Young at Heart

"Here, Phoebe, is a stone for Chris I had in my visiting rock collection and I knew it would be perfect for him." 

Lainie was our hostess on Great Spruce Head Island in Penobscot Bay this summer. She is in her early seventies and shares these delightful gems both the stone kind and the idea of having a visiting rock collection. The stone suits Chris who drives an orange and black beast of a Jeep. She has never met him nor seen his Jeep but she listens closely and takes in what is said to her. She gently coaxed who Chris is and what he likes from my daughter who is 31 years old as they shared a beach walk. I hope Chris liked the stone because Phoebe was touched by her thoughtfulness and generosity in remembering what she had told her in order to choose the perfect stone from her collection.

 Who takes time to keep a visiting rock collection that can be shared with others when the moment is right? I don't but I now wish I did.

I am standing on a beach looking at the water and the islands trying to figure out where I am in relation to the mainland. Lainie  turns to me and recites the following excerpt from the longer poem Renascence  telling me the Camden hills in the distance were the mountains Edna is writing about in this poem. She then points out the three islands in the bay. I listen in awe as she  recites while looking right at me as I look at the mountains and the islands.

Renascence

All I could see from where I stood
Was three long mountains and a wood;
I turned and looked another way,
And saw three islands in a bay.
So with my eyes I traced the line
Of the horizon, thin and fine,
Straight around till I was come
Back to where I'd started from;
And all I saw from where I stood
Was three long mountains and a wood.

Edna St. Vincent Millay


Who takes time to memorize poetry and to share it with confidence and clarity. I don't but I wish that I did. 

Our summer was packed with moments like this. Cherished moments. 

 “You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!” ~  Dr Suess

The family on the edge of the Fundy Trail


“It’s opener, out there, in the wide, open air.” ~  Dr Suess

Biking the Ceilidh Coastal Trail in Cape Breton.

Angry sky at Cape Enrage

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” ~ Dr. Seuss

Wine tasting in Nova Scotia

And when things start to happen, don’t worry, don’t stew. Just go right along, you’ll start happening too!” ~  Dr Suess

Someone talked us into this!!