17 Comments

Oh so beautiful~ Thank you for your posts here, they bring me such joy! I love your line "It is the actual life I’ve created by the choices I’ve made about the way I want to live." So inspiring today to read your words, thank you and can't wait to see your flowers bloom!

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Hi Polly! So glad you are a part of all this and joining along in the journey! And thank you as always. Some of those flowers will have your name on them. And p.s. going to text you!

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Looking forward to your next post and so glad you take the time to craft these little vignettes of your life, what a gift! x

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Thank you so much for your wonderful words and photos, Susie! As always, you inspire me. I may have told you that my husband died in August and that my daughter Amy and I are moving to South Carolina the weekend of April 30th. I’m working very hard to empty our big house that we’ve lived in for nearly 40 years so that we can go into a little house down the road from my son and his family. Thank you again - you’re the best!

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Ethel, you did, and I am so happy to now hear that you are going to be near your son and his family. And South Carolina should be lovely. But packing up 40 years of memories (and likely shedding a lot) is not easy - I don't envy you. I'll be thinking of you and glad we'll be in touch!

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I, too, have found my place of belonging. My husband and I live on a small acreage in north central Alberta. When we had decided to move out of town it was the first and only placed we looked at. Both of us felt, yes this is where we belong, before we saw the house. Now 45 years later and many renovations (it would have been cheaper to move) we still feel lucky to be here.

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Gwen, that's a great feeling -- you guys followed your gut and made a good life for yourselves. It's wonderful when that happens. So glad you're where you're supposed to be! Hope you're staying warm up there!

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"I'm not from here but I got here as soon as I could" - applies to many places people find to love.

Delaware would welcome you back with open arms but some of those corn fields are now developments!

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Hi Sue!! Lots of fond memories. Yes, I'm down there frequently to see my Dad so I've seen the development. I kept trying to explain my attachment to my husband (who now does understand) but I finally realized that often what I'm seeing in my eyes is what I saw in my childhood and not what it looks like now!

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Susie, you nailed it with your poetic prose. I hope that we all manage to live on our beautiful island until our end days. The crisis in affordable housing is a direct result of the greedy mega house builders who have made it impossible for most of us to live here. It is no wonder that everyone from doctors and nurses to restaurant workers and farmers have no place to rent, much less buy an accommodation here.

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Hi Linda!

Oy it is such a complex issue but one that often feels like the train has left the station, which makes me sad. Did you see the story about Island veterinarians? Another example of the leakage happening right before our eyes. Hope you guys are staying cozy this weekend. Susie

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Gorgeous writing. Photos are wonderful, too. Thank you.

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Thank you Ellen. I'm really enjoying your Substack -- in my next life I am going to have a kitchen garden like yours. For now, I'm back to thinking about a market garden in order to eventually grow a lot of flowers (selfishly) and make a little money (the hard way - ha!).

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You have once again captured the true essence of the island! Thank you for creating the images with your words! Spot On!

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You are welcome Denise, of course! And thank you. This Island!!

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Beautiful beautiful piece. Thank you. 🙏🏻 The real estate issue is a scourge, and I don’t know how I’ll deal with it up in Maine (my place ❤️) where it’s a problem identical to the one on the Vineyard. Also: a Cancerian? Did I know this? Me too.

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Cancerians, yes -- it's all about the stomach! (hence, the stomach aches!). Thank you thank you my dear re the post, and I know you and Susan are going to find that perfect (bargain) house in Maine - and before too many (Cancer) moons. xo

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