by Marlene Bumgarner | May 27, 2021 | Aging, Family, Health
Back to Normal? Sitting in a rest stop last week, two hours south of Santa Cruz and a third of the way to my destination, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of it all. People coming and going, politely walking around one another, everyone masked, the hot breeze...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Nov 9, 2020 | Aging, Community, Cooking and Eating, Family, Grandparenting
Remembering Past Traditions Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated with large family gatherings. We eat communally prepared feasts, share family stories, and spend hours indoors playing games, working puzzles, and watching televised sporting events. Even more than...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Oct 31, 2020 | Aging, Back to the Land, Books, Family, Writing
Writing as Healing In this time of Shelter in Place, many of us have turned to gardening, baking, or writing to help us stay focused and grounded. I have done all of those things, but mostly I write. Writing is how I make meaning out of seemingly meaningless events,...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Aug 27, 2020 | Aging, Family, Health
Love at First Touch – Massaging Away Pain I never expected a simple trip to buy vegetables to change my life, but it did. I met Maria Fernandez at the Santa Cruz Farmer’s Market where she was offering five-minute massages. My body hurt that day, as it always...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Apr 6, 2020 | Aging, Community, Cooking and Eating, Family, Health, Writing
Sheltering at Home, Week One The first week of sheltering at home, I thought “This is great – I’ll have time to do all those things I’ve been putting off. I unearthed a photo album from the 1980s that I wanted to bring up to date for my...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Dec 22, 2019 | Aging, Child development, Community, Family, Grandparenting, Writing
The Christmas Cards Cometh As I sit in my cozy chair and open my mail this morning I am grateful to those of my friends who still send annual Christmas cards and letters. I look forward to connecting with old friends, being introduced to new members of the family,...