I’m sitting on my porch in a patch of sun (glorious sun!), drinking a smoothie out of a wine glass, and editing photos. Squirrels and chipmunks are darting about on the ground below the bird feeder while Stellar jays, evening grosbeaks, and dark-eyed juncos flit to and fro. I have never been so grateful for springtime and a long weekend!

The phrase “bloom where you’re planted” has been lingering in my mind lately. I think I am an explorer at heart. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to see the world, and I’ve been lucky enough to get to see some amazing places in my life so far. So being stuck in one place for so long has been challenging. And not just because of quarantine restrictions, but even before that, I was starting to get antsy because this is the longest I’ve lived in one place since I left Florida after college.

And now that we’re all under stay-at-home orders, it feels like even getting out for a day trip in the mountains is out of the question.

So I’m trying to bloom where I’ve been planted. I am quite privileged, really. I am so lucky to have ended up on this beautiful land in the Coast Range, and now with all this time out here, Asa and I have been able to really cultivate it and work on turning it into something meaningful and productive.

Our garden is growing quickly, the beehives are buzzing with activity (doing our part to help the local bee populations!), and we’re getting projects done.

In stark contrast to my wanderlust, I’ve also always had this dream to be able to live sustainably off the land (not something you can really do when you’re traveling all the time), so I guess this is life’s answer to me wanting both. “Here, stay put for a while, and go plant some things.”

Bloom where you’re planted.

Not sure if there’s really a point to this post, other than to capture a moment in my life in writing. To express gratitude for what I have. And to remember this and keep it in perspective.