luxuriating in a nap. I can’t seem to get my poetry juices flowing though. I have a busy week of clients and groups and I’m looking forward to that. Happy for today’s slowness.

Lots of texts and pictures coming in about the success of the shower. I wanted Franci’s bridal shower to be an event for her to remember. I wanted it to have emotional resonance and to express something creative. I wanted place to be prominent. She and Will love Concord and may live there some day. Will has relatives who live there, and because of Walden Pond and lots of hikes and coffee shops it’s a place where we spend a lot of time. So, when I found out that we could have the shower at Orchard House, Louisa May Alcott’s family home in Concord, I thought, perfect! There will be a literary theme of family and home town and sisters and growing up. And, of course, the most recent Little Women movie by Greta Gerwig was filmed there and nearby. So, the shower started in the house, which is entirely a museum, with a tour for all attendees. Meanwhile, Frank and I and Will and my niece were busy behind the house in the School of Philosophy setting up for the festivities. Louisa’s father, Bronson Alcott, designed this building and used it for a school. It’s rustic and totally charming. Some of the benches he built are there. We used desks that were built for the movie set for seating. Franci knew that she was having her shower, but didn’t know where. So, she was quite happily surprised when Will pulled her into the driveway of Orchard House just in time for the tour! And she dressed so beautifully! There are no sinks in the School of Philosophy, so I ordered fingers foods and cake, all things that could be served cold. Two cakes! One vegan. And there is electricity so I had an urn of coffee and an urn for tea. My friend Deb brought flower arrangements and Franci’s future mother-in-law, Amanda, (also a writer!) provided balloons. And my hero behind the scenes was Frank, of course, who helped me throughout, arranging the food, all the set up, all the clean up. One of Franci’s friends, Meredith, amazingly gave Franci her grandmother’s 1940’s copy of Little Women that her mother found in the basement! We had a lovely crowd of family and friends, and even Wave made the party! Will ended up staying which was perfect. Jan and Jay from Orchard House couldn’t have been more terrific. It was such a delight! I think Franci was very surprised, very happy, very grateful. And she has the most wonderful bridal party of sisters and friends: Perri, Mari, Tamar, Annabel & Lily.