My mother is such a doll. A neighbor brought her pink tulips this afternoon as a gift of thanks, probably for some baked goods that we gave a few weeks ago. I watched from the window as she nodded and smiled and giggled. Her dimples shone high and bright in her cheekbones making her profile even more beautiful. Her shiny brown hair pulled into a bun, she stood like a dancer, small next to my brother towering left of her.
Girl, where have you been?
I haven’t published on here for three weeks. I wrote my last post, Twisted Gardens, while in Cape May, New Jersey visiting my fiancé. Lots to catch up on!
P.S. If you’d like to listen to this post, I highly suggest using the substack app.
One week in Savannah, GA with family + one week in Cape May, seeing the beautiful city where I will move next year when we are married + one weekend trip to Angola, NY to see my Grandfather and pack up my Grandmother’s ceramics for my kitchen to-be = a very fulfilling trip.
Cape May is a historic town at the southernmost point of New Jersey. We visited Congress Hall, we walked around the Washington Street Mall, we ate at many delicious restaurants including Blue Pig Tavern, Sandalwood, Provence, and Vintage (one of my new favorites!) located in Kiwani’s Park and had an organic picnic from Good Earth Organic Eatery in that same park. At first we didn’t see the name of the park from it’s smaller sign. There is a large sign on the tennis courts, so we joked and said “Babe, I’ll meet you at Tennis Center Open to the Public Park for dinner.”
On Saturday morning, we drove up to Angola, New York to see my family. H helped us pack and move all weekend and we all had a great time. On Labor Day, the two of us visited Niagara Falls, NY together and had a beautiful morning. We went to the Cave of Winds, which wasn’t so much a cave that we could see, but more of a giant waterfall that got us all wet. We walked around in the bright sun and dried off, we saw the other falls, and had a beautiful morning walking around our nation’s first national park.
I especially loved the walks with my Grandfather, the time with my Aunts, and the pink bubble wrap during this weekend in Angola. I am so so grateful to have collected my Grandmother’s beautiful ceramics for my kitchen so that I can keep them in the family. Perhaps I will share photos of those when the kitchen is moved into!
We spotted two rainbows at Niagara Falls, I had vanilla ice-cream practically everyday I was in Cape May, and I returned home for one weekend before flying across the country for a work conference in Seattle. Pictured: Flowers at Pike Place Market and some colleagues on the beach at the Seattle Tennis Club.
Now, this past week has been getting back to work, recovering from travel and trying to put things together for this one year anniversary. So here goes 💖
Happy Anniversary: One Year of Writing on Substack
I started writing on substack because I was inspired to write more and simultaneously felt ready to get over this hurdle that felt really high to me; this fear of publishing my work online. I did run hurdles in high school, so seeing my fears and apprehensions as hurdles is a key metaphor for me.
My initial goals with this publication have been met and are now being expanded upon. Here’s a recap of what I consider my substack milestones so far:
I started as “Lisa Sophia” in my earliest posts, and explained my rebranding move in my post Witness the Evolution.
I posted my first recipe here, Engagement Almond Cake.
I posted my book talks, such as Gifts From the Sea talks to The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, and A Room of One’s Own talks to Letters to a Young Poet.
I posted many location talks as I was traveling this summer, such as Solutions to Isolation and Memories of Cassis and I Thought I Couldn’t Write a Purpose Statement.
I got engaged! And shared a poem on it here.
I posted my first Q&A.
I posted my first short story. This is something I certainly want to do more of.
I look forward to the future of this writing and I so enjoy the process of writing on substack. Thank you for being here and for reading my work. 💛💛
To celebrate, I am spending time with my family at the beach this weekend with aims of relaxing, eating good food, and planning the coming months holiday activities.
To celebrate, I’ve made an Anniversary Survey for subscribers. Please complete this at your convenience to give your feedback on this publication.
To celebrate, I went shopping today for some lovely pumpkins!
Finally, Fall is right around the corner: Autumnal Equinox 9/23
Writing at my desk for the first time in three weeks, I felt like a stone that has been tossed by the current, finally settling into place on the riverbed.
This is a reminder to slow down when you need it. This is a reminder to enjoy this transition of the seasons and take good care of yourself. 🧡🧡
Merci for reading and happy 22nd.
sincerely,
Happy equinox!