After six days of travel to Portland, Oregon for a poetry conference at Lewis and Clark College with Stafford Challenge members, I am back home in Georgia and attempting to transition back to my regular time zone. I made myself get up at 5:45 this morning for coffee and yogurt and a snuggle with my schnoodles. I stepped outside to check the world, and the birdsong assures me the harmony on the farm is still in tune here in the quiet hush of the rural countryside.
It’s my first day home being off contract for summer before I officially retire in August, and I have two goals: write/post, and get myself back in the zone. I might push it and do a load of laundry just to have clean socks. Memories are swimming in my head, full of the love and exhaustion of travel – the best kind of tired that tells you you made the most of it all and came home changed in a way that only travel and friends can change you. How truly Steinbeck the journey, the best kind that leaves you stumbling around with a cup of strong coffee trying to recover from one trip while simultaneously and secretly plotting the next.
But whatever the day holds, my heart and mind will carry all the fresh air and green trees and memories of the Pacific Northwest. I’ll read poems and remember my time there, holding it all close with a foot on both sides of the country today.
Be
there’s a bench beyond the allium
nestled beneath a tree
beside the cobbled sidewalk
come sit and be with me!
Common Threads 
I’m so ready to join you on the bench! Such an inviting joyful poem! This is such a rich slice. Its purpuse seems to be to capture the feelings of your travels, instead of all that you did. I think that is why I like it so much! And now back how, you describe your feelings so well, too. Laundry for you have socks! And this fav line: “holding it all close with a foot on both sides of the country today.”
BTW – did you attend your Sarah Kay event yet?!!
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Sally, thank you! Instead of a bench in the balmy Pacific Northwest cool breeze, I’m back in Georgia in the air conditioning (window units until our central air gets repaired – – it went out a week and a half ago). I did go see Sarah Kay, and what a beautiful experience to hear her reading. I’m so glad I got to hear her and see her. She autographed one of her books I took to the event.
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The busy-ness in your chapter of slowing down. The images you created with your words had me right there with you. You are such a poet as you travel!
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Awww, thank you Erika, and safe travels to you as well as your son gets married and you enjoy time with friends and family.
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On our family trip to PNW, Stella and I examined the allium. I love how each stamen is a star! Home from travel does the same to me. We were exhausted and talking about the next trip all the way home.
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Margaret, I love that you and Stella examined it. I didn’t look as closely as you did, but now I’m gonna be Googling to see the stars.
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Sitting on that bench sounds lovely! How exciting to travel to Portland for the conference. It must have been so inspiring! The aftermath of traveling, especially to a different time zone, isn’t always fun, but hopefully what you gained from the trip makes it a little less painful.
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Thank you so much! I got a lot out of it, and it’s worth the wooziness of a few days to recover. I can’t travel like I used to with boundless energy and stamina, but I’m still enjoying the ride!
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Kim, you describe the pull and tug of home and adventure perfectly. I love to trave and adore the sense of peace of coming home! They are both essential pieces of the puzzle of life.
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I can’t wait to learn more about your next trip! I love going to visit my family on the west coast, but I hate changing time zones. I can’t believe you made it up before 6 am!
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Linda, I had to go back to bed. Even after two cups of coffee, I wasn’t acclimated yet and slept until 10:35 EDT. I’m so glad it’s summer and it doesn’t matter what time I get up……this may take a few days.
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That’s funny – you went back to bed! It takes me a good week to acclimate!
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Kim,
Sounds like a lovely day of transition — between vacation and home, work and play. Enjoy!
And thanks for the lovely invitation. Yes, please.
So happy for you as you ease into retirement. You’re going to love it!
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Thank you, Sharon!
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Your trip sounds magnificent, and so does your well-placed bench. Take some time to revel in those travel memories! Also, retirement is almost upon you!!! I’m so excited for you!
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Thank you, Lori! And I’m excited for your husband’s retirement as well. It’ll be nice with both of you retired.
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I love the poem at the end! I, too, am grappling with my recent retirement (while looking for a less intensive job to take me to my actual full retirement). It does require a shift in thinking and doing…good luck with your transition!
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Congratulations! Yes, I will pick up another job as well, but nothing with too much commitment for at least a year. I’m taking a year to adjust my sails. Good luck to you also. It’s time to rethink and reset.
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Love this, Kim: How truly Steinbeck the journey, the best kind that leaves you stumbling around with a cup of strong coffee trying to recover from one trip while simultaneously and secretly plotting the next. I am about to take a summer southern road trip – Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, your lovely state of Georgia, and then on down the eastern coast of Florida. I’m having my usual travel jitters – but know I will see amazing things and have many road trip adventures! Thanks for sharing!
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Oh, please do reach out if you’re anywhere near Atlanta or Columbus or Macon. I’m in that trip-city area where I can be at any of those places in an hour or so. Would love to meet for lunch or dinner if you have time. You will have an amazing trip, and I know all to well the jitters. I think there is a word for that…..resfeber. I love that word! There is nothing more exciting than a road trip where you can see the changing landscape of a slice of America. Safe travels and happy resfeber.
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