My sister and I were gone last week to the great redwood forests of San Mateo County. I fell madly, truly, deeply in love with my morning and evening walks on the various beaches around Pescadero. I went out for solitary painting expeditions with my gouache palette, pulling over at various places to draw and paint what I saw.
A friend lent me her cozy cabin tucked into a redwood canyon for the week. It was marvelous and I was able to experience a new part of California previously undiscovered. Instead of driving to Chinatown in rush hour LA traffic at 7 a.m. I headed out of the canyon, down country lanes, to wild lonely beaches with few Homo sapiens. My favorite kind! Nothing but bird tracks, sea stacks, and golden cliffs to walk beside.
…our job always and forever was to refuse Apocalypse in all its forms and work cheerfully against it.
My path forward has not become illuminated with retirement insight, but I have managed to shake off an unsettling feeling of vastness, of being unmoored, of coming undone. I am finding my way through uncharted territory. I signed up for 4 classes a week of water exercises at a large outdoor aquatic center nearby. They’ll begin next week and continue through our hottest month of September.
I seem to have returned to my former carelessly lazy ways in regard to homemaking, but I do have my Swiffer dusters at the ready should the need to tidy strike. My personality does not lend itself to schedules, but I make many more TO DON’T lists on the pages of my journal than I used to and I confess to enjoying checking them off.
A couple of former students emailed me and I enjoyed reading and responding to their missives.
The best futures are unforeseen.
All quotes in this post are courtesy of Leif Enger.
This week as part of my art practice I intend to recreate the rough gouache sketches I made in San Mateo County on loose sheets of heavier paper. I need to order some more acrylic gouache and look forward to getting a lightweight folding stool I can take with me for outdoor sketching both here in LA and further afield. If you know of a good one let me know! I look forward to more drawing from life expeditions.
As I fell asleep each night in my cabin bed, I turned my head back to the window above my pillow, towards the redwood canopy and without fail found a black sky shivering with stars.
On My Bookshelf
I am keeping my branch of the Los Angeles Public Library busy with my requests. And as each title arrives I enjoy the winding path of words into story after story. For years and years it took me weeks to finish books, but now I assign myself 50 pages a day and in that way finish most books in under a week. Reading: another of my new jobs in retirement. I found most of these titles on a Book Tok where I follow several readers with the same taste as I. Lately I carry my books to a lovely nearby park and settle under a bench with deep pockets of shade. I always note the time. Is it recess or lunch? Almost time for Math/P.E./Writer’s Workshop! But under my reading trees I have no need to hurry or report back to duty.
I can wholeheartedly vouch for the Enger, O’Farrell, and Kamali (LWOT) books as being of unputdownable status. The others are in process, or not begun yet.
I Cheerfully Refuse gets special mention for being a tome for our time with good instruction for how to proceed with present jackass fascists in the WH. Plus, the boat Flower, is a character worthy of many accolades.
As always, I love hearing from you and knowing what sort of things you’re getting up to in your corners of the world. What are you cooking, reading, making, thinking? A curious retiree in the city of angels wants to know.
Keep your head above the waves. We owe it to the world to stay hopeful and not fall into a thick soup of despair.
See you, love you, bye.
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Books by Kristen Harmel about the Resistance in France during World War II- who knew there were so many different groups- each book is so interesting! And I’m sure you have read The Secret Lives of Bees- I discovered it recently and absolutely loved it. And something or someone else I currently love is your Governor Gavin- hurray for someone bold enough to dish it out!!! Always love your posts and photos- seize the day!!
Dear Mary Ann,
Your post showed up just in the nick of time… I fear I was beginning to sink in the dark waters and your lovely pics and words helped me to swim to shore!!! I was in Northern California about 5 weeks ago and had a very unfortunate accident. I slid on a piece of rock on the edge of the driveway of my Airbnb in Carmel Highlands and fell. Both ankles black and blue, swollen and painful. Pretty much ruined the rest of the trip. Fortunately we had spent the day before at Point Lobos so I didn’t miss that. Being the good healthcare provider that I am, I refused to go to the ER in such a small little place (Texas Medical Center snob), but made an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon for the day after our return. Argh!!! Both broken, the fibula on each leg, fortunately not displaced which was really good because I had been walking on them a bit each day. So…. I’ve spent the last 25 days reclining with my feet elevated and unfortunately watching the news waaaay too much. Both of these (immobility and the news) have led to a not very positive view of pretty much everything. In addition the significant other had surgery on his left hand on 8/20 (fortunately his non-dominant hand). I joke that together we make one functional person. He can walk and I can use both hands…
Today, I’m feeling a bit better, avoiding the television (even tho the SO is watching his MSNBC). I am wearing my headphones and I’m working on binding a small book!
I have been reading too! Lots! Highly recommend The Essential Elizabeth Stone by Jennifer Banash, This One Life by Amanda Prouse, Frank & Red by Matt Coyne and The Flower Sisters by Michelle Collins Anderson.
I’m so happy to hear that you are finding your stride a bit more in your retirement Mary Ann and that you are out and about having fun.
The book that I’m binding is a seeded journal. If you’ve never heard of it, check it out. It’s pretty fun. Once I’ve bound it I plan to begin working in it with markers which is not a medium I usually use but will probably be easier to manage in a reclining position. We’ll see…
Keep the posts and pics coming!! Love them as always!
Oh Susan, oh dear…that sounds painful and highly inconvenient which is probably worse than the physical pain. It’s always the accidents that come out of the blue that are the worst. Your seeded journal sounds like a very good pastime as you heal. Billows of love to you…
Another wonderful blogpost! Thanks for sharing, and I’m glad you are settling nicely into retirement and exploring new areas. The Pescadero area is really beautiful, and more accessible to the rest of California than the Mendocino areas you have explored before. You might also look into Sonoma County, my neck of the woods: I love living in the tiny town of Glen Ellen.
Thanks, too, for the great book suggestions. I have added them all to my Libby list. Here area a few suggestions for books I’ve loved recently: Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid; The Satisfaction Cafe, by Kathy Wang; What Kind of Paradise, by Janelle Brown; Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President, by E. Jean Carroll; The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans; Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett.
thanks for the book list, Dianne. Glen Ellen. Having just looked it up I have concluded it must be on my list of California places to explore. I can access the Sonoma County Botanic Garden with one of my memberships. I have only explored north of Jenner, not south so am unfamiliar with that entire coast. Which do you prefer Dillon Beach or Bodega Bay for a shore excursion? I was born in Solano county to your east!
I think you will like the Sonoma Botanical Garden, though I’d probably wait till it’s a bit cooler…or even wait for a springtime visit…pretty hot and dry at the moment. It’s an unusual garden, that requires a bit of hill-climbing, but definitely not so big as to be discouraging! You will also want to visit Jack London State Historical Park, and while there, visit the House of Happy Walls and take the walk down to the ruins of London’s Wolf House. Just a glorious place to visit. And don’t forget that Sonoma County has 400 wineries…all of them really good.
I haven’t spent any time at Dillon Beach, but Bodega Bay is really lovely. The whole coast is a stunner!
Your doing great. I love your writings. Love to see what you are discovering and reading. I have been at the Southern Oregon coast most of this Summer. A little town called Port Orford. Quirky and quiet. I head back to the hot/ smokey Rogue Valley next week to watch grandsons, while my daughter goes to work (SLP), in the public school. I can’t wait to hug and giggle with them, but it’s so hard to leave my little spot of cool, fresh air and breezy sing song-y skies. This morning the vultures were sun-ing with their wings spread out to the sky. They will head south soon. I also saw a green heron and a kingfisher, across the lake. Take good care.
Lori, I have compiled an entire retirement destination list and most of it is along the Oregon coast where I’ve only been once before. I shall investigate your Port Orford and see what splendor awaits me there on some future trip. xo
p.s. I love the turkey vultures and seeing them drying out their wings is a gift
I will always love your posts even though I don’t “comment” very often.
I hope you will think as you write the next post…”I know Janet is going to love my words, and stories and pictures so much…it feels good to do this sharing with other people and imaging how pleased they are when I tell them what I’ve been up to.”
I also love that you share the books you read – it really helps me pick out my next books to look for on Libby. (I like to listen while I am doing some stitching or hand sewing.)
So thank you for continuing to share your adventures and insights about life.
Janet
Oh Janet what a delight your message is to me. Thank you for sending it. My blog is my journal where I can talk to others as well as myself.
I’m so happy for you!!
So nice to hear about your life transitions and the beauty you see and capture of the California coast.
Today Michigan had a cool weather day to remind us that the tomatoes and beans will soon need to be purchased rather than gathered from the backyard. I have yet to discover who or what I have been sharing my basil plants with and therefore will have a small reserve of pesto for our winter pasta meals. The birds in the backyard have been quite entertaining and delightful to listen to…19 different birds one afternoon last week. Some migrators passing through in their travels to winter locations.
Looking forward to your next post.
I wish I could send a photo, but please just search for Foldable-Telescoping-Portable-Retractable-Collapsible stools on Amazon. They sort of resemble a Dr. Who dalek. They are inexpensive, collapse down into a disc about the size of an old movie film reel, and are very lightweight (about 2 lbs). Very sturdy with a load capacity of something ridiculous like 400 lbs. and you can adjust the height. My partner hangs his off his camera backpack when he is out shooting photos, and I’ve noticed he has started throwing it in the car other times too– like when he had to stand in a two hour line at the DMV (and had so many people come up and ask WHERE DID YOU GET THAT??) We have seen many people using them at various peaceful gatherings we have attended this summer, probably because they are so easy to hang off a backpack or purse.
I keep hearing about these! Thanks, Kim for telling me. They sound v.v. convenient and easily portable
Hi Mary Ann,
Its the turning of the seasons here in Brisbane . We don’t normally get much cold weather in our Winter, but this year we have had wet and cold weather, . Our house is old and not really well insulated, so all the jumpers, scarves, beanies and blanket have been out and in high demand. Along with a couple of small dogs who are like a hot water bottle .We live by a the bay, and walk along the shore when we can. It is built up , so occasionally good to escape to the wilderness. One of my daughters lives in a rural property about 8 hours drive from here. Its pretty basic, but quiet.. so quiet. And the sky is enormous, and you can see the stars.. so many stars.
When I first retired I just barreled into stuff, I would have time to do all this stuff. Now I have learned to say I could do that but I don’t want too, thanks.
Here’s to walks in nature, standing and staring at the sea and the sky , and here’s to learning about gouache
Best wishes
Wendy
Wendy, Stay warm down there in your Brisbane world. I love quiet and stars and wild country and also not doing things just to do them. Amen to that. Slow and deliberate is a good speed for me too. Always a pleasure to hear from you. xo
Oh please please please share some of your TO DON’T lists! I’m inspired by this idea!
So glad to see you’re enjoying your retirement!
I just love your art, your sketches are so beautiful and authentic.
I so enjoy your posts. Enjoy retirement. Somehow I know you will!
What a gorgeous cottage! What gorgeous scenery! But..what is that yellow shiny thing? Some kind of slug? Eeek!
I am discovering the works of Lily King and Emma Straub, and right now I am reading King’s “The English Teacher.” Also “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain” by George Saunders (though I’m at a halt with that one.
The fall semester at work started today. I’m beginning to think more and more about retirement. What do I want it to look like? I am always glad to follow your adventures.
Do you like acrylic gouache better than regular gouache?
XOXO
Sandra, the bright yellow beauty is a banana slug. They are slow and peaceful and excellent decomposers and I love them.
Acrylic gouache is a fun addition to my paint box. I will always prefer regular gouache for its ease and portability, but I like the creamy thickness of the acrylic at times.
Thanks for sharing your books.
When I stayed in Lewes last year, there were tons of snails in the garden of my Airbnb. And empty shells too!
You are very welcome!
I second the recommendation of Lily King…what a wonderful writer! Thanks for the reminder, Sandra!
I have always felt a vague kinship with you and it’s cemented with Leif Enger and my favorite – Maggie O’Farrell! Have you read This Must Be the Place? I love all of her books but this was the first and the most reread. She drove me to become a completest with her work! And I learned that new word on the way. She and Anne Patchett keep me waiting for what’s next. And Enger just made me listen – especially to my heart for Magical Realism which is indeed magical. I loved Peach Like a River. I’m in the midst of The Measure (don’t love, don’t hate) a bookclub commitment. When I finish I’m off to the Astor’s after loving the Gilded Age. I need to paint. And, I’m in a bit of a twist. We’ve boxed everything from the “art room” which was my son’s bedroom, then, at his departure, a semi storage, semi art space. A friend took a rethink on a couple of years ago and just managed to cast everything into plastic bins which were stacked in and above the closets. Not super functional. Then, my daughter got married and may wedding leftovers (and moving out leave behinds) bedecked the room as did a gift of a Pelaton (towel hanger?) So now, we’ve got everything stored in my girl’s old room while we tear up the 25 year old carpet and patch the cracking walls (cement slab settles) and install more electricity and LIGHT. Pale salmon walls and an olive green sleeper are coming and I’m thrilled. But til then, a piece of paper (a new book?) and nearby pens and pencils will suffice. Your trip was beautiful. I wish for mornings by the sea. I’m ready for some California a little further north. So happy for your inspiring missive. More to come – and soon I hope! Enjoy!
Check your work! It’s PEACE like a river.
Peach like a River sounds delicious though…
Thanks for your lovely note, Victoria. I enjoy reading about your reading, sorting, moving, fixing, installing. May it go easy and fall together beautifully! See you soon…
https://www.camptime.com/collections/chair
Different heights. Folds into not much.. 5 of us in a sketchers group have these. We are 67 to 85. Some with bad knees and this is so great for us. Super lightweight and easy to carry on your shoulder even with our sketch bags …
just ordered the 19″ green model! thanks, Paula
Hi Mary Ann,
I’ve used a Walkstool for years, mostly for plein air painting and I like it a lot but not for long periods of time. One sits on it like on a saddle… the seat is a triangle. The basic models are all that’s needed, and the higher the better so it’s easier for this old woman to get up. I sling it over my shoulder and don’t even know it’s there.
I’ve been looking at the telescoping stools on Amazon recently and they look like they’d be more comfortable, good for car travel but not for hiking because of the weight and size.
Fondly,
Jo
thanks for your input, Jo, appreciate v.v. much! Time to go shopping…
In this part of the world I still swim in the ocean every morning though lately it have been colder, 62 F. But ohhh so lovely and fresh. Still holding on to summer even if it’s waving goodbye to me. Same every year. Late summer blues
I have always loved receiving your posts. I did your remains of the day course, many moons ago. At least I think that is what it was called! I made several travel journals. I look forward to retiring in the not too distant future! So I will enjoy getting ideas from your retirement to use for my own!
Reading is one of my own pleasures alongside making journals and being out in nature. I am from Devon England. I look forward to hearing about your next travels.
I assign myself 50 pages as well! Look at us go. Also I think mental health days should be added for calm down the nervous system… it takes a long time to unwind from the go go go. Also I bought the wet Swiffer in hopes I’ll be more diligent. Still in the box.
I love Leif Unger! I don’t know the one you just read, I’m excited to order it from MY library!
Oh Gwen, I enjoyed it so much! Hope you do too xo
Love your post. Glad u r feeling better abt your retirement. No to acrylic gouache. Might as well buy acrylic paint. It will dry in your brushes while u are out and abt and turn them into another piece of permanent of plastic liter. Get some water based gouache or maybe a better grade of watercolor paint? Ones w more pigment load. They don’t destroy brushes. Anyway have fun. The world is now your oyster. Ps what is that bright yellow worm looking thing in your post? A salamander?
Such a lovely retirement you’re enjoying. . . thanks for the book recommendations!
I have a CampTime folding chair, with a back, that is very lightweight. Made of aluminum, it comes in several sizes, depending on your preferred seat height/length of legs. You can check them out at their website: I have a Medium.
Things work, and things work out.
So glad you’re enjoying Northern California. I was born in San Francisco and raised on the Peninsula (San Mateo County). I live in Redwood City in a forested condo complex, but walking distance to restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Live going to downtown Half Moon Bay (just went yesterday) and it was 15 minutes door to door. There’s so much to do and see. I hope you come back soon and consider this area to retire?! 😁🤞🥰
Arlene, a forested condo complex sounds really lovely – something like that may be in my future. I love it up north. mmmmm….
If you are look for a good folding stool look in the camping section of most stores. I got mine at Bass Pro Shop for only $10 and it had a carry strap and it works great because it is lightweight. It is pretty much the same 3 legged stools that the art stores well for around $50
Oh, this is an excellent tip, thanks Katie! I’ll check out a BPS should be able to find one around here…