Trippin' with Susan Straley

Life can go along and all the blessings, the joy and fun can seem ho-hum after a while.  Then something happens, a goal is reached, a plan takes shape, a fork is decided on. The thrill returns. Today is just such a day.   I have been in the Rhinelander area now for over a month!   Long enough that mushrooms are growing inside my screen tent. West Bay Campground is wooded with lots of maple, oak and birch.  The campground is mostly quiet. Three times I have driven to the Bearskin Trail and rode the trail.  Two of those times I rode solo from the woods into the town of Minocqua.   The trail is 18 miles long and has a crushed gravel surface.  One end is in the bustling and touristy town of Minocqua, and the other end is out in the quiet woods near the the intersection of Hwy K and Hwy 51. I love the stories of the early rail days that are told on the kiosks along the trail.  When they were trying to create a causeway through the swamp ...

“Remember, remember, this is now, and now, and now.  Live it, feel it, cling to it.  I want to become acutely aware of all I’ve taken for granted.”   Sylvia Plath The last time I posted I was feeling anxious and not very up-beat.  I apologize if I passed on those feelings to you.  I am better now.  I hope you are ok too. There are several things that turned it around for me. I realized I wasn't focusing on the good in my life.  I have learned before that making a little effort to change my outlook makes a difference in how I view the world and my happiness level.  I made a list of things I am grateful for.    I was amazed when in no time at all I had filled three pages in my journal.  I could have gone on and on and on.   Wow! If you are feeling overwhelmed by the changes and things in the news, I suggest you try that exercise. I blocked a few people on Facebook.  Not that I don't like them a...

 June 15, 2020 Hi all,   I hope you are doing well and able to remain positive no matter what life throws your way.   I went for a ride by myself.  I did over 30 miles.  I stopped at the flower shop in Floral City and bought three bouquets to share with folks.  They looked pretty nice on my trike. Our moment in history, June 2020, feels like we are standing in the middle of a food fight.  We are getting stuff thrown at us from all sides!  I was listening to a historian/author on NPR the other day and they told of all the happenings in the late 60's.  Protests, violence against protestors, assassinations, a crazy war, distrust in our government institutions... he said it felt very much like the U.S. was falling apart.  Similar to today. I saw some comedians on Youtube saying, "You know what happens when a country is in chaos? They get invaded."  So the comedians began begging Canada to invade us... "and brin...

Friday, May 8, 2020 I am grateful for nature.  There are few things that raise my spririt up more than seeing something rare in nature and soaking up a beautiful day.   Especially if I have someone with whom to share the experience. So I am going to tell you all about my totally awesome day I had recently. I am also grateful for wonderful neighbors and friends that lift my spirits and sometimes they help me move heavy furniture, loan a tool or volunteer to assist with something. I will tell you all about THAT too.  But first I need to talk a bit to those folks in the future who will be reading this and wondering what is going on in the world at this time. We Are Living at the Beginning of COVID-19 Historical Perspective 2020 It is easy for us baby-boomers who have lived most of our lives with freedom of movement and freedom to express our opinions to fall into a self-pity party during this time.  We have lived in a period of economic growth for m...