So simple

I've been recovering from jet lag for the past several days and it seems to take forever. The rule of thumb, I understand, is one day per time zone, so more than a week would be right for me.

My Ireland travels were with a group, On Pilgrimage, (http://onpilgrimage.com) and their tours always have a spiritual focus. This one took us primarily to ancient Celtic sites. The leaders promise transformative experiences in traveling and much of my last week has been assimilating all that I took in. It's multi-leveled -- the history of the Celts and meaning of what they left behind, the actual journeying with a group on pilgrimage and the observances of the present day people and culture.

So far I've been thinking primarily of the most surface experiences -- the food I ate, all the walking I did, who I missed and what I yearned for during the two weeks I was gone.

We walked a fair amount, nothing at all grueling, but I was completely sedentary before we left so anything would have been a welcome more than I walked before. One goal is to keep that up. So far I have been. I was using a pedometer before we left home -- it barely registered -- and usually topped 6000 steps during the pilgrimage, sometimes more. I've maintained that since we returned. I missed our dogs terribly so I've been walking them faithfully and they are grateful.

I didn't want to gain weight while I was away and I didn't -- in spite of full Irish breakfasts and large meals in four-star hotels. But when we were on our own -- for lunch, some dinners -- I chose soup, soup, soup with wonderful Irish brown bread. Since I've been home I've been making a pot of soup almost every day -- carrot, fresh cream of tomato and cheddar cheese soup (full of pureed veggies). I could eat soup every day of the year and not get tired of it. Seasons don't matter to me, it's always the right time for soup!

I've gotten a late start on summer planting but I'm gradually developing a flower garden of simple summer annuals in half wine barrels which are readily available here (it's Wine Country). Now that I sort of know how to keep a travel journal I'm moving on to the next effort, a nature journal. I have several how-to books, mostly by Cathy (Kate) Johnson and Clare Walker Leslie. All I need is to develop the habit, the regular observation of what's around me in the natural world. This evening, after walking an hour with Brix and Demi, I sat on the back deck and made the simplest of drawings -- almost in the dark -- of marigolds I planted a few days ago.