There’s a small creek near their home where my grandsons like to play. At one point, it runs through a culvert under the dirt road, and one of the boys’ favorite things to do is toss everything they can find that floats in one side and watch them come out the other. My job is to stand on the exit side to watch for traffic (not much on this rural road). One day last summer, this stick and flower came floating out the culvert.

Cee’s Question 1: What type of music relaxes you the most or do you prefer silence?

My Answer: The most relaxing sound I know is a gentle but steady rainfall, especially on the asphalt tiled roof of an old cabin. Since that is a sound I cannot summon as needed, I tend to rely on light classical music, or native American flute music (I’m a fan of Carlos Nakai.) However, if I’m stressing out over a boatload of work I need to get done (like during the holidays when there’s more housework, more cooking, more shopping, plus the decorating, wrapping, traveling, etc.), I crank up some old-time rock ‘n’ roll. It not only makes me feel happy, but its’ energy keeps me movin’ (and, yes, I’m usually singing along and have even been known to break into a few dance moves with the vacuum). As for silence, when I’m ready to relax into sleep, if I can’t have a rainfall then I definitely prefer silence.

Cee’s Question 2: Show us two of your favorite photographs and explain why they are your favorites.

My Answer: Sadly, I can’t share my very favorite, because they are of my grandchildren, and my children don’t want their images on the internet (a position with which I agree). So, here I’ll share a couple of my second favorites:

Hiking with the g-sons a couple of summers past.

  This photo was taken by my 8-year-old grandson last summer, with my old camera, while we hiked around some local hillsides after a rain. Among his many activities, he loves taking pictures. He titled the computer folder for his photos that day, “Was Good”. When I expressed a little confusion and asked him why he wanted this title, he explained that the day was “all good”, the rain was good, his pictures were good, and he and his brother didn’t fight, so the day “Was Good”.

As for why I like these photos, that’s obvious: who doesn’t like seeing their grandchildren and the work they do?

Cee’s Question 3: What is your favorite tradition?

My Answer: Opening one present on Christmas Eve.

Cee’s Question 4: If you could go back and talk to yourself at age 18, what advice would you give yourself?

My Answer: Learn the difference between fun and happiness, remembering that the world is full of unhappy people having lots of fun. Happiness is the result of achievement and confidence, and the happier you are, the less fun you will need.

Cee’s Bonus Question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

My Answer: From last week, I’m grateful for: time with my grand-kids, the spring snow we got on Thursday that was melted by Friday, a nice chat with an old friend, sticking with at least 20 minutes a day of exercise, and adding three new pages to one of my stories. As for next week, there’s not a lot going on right now, but I am looking forward to the weather staying warm so I can get outdoors more, taking more pictures, and (maybe) finishing one of my stories. (Since I can’t seem to make up my mind about which one I really want to work on, I’m writing three stories, one ‘primary’ story and two secondary, so when I get stuck on one, I switch to another. This is not a good method for actually finishing anything, but until I get this writing business figured out, it keeps me writing.)

A walk to anticipate.

A local hiking trail, loaded with wildflowers every summer.