Suddenly it's fall, and we're still in the throes of harvesting our garden and picking our orchard; putting things by for the months ahead.
The Fall semester began, nearly 5 weeks ago. I have 157 students, teaching six courses, three capstones, 2 internships, running an Arts program at Fisher that has this week provided the campus with three exceptional programs this week. So much work-- my eyes are spinning in oil.
A week ago, we lost my darling niece, Kiira Jepson. My heart aches over this. She was 54 years old and a light in our lives. I am thinking constantly of my oldest sister, her mother, and her brother who says she was his best friend. Her cancer moved very quickly. I was so hopeful that she would be the one to challenge the outcome; the one to set a new record for survival. And, she was determined to do so, too. I feel she has been with me, especially this week, going to all the events, attending my classes, with me while I'm making the next batch of sauce. I hear her voice and her laugh.
As some of you know from this blog, that in the past year, my family hit the cancer jackpot. I had a challenging cancer, and am now 7 months cancer free; my husband, as soon as I finished my course of treatment, began his treatment, and is now on the other side of it.
I am grateful for every day, every morning where my feet find the floor and I stand, and look both ways, and go in the right direction. Often, I wonder how I was cured. A miracle, really. But, maybe my work isn't done yet. Maybe, there is someone out there that I need to meet, have a conversation with, teach . . . Maybe I have to learn something more? Not sure.
In the meantime, I am going with the force. I am trying to be stress free. However, I would like to add 6 more hours to the day.
Today, some of my family will join me in picking apples and picking the garden. We still in full swing of harvest because of the late planting. Soggy Spring. Not so now. Every day has been gorgeous.
I will try to be more frequent with posts now, especially about art and writing.
