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Tuesday, December 15, 2020

2020 Holiday Blessings

 

 

Glitter Mittens on Jekyll Island

2020 begin well enough for me.  I spent New Year’s on Jekyll Island, Georgia, where I adopted an injured green sea turtle, "coota" in the Gullah language, named “Glitter Mittens,” at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and rehab hospital.  Glitter Mittens had been severely injured by a boat in Savannah about 6 months before.  She had a skull fracture and one eye hanging out of the socket which had to be removed.  Staff didn’t think she would make it, but my girl is a fighter and by the time I came along, she was merrily swimming in her rehab pool and diving for food.  I was so looking forward to coming back for her “release party” which due to the virus I had to attend online on April 21.   I enjoy thinking of her swimming in the Atlantic, virus-free and wild.  Go Glitter Mittens!! For an inspiring video of her journey, click on the “Turtle News” link on in the upper right corner of this blog.

 

I had high hopes for 2020, as I am sure you did, too.  I left Jekyll Island and flew to Mexico which I spent January and February touring and visiting a variety of cities and friends.  I came home from Mexico feeling good having lost some weight and with fond memories of my time with friends there.  Now it seems so long ago when I could go into a cafĂ© and write, or have a meal with a friend, or go to church or a play or walk and hike with friends from Senior Rec or travel anywhere!  But just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, they did:  protests in Portland, which I supported when it was all about Black Lives Matter, turned into violence including a shooting death, a far cry from the nonviolent direct action I believe in.  And then people’s homes burned down and we couldn’t go outside at all because the air quality was so bad it was off the charts.  Enough already.

Mt. Rainier

I did manage to slip in visits to four national parks this summer – Olympic, North Cascades, Glacier and Mt. Rainier, where I camped and hiked and celebrated my 69th birthday with a good friend  We also did a variety of hikes around Mt. Hood this year.  I bought a new RED 2021 Prius, so I am ready to take off as soon I get my vaccine and the virus slows down.  It will, won’t it??   Help us, VG!  (Virgin of Guadalupe)  I would like to visit everyone I know and adopt another coota on Jekyll Island!

 

VG in the RED Prius

I am ending the year missing the old life, for sure, but feeling gratitude for all that I do have – my house and garden, good health, economic security, meaningful work in ministry, friends and community that care, my garden and all the beauty in nature.   

Wishing you and yours peace and health this holiday season and in the New Year.  

 Love and blessings, Connie

 

 

 

Copyright 2020 Constance B. Yost. All rights reserved.